Scott Baret
Well-known member
I saw these on eBay and was wondering if anyone had ordered from the seller before:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Battery-APPLE-PowerBook-140-145-150-160-170-180-NEW-/390194376131?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Laptop_Batteries&hash=item5ad965adc3#ht_2849wt_1123
I just got my old 180c out and restored it completely save for the battery. $30 with free shipping sounds like a pretty good deal to me, especially with a warranty for one year, but I do have a few questions for anyone who has purchased one in the past:
1. Compared to Apple's original batteries, how long do they keep a charge? Are they on-par or do they exceed the originals as many replacement batteries often do? Could they also fall short of the original Apple battery lifespans? (The 180c could never really make it to two hours on Apple's original batteries, but at least it could be unplugged while being moved and work without the AC power for short periods of time).
2. An issue for me with replacement batteries on the 1xx series has always been the plastic "door" piece. On some aftermarket models, the color and texture are different than Apple's case, which takes away from the aesthetics of the computer. What are the doors like on these batteries?
3. For the long-term users: how long do they last before they no longer hold a charge?
4. Would it be better just to re-cell the old battery (or one of my other 1xx series batteries)? If so, what would I need to do it? (I've tried searching but can't find a good tutorial on this subject).
I will say though, battery or no battery, it sure is nice to have that 180c back up and running, especially since I've retired, sold, or am going to sell all the other 68Ks I own except my Classic and a PB150 I use with students I tutor (they love it, even its black and white screen; they think trackballs are the greatest invention ever and love 1991 Math Blaster, even asking me where they can purchase it for their new computers--too bad it's both hard to find and incompatible with every recent Mac).
http://cgi.ebay.com/Battery-APPLE-PowerBook-140-145-150-160-170-180-NEW-/390194376131?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Laptop_Batteries&hash=item5ad965adc3#ht_2849wt_1123
I just got my old 180c out and restored it completely save for the battery. $30 with free shipping sounds like a pretty good deal to me, especially with a warranty for one year, but I do have a few questions for anyone who has purchased one in the past:
1. Compared to Apple's original batteries, how long do they keep a charge? Are they on-par or do they exceed the originals as many replacement batteries often do? Could they also fall short of the original Apple battery lifespans? (The 180c could never really make it to two hours on Apple's original batteries, but at least it could be unplugged while being moved and work without the AC power for short periods of time).
2. An issue for me with replacement batteries on the 1xx series has always been the plastic "door" piece. On some aftermarket models, the color and texture are different than Apple's case, which takes away from the aesthetics of the computer. What are the doors like on these batteries?
3. For the long-term users: how long do they last before they no longer hold a charge?
4. Would it be better just to re-cell the old battery (or one of my other 1xx series batteries)? If so, what would I need to do it? (I've tried searching but can't find a good tutorial on this subject).
I will say though, battery or no battery, it sure is nice to have that 180c back up and running, especially since I've retired, sold, or am going to sell all the other 68Ks I own except my Classic and a PB150 I use with students I tutor (they love it, even its black and white screen; they think trackballs are the greatest invention ever and love 1991 Math Blaster, even asking me where they can purchase it for their new computers--too bad it's both hard to find and incompatible with every recent Mac).