Forums | MacLife

RabidG3 · 2002-12-09 9:46 am

Ok heres the story. I bought my iBook in July and for the majority of its life it has been on the power adapter. Now it seems it will drain its battery to 75 percent in one hours time and then go to sleep like the battery is totally dead. When I plug it back in it says the battery is at 0%!!! WTH?? When it dies like this, I am not doing anything power intensive, usually just typing something, surfing the net, and/or listening to iTunes. I've heard of battery lives decreasing over time but this is ridiculous. Can anyone lend me some assistance as to what might be causing this??

Sigh, looks like I am going to put that Applecare to good use.

-Rabid

fletch · 2002-12-10 1:02 am

I'm having the same problem with one of my ibooks, and I'm waiting for the end of the semester to deal with the problem. It appears that the power supply jack is also broken. My other ibook is having screen problems again (last time they replaced the whole unit) and choking on Jag. I have to force a restart up to 3 times a day. At this point the celeron machine at my office running ME is more stable. Hopefully Apple will be able to fix me up so I can go back to bragging about how great my Macs are... sad

Komrade · 2003-01-03 12:33 pm

Yep, over the break, my 6 month old iBook600(Radeon) went wonky. Charge says 100%, unplug battery - runs for 5 minutes, battery drains to ~97%, machine goes to sleep with no warning in OS X and with a 10 second warning in OS 9. Only way to wake it up is to plug the AC back in and when it wakes, battery is at 0%. It charges for about 1/2 hour to maybe ~2% and then jumps to 100% again. Repeat.

All the while, the blinky lights on the battery agree with the OS on charge. I can shut down on AC with the battery at "100%" and remove the battery and it gives me 4 lights on it's own. Put it back in and run it for 5 minutes until it dies, and the battery gives me one blinking light. confused

I'm going to call Apple about it. Resetting the power manager did nothing, neither did PRAM zapping. I suspect i need a new battery sad

Komrade · 2003-01-03 1:26 pm

Just called Apple Canada. Other than the 15 minutes on hold waiting to talk to someone, they cleared up my problem without a question. New battery coming in the mail and I don't have to send my book in to them. Thumbs down for dodgy batteries in these things, but kudos to Apple for being good about fixing the problem.

millhouse · 2003-01-03 5:01 pm

Call Apple. I had the same problem with mine, and they are sending me a new battery. That was three weeks ago. I think I need to call them again.

opium · 2003-01-03 7:37 pm

I just wanted to say call Apple and they will send you a new one.
they did for me any ways.

do you feel as if you read this before.

WhirlinGraphics · 2003-01-04 3:41 am

Do you think I have any chance with a 1 1/2 year old iBook that is not under AppleCare? What approach should I use to be most effective?

confused sad

lieven · 2003-01-04 4:08 am

Do you think I have any chance with a 1 1/2 year old iBook that is not under AppleCare? What approach should I use to be most effective?

mine was 4 months out of warranty, but I contacted Apple Europe pointing out there's quite a lot of people suffering the same problems, so it's quite possible that there's some sort of common defect on these batteries.. I also told them that, being a student, I siimply couldn't afford a 192 euro battery only such a short time after paying more than 2000 euro on a portable computer which suddenly isn't portible anymore...

they didn't admit there's a common problem with the batteries, but they said "it's christmas for everyone", and now my battery is in the mail smile

WhirlinGraphics · 2003-01-04 5:11 pm

Thanks, lieven!

I guess I'll just have to give it my best try to get some sympathy from who I talk to at Apple?

sad smile sad

Thippy · 2003-01-05 4:07 pm

Also, with my iBook it wasn't the Battery. Luckily I live with 3 miles of an apple store, they tried different battery's in my iBOok and I drained them pretty damn quick. They sent my iBook out and it was fixed withen the week. With the battery life I'm enjoying now, I realize my iBook was never perfect. I can't believe the lifespan of my iBook. They also replaced some part on my logic board and a part on my adapter.

usbnuts · 2003-01-11 5:09 am

Could anyone tell me Apple Canada toll free number? I need help with the battery.

Chris FOM · 2003-01-11 2:34 pm

Only problem is they're big time backordered on batteries. I'm having the same problem you guys are, battery reads 99% charged (although the blinky lights are in the warning region, just one flashes when I check them), then drains to 0% in about 5 mins. I called Apple, reset the PM, did nothing, so called them again. they said they'd ship me a new battery, it would be in in a week. Two weeks later, no battery. Called them a third time, they said the par is backordered and they have no estimated ship time. So until then, my iBook is completely bound to my desk. No taking notes with it for a while in classes. Argh.

RabidG3 · 2003-01-11 5:02 pm

Well I called Apple and they said they will send me a new battery, when they will actually send it is anyone's guess...I know one thing though, if my iBook kills this new battery I am going to be heated. The problem is getting worse though, it used to shutdown at 75 percent, now it shuts down at 95 percent.
eek

-Rabid

Komrade · 2003-01-12 10:10 am

Could anyone tell me Apple Canada toll free number? I need help with the battery.

From www.apple.ca :

Apple Canada Customer Assistance Line
1-800-263-3394

Please call the Customer Assistance Line for:

* Technical Assistance on Apple Products
o Technical Assistance, Hardware Service or General Information on Apple Products
o Service for Apple Canada Service Providers and Expert Advice Accounts
* Customer Relations and General Information
* Software Updates

If you live in the 416- or 905- dialing areas, please call the Apple Canada Customer Assistance Line directly at (905) 513-5803.

Forums | MacLife

#1 2002-12-09 9:46 am

iBook Battery Problem

#2 2002-12-10 1:02 am

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#3 2003-01-03 12:33 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#4 2003-01-03 1:26 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#5 2003-01-03 5:01 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#6 2003-01-03 7:37 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#7 2003-01-04 3:41 am

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#8 2003-01-04 4:08 am

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#9 2003-01-04 5:11 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#10 2003-01-05 4:07 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#11 2003-01-11 5:09 am

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#12 2003-01-11 2:34 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#13 2003-01-11 5:02 pm

Re: iBook Battery Problem

#14 2003-01-12 10:10 am

Re: iBook Battery Problem

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