PRAM battery - operating symptoms?

PRAM contains many other functions depending on your model of Mac. You may find files will not open because of an incorrect date. You should replace it ASAP.

Other functions:

• Status of Messages
• Serial Port Configuration and Port definition
• Alarm clock setting
• Application font
• Serial printer location
• Autokey rate
• Autokey delay
• Speaker volume
• Attention (beep) sound
• Double-click time
• Caret blink time (insertion point rate)
• Mouse scaling (mouse speed)
• Startup disk
• Menu blink count
• Monitor depth
• 32-bit addressing
• Virtual memory
• RAM disk
• Disk cache

I've looked for a very long time. All I can find other than the OWC for the PBG4-17 are listed as "used/pulled." Paying money for a used battery makes as much sense and buying used chewing gum. I cannot expect those to be any better than the one in your computer now. The newest battery one can pull from another PBG4 today is now 12 years old.

My experience with G4 PowerBooks is that, in the presence of a dead PRAM battery, they will not start without a working and charged main battery even if connected the mains. If my PB-17 from 2003 ran down its main battery, the only way to get it going was to plug in the power adaptor and hit the start button. Nothing happened because the PRAM batt was dead. However, in 3 to 5 minutes after the main battery gets a bit of charge, the computer will start on its own.

Too many wonderful PowerBooks have been recycled because of a lack of replacement PRAM batteries.

I don't understand - is it not a CR2032 you are looking for?

Look again at the image enlarged. It is a "CGL3032."

Also the desolder/resolder operation can trash the little board. Soldering seems to be a dying art.

Also getting to the board that holds the battery is a chore, with lots of little screws and tiny, delicate connectors. PBG4's were never an easy teardown.

So please enlighten me why you say there is a lack of replacement PRAM batteries.

Because I've tried since being gifted with a 2003 PBG4-17 in 2008 to find new replacements online. That is a decade. If you are up to a serious teardown and some fun soldering, go for it.

I will update about the result of my replacement attempt in a few weeks. Yes, I see the "CGL3032", but the ifixit page the image is taken from does not apply to a specific PowerBook model. In step 3 on that page is an image of yet another battery - a LIR3032. That's why I think the exact battery type can only be determined by opening your PowerBook. Some types of batteries can be replaced by other types - different manufacturers use different names for otherwise equivalent batteries. So that's why I am hopeful about finding a replacement.

I'm not seeing anything online either for the 15". You might try contacting an AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider) in your area.

Apple - Find Locations

Regarding "lots of little screws" - I use card boards, so I don't get lost:

Well played! That's what I do. You are miles ahead of most posters here, and obviously comfortable with more involved service items. I like it.

The leading alpha characters in the battery number (like "CGL" and "LIR") may be critical; material I found researching this when I got my PBG4 suggested the PRAM batt is rechargeable.

I got curious. The CGL is definitely rechargeable:

http://powerpulse.net/matsushita-battery-develops-the-cgl3032-rechargeable-coin- shaped-li-ion-battery/

This eBay listing suggest that the 3-character leading alphas are interchangeable:

CGL 3032 3.7V LIR3032-VDY2 Rechargeable Battery tagged pins PCB Mount CGL3032 | eBay

as in:

Also Known as: Panasonic CGL3032 3.7V, LIR-3032, LIR3032, KL3032, L3032, ELIR3032, KLIR3032, E-LIR3032, KELIR3032

but the more common CR3032 is not.

You have piqued my interest. When I was battery searching before, the old PBG4-17 was backing up a flaky 2007 Macbook Pro and I was reluctant to open the PB end up with two flaky notebooks. Now I have a reliable MBP and gave the PB to Dear Daughter #2 to use as a backup. At this point, at least three years since I gave it to her, I'm pretty sure the replacement main battery has been trashed so testing for the original issues will not be under the same condition.

Regarding "lots of little screws" - I use card boards, so I don't get lost:

I don't understand - is it not a CR2032 you are looking for? These can be bought anywhere.

PowerBook G4 PRAM Battery Replacement - iFixit

I have not attempted a replacement yet, but I will soon, as I just bought a used A1138 PowerBook. So please enlighten me why you say there is a lack of replacement PRAM batteries.

Hello Bruce, my used A1138 arrived. It has a Lithium Polymere battery pack, its Apple MPN number is 820-1819-A. I also found these numbers in Ebay auctions:

MPN 820-1819-A 922-7173

EAN 0726714183050

The Apple MPN for the A1107 17-inch PowerBook is MPN 820-1814-A. The photo below shows a replacement pack for it. I guess it could be used in a A1138 model as well.

https://www.cameronsino.com/ProductSearch.aspx?query=cs-AP1107SL

I prefer buying one of these to buying ones pulled from used PowerBooks as these remakes are probably new. So, I did buy one. Other terms to use when searching for batteries with a similar function are "RAID cache battery" or "RAID backup battery".

How did you test if your PRAM battery is dead? How does it occur to you that it is dead?