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Question

Battery running down when computer shut down

Dec 2, 2011 4:40AM PST

My 2004 iBook G4 has developed a mind of
its own. Battery is running down even tho the computer is shut down -- just started doing this lately. Have checked preference settings but cannot find culprit??

Discussion is locked

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Answer
(NT) Is the battery over 2 years old?
Dec 2, 2011 9:07AM PST
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Battery running down
Dec 2, 2011 10:46PM PST

Yes, I purchased this computer new in 2004 and had always operated it for the most part on ac.
I have a MacBook purchased last year but I use the older one for certain operations and
recently noticed that even tho I leave it in a shutdown mode, when I start it up, it will tell me
it is running on reserve battery.

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The battery is shot
Dec 2, 2011 11:06PM PST

The battery is shot. Even if you were operating on AC power most of the time, the battery was still being used. Without getting deep into the physics of things, let's just say that batteries slowly lose their charge over time, and the laptop was recharging the battery every time it got below a certain level. Fast forward a couple of years and the charge cycles on the battery have likely been used up and then some.

On a unit that old, I'd just recommend removing the battery and taking it somewhere for disposal. If you leave it in the unit, sooner or later it's going to start swelling and do damage to the laptop. If that isn't enough to prompt you to remove it, then not too long after that it will probably explode. I don't know about you, but the prospect of hot battery acid flying around doesn't sound appealing to me.

The unit likely isn't worth paying for a new battery, so just leave it permanently connected to AC power. Honestly, the fact that your iBook G4 hasn't suffered the known issue with cold solder joints around the GPU already, is all the more reason you want to leave that thing as stationary as possible.

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Battery running down
Dec 4, 2011 1:26AM PST

Your info was vey helpful. Appreciate it.

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Even unused, the battery shelf life is over (many times.)
Dec 3, 2011 12:45AM PST

However this doesn't stop folk from wishing it was not the battery. You can tell the ones that wish because they will debate the battery even when it's an old battery.
Bob

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Battery running down
Dec 4, 2011 1:24AM PST

Thank you.

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I want to add one more thing.
Dec 4, 2011 1:34AM PST

Since the battery is ballast to help keep the laptop from tipping over I've been known to tape over or remove the contacts on the battery so it can continue to provide that balance.
Bob

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Trust me
Dec 4, 2011 2:01AM PST

Trust me, on an iBook G4, this would be a serious bit of doing, and almost certainly cause a significant amount of cosmetic damage if you don't know what you're doing... Even if you know what you're doing.

If you can tape over the contacts and still get the battery to fit over them, that's one thing. Otherwise, I'd not recommend people attempt this with an iBook G4. Anyone who has tried it will probably back me up on that. The cure can be worse than the disease.

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Hand me the chisel and hammer.
Dec 4, 2011 2:56AM PST

I'll make art but can also remove contacts from old batteries.

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I guess
Dec 4, 2011 10:17PM PST

I guess I just don't think like that. If I have a square peg and a round hole, I go looking for a square hole or working on rounding off the corners. It wouldn't occur to me to just bash the thing with a hammer until one or the other gives. I'm more of the precise surgical strike as opposed to carpet bombing type.

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Ah, you use the Dremel tool.
Dec 5, 2011 1:12AM PST

Yes, much more precise.