>I just have this feeling after careful dremeling, I'll have 4 anonymous >yellow plastic lumps to use to make the next decision...
I posted a series of HOW-TO articles on Powerbook Battery Cell replacement last year, hopefully accessible in the archives (I've never found the archives myself, so I couldn't tell ya). It's pretty starightforward, though. To open a 100 series case, put it in a vise and use a utility knife with a sharp new blade to score around the panel where the label is. Do not use a snap-off type of blade, but one of those solid trapezoidal classic types, or you'll be snapping blades off continuously. Be patient, and score over the same line until you cut through; this will take about a dozen passes for each side of the square opening. If you try to force it, you'll distort the case, puncture the cells, and perhaps slip and disembowel yourself. Remove the cells and thermal breakers taped to them, take note of polarity, cell size, and wiring. Order new cells (Batteries Unlimited has decent prices, and most cells formats, and you can order through their site), and when they arrive, reassemble the cells using the old pack as your guide, cell by cell, soldering the tabs together AFTER you have taped them together with cellophane tape (you want thin tape). Finally, stuff the package back into the case. You can use heat glue to reinsert the panel you cut out, or pot the cells. To pot them, just trowel on silicone sealant, piling it up over the original height of the panel. Be generous. When it's cured, you can carve it cleanly flush with a carving knife in one smooth cut, and it'll look pretty keen. I personally chose NOT to replace the cover, since the cells are jammed in there pretty tightly anyway, and I wanted access in case problems developed later (they didn't, but since the battery is inside the PB or inside the battery carry case, no one's delicate aesthetic sensibilities are ever bruised). I also built an external battery pack, with a current capacity of about 6 Amps at 7.5 Volts, which is great when I want to run the PB for several hours. In this case, any battery cabinet you like would work, although I'd prefer to use a reamed-out PB case (if I had one), because it would look at home parked under the PB. The hard part here, is getting hold of the power plug for the model you're plugging into. The 500 series for instance, have some obscure 4-pin Klingon plug. The fearless would simply swap the original jack on the motherboard for a 5-pin DIP jack, for which plugs are readily available. Otherwise you have to scavenge one from a corpse. The Good News is, both NiMH and NiCd replacement cells have greater capacities than the original factory cells (progress!), so your overhauled pack will outperform the original by about 20 minutes in Real Life. I highly recommend replacing cells in all rechargeable battery packs, having had very good results, consistently. Don't throw out those old battery cases; they're the part that's impossible to replace, and are often no longer made, by anyone. Once the existing stock is sold, that'll be it. I'd hate to have to scratch-build a battery. It can be done, but it's no longer a practical issue, but more an obsessive hobby ;-) Good luck with it. Hope you get as big a charge out of it as I did! martin -- PowerBooks is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | RoadTools $30 PodiumPad available at Apple retail stores, $20 Traveler CoolPad at Staples. Both in white for iBooks at <http://roadtools.com>. Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PowerBooks list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/powerbooks.shtml> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/powerbooks%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
