Q: Fix & follow up on Topic: Powerbook G3 Wallstreet Battery issues
My answer was VERY simple! I too had a Wallstreet G3 that the battery suddenly stopped charging. Bought two new batteries, still the red X through the menu icon. Read forum after forum about logic boards, PRAM battery replacement (mine is dead)Battery Reset v 2.0, resetting power manager,loose contacts inside bay, copper (I think) interferring with A/C port, faulty power adapter, etc. & addressed the easy ideas putting off any inside hardware fixes.
Today decided to revisit a fix so I could break down and order whatever parts I thought I needed & put a battery in & the red X on the battery icon appeared, but then went away - so very briefly - then back to the red X. So having read today again about faulty power cords & remembering the copper touching the port problem, reached back & wiggled power cord to be sure it was pushed in OK & suddently the screen dimmed & I got the message window that I am running on reserve power & unless I plug into A/C right away the computer will shut down...words to that effect which meant that I had lost A/C power to the port just by a simple wiggle; so I pushed it a bit and held it in & the screen brightened so I knew it was back on A/C! After experimenting with pushing it in & around some more & having it dim, get the message & then come back on, when I left it on I noticed the battery icon had the lightening flash on it and the power strip showed the right bay battery was charging!! I WAS THRILLED!
Got to the root of the problem & did not spend a dime or replace any hardware! It has been an hour now (I haven't touched the power cord since)& it is still charging with the icon 1/3 filled with red and the first of the 5 blank indicators for the right bay in the power strip filled gray.
Hallelujah!
Today decided to revisit a fix so I could break down and order whatever parts I thought I needed & put a battery in & the red X on the battery icon appeared, but then went away - so very briefly - then back to the red X. So having read today again about faulty power cords & remembering the copper touching the port problem, reached back & wiggled power cord to be sure it was pushed in OK & suddently the screen dimmed & I got the message window that I am running on reserve power & unless I plug into A/C right away the computer will shut down...words to that effect which meant that I had lost A/C power to the port just by a simple wiggle; so I pushed it a bit and held it in & the screen brightened so I knew it was back on A/C! After experimenting with pushing it in & around some more & having it dim, get the message & then come back on, when I left it on I noticed the battery icon had the lightening flash on it and the power strip showed the right bay battery was charging!! I WAS THRILLED!
Got to the root of the problem & did not spend a dime or replace any hardware! It has been an hour now (I haven't touched the power cord since)& it is still charging with the icon 1/3 filled with red and the first of the 5 blank indicators for the right bay in the power strip filled gray.
Hallelujah!
Macintosh PowerBook G3 Wallstreet, Mac OS 9.2.x, Do-it-yourselfer
Posted on Oct 10, 2009 12:58 PM