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smitsp

Q: Completely dead batteries?

Hi!

I recently bought two new batteries for my Powerbook 520c from a reputable online retailer.

EMMPathy acknowledges the two batteries when I do the Smart Probe. When I run the Battery Diagnostics, I get a message saying how the batteries are nearly drained, so it gives each battery a four minute rapid charge to save the memory until I can fully charge it.

However, when I try to charge each battery on my VST Charger 500... I get a flashing red light, a solid yellow light, and one solid green light.

I know the flashing red light means that the battery is defective, but I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to jump start the batteries since each one had what seemed to be a successful Smart Probe.

(Attempting to charge the batteries in the Powerbook doesn't work either. The Powerbook knows it has batteries in both bays, but I never get the lightening bolt symbol in the strip showing that the batteries are charging.)

Thanks bunches for any and all help!

-- Stephanie

iMac G3 SE, Powerbook 520c, eMate    

Posted on Nov 22, 2005 6:43 AM

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Q: Completely dead batteries?

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  • by Denis Eddy,Helpful

    Denis Eddy Denis Eddy Nov 22, 2005 9:20 AM in response to smitsp
    Level 4 (3,540 points)
    Nov 22, 2005 9:20 AM in response to smitsp
    smitsp
    Welcome to the Discussions.

    Probably every current owner of one of the PB 500s has a similar problem to yours, and maintaining/recharging 'smart' batteries inevitably gets discussed often. Your 'new' batteries may have been NOS, or new old stock, subject to the same vagaries as working batteries, if not more so.

    This is a recent example, which may contain no news for you. What may be novel is a listing of the LED combinations of your VST charger and what they indicate, so that you have the slim comfort of knowing why the process has failed:

    Communications
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-First green steady: battery not listening

    Charging
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-Second green steady: error (shorted cell?)
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-First & second green steady: battery overheating
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-Third green steady: battery not charging
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-First & third green steady: defective cell?

    Discharge
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-Second & third green steady: charger overheating
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-First to third green steady: discharge timed out

    Battery memory
    Red flashing-Yellow steady-Fourth green steady: error. Run EMMpathy.

    Other
    Red flashing-Yellow off-Various green steady: coded errors returned by the battery

    In the overheating cases, allow battery or charger to cool, and try again. Make sure that the vents of the charger are not obstructed.

    OK. So much for the ways in which recharging can fail. I have rescued 6 batteries in the PB with the technique given in the referenced post. Just remember that you are the human, and possessed of the greater will ...
  • by smitsp,

    smitsp smitsp Nov 22, 2005 2:55 PM in response to Denis Eddy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 22, 2005 2:55 PM in response to Denis Eddy
    Hi Denis!

    Thanks for getting back to me. I'm this close ---><--- of chucking the batteries out the window.

    Both batteries have a red flashing-Yellow steady-First green steady combo on the charger.

    Unfortunately, the link you provided is dead. If you could give me a Cliff Notes version of what I'm missing, I'd really appreciate it. I'm willing to try anything--unless I can't due to the batteries not listening--especially if that method works for you.

    Thanks again!

    -- Stephanie :)<br>
    iMac G3 SE, Powerbook 520c, eMate
  • by Jean Spesungel,

    Jean Spesungel Jean Spesungel Nov 22, 2005 10:33 PM in response to smitsp
    Level 3 (935 points)
    Nov 22, 2005 10:33 PM in response to smitsp
    I have had good results cycling between EMMpathy, Lind Battery Utilities 500, and Intelligent Battery Recondition. If the powerbook has trouble perceiving the battery, the contacts could possibly use cleaning. Or,try chilling the battery (in a plastic bag) in the freezer for an hour, it apparently increases the conductivity and can get an "invisible" battery the recognition it needs. Once you get a charge, even if it takes a really short time to say it's full, then use Battery Amnesia to empty it and then charge it again. It should take a substantially larger load after that.

    I have never had a charger doodad for the intelligent batteries, so I don't know if it would be better or different than what I have done with batteries in the powerbook.

    iMac G5   Mac OS X (10.4.3)  
  • by Denis Eddy,

    Denis Eddy Denis Eddy Nov 22, 2005 11:49 PM in response to smitsp
    Level 4 (3,540 points)
    Nov 22, 2005 11:49 PM in response to smitsp
    Stephanie
    That now-inaccessible post began
    The 500 series PBs use so-called 'intelligent' batteries, which contain a microprocessor power-manager. However, if the stored energy drops below a level that can maintain the microprocessor's memory, the battery no longer remembers that it is intelligent. This, rather than chemistry, is the cause of much PB 5x0 trouble. It is possible, but not certain, that you can overcome this by repeated attempts to recharge a battery in the PB, by not inserting the battery before you have started the Intelligent Battery Recondition application and after the app. has mentioned that there is no battery in the right-hand bay.
    You have the advantage of a VST charger and EMMpathy, so don't give up yet.

    I just woke a 520c that had sat undisturbed (on the AC lifeline) for at least a month. The left battery control strip indicator was totally blank, even though this battery had been rescued from coma a couple of years ago. IBR could not get any useful response from it, so I switched the battery into the right bay and ran EMMpathy v2.1 and SmartProbe (File menu), which showed a 100% charge content and all systems at Go but for the 'invalid' at Sleep Drain EEPROM Data?. I installed the SleepDrain BugFix extension (File menu) and restarted. The control strip indicator now showed full charge.

    Have you used all the 'feachers' of EMMpathy? I suggest that you do so, so that the battery's EEPROM will be as prepared as it can be. Then try your batteries in the VST SmartCharger. If that is so sophisticated that the process falls over its own feet, there is the final strategy of using IBR in the manner mentioned in the quotation above.
  • by Denis Eddy,

    Denis Eddy Denis Eddy Nov 23, 2005 12:43 AM in response to Jean Spesungel
    Level 4 (3,540 points)
    Nov 23, 2005 12:43 AM in response to Jean Spesungel
    Jean
    Yes, it can pay to use more than one utility or strategy. While I was answering Stephanie I put four batteries through my 520c. EMMpathy 'saw' three of them. All had been patiently sleeping for more than a month in their bays in 520c and 540c, both of which were connected via their AC adapters to mains power. The fourth, from the 540, was in severe rigor mortis. Blank control strip, and invisible to EMMpathy.

    IBR was able to give it a precharge (when I used the delayed insertion trick mentioned above). EMMpathy could then see it. I installed SleepDrain BugFix, and now the battery shows in the Control Strip as a happy little Vegemite, full of electrons.
  • by Chris S,

    Chris S Chris S Jan 19, 2006 10:14 AM in response to Denis Eddy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2006 10:14 AM in response to Denis Eddy
    Got a similar problem. My old 540c doesn't want to start any more after about a month offline (it usually lives plugged in on my desk, but I cut the mains as I was traveling). I've had this situation once before and managed to get it going again, but this time no joy.

    Hence the question: can the 540c be started directly from the mains? I have two mains adaptors, but plugging either in doesn't do anything. My thinking is to get the machine running and then see if I can bring the batteries back from the dead. Another option would be to buy a new (and hopefully partly charged) 'smart battery' to get it going. Thoughts?
  • by smitsp,

    smitsp smitsp Jun 9, 2008 7:43 PM in response to smitsp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 9, 2008 7:43 PM in response to smitsp
    Shows you how often I have problems with my Macs. Tips offered were very, very helpful. I was able to jump start my DOA batteries and get up to three hours of battery time. Thanks!