Batteries on eBay

What is the general experience buying batteries off eBay vendors? I need a new battery for the "parts" 29 I'm building up to make useful and am just shopping around.

I have a yellow tab battery in a 29 (it came with it when we bought it new from http://www.cdwg.com) and I have to say it is awesome- 3 years old and still goes strong.

Anyone to *not* buy from on eBay? I just find the prices better than my local Batteries Plus.

 

I've bought 4 batteries on eBay. I've had my best luck with those (all were brand new, unused).

Just make sure the seller is reputable, and that the battery isn't sold "as-is", preferably new if possible.

 

I have purchased a yellow tab Panasonic battery on eBay used but it it going strong with no problems, lasting on average over 3 hours.
I looked at the ones I seen advertised that are new and made to specifications, but wanted to stick with an original Panasonic battery initially.

Just make sure that you check feedback (any neutral or negative feedback in the last 6 months should make you stop and proceed with caution) and ask questions to the seller before bidding.

 

Hmm has anyone ever rebuilt their old batteries? Basically cracking open the dead battery and replacing the bad cells.

 

And then you need to re-program the circuit board to recognize that it is a new battery,,,,,,,

We haven't figured that one out yet :confused2:

Bob

 

Is there a chance that it might reprogram itself after a few charge/discharge cycles?

I know I already asked that on another thread, but I never got any sort of response.

 

I have had some good luck rebuilding CF-27 batteries (after a few cycles it recognizes the new cells) but have never had a spare bad CF-28 battery to play with.
I don't even know if they take the same cells,,,, Anyone know??

Bob

 

Ask Toughbook. He set up to rebuild CF-28 batteries, spot welders, lots of cells, the works. IIRC there was a problem with the smart chip and I don't believe it was ever solved.
CAP

 

Yeah if I remember right nobody really ever figured out how to reprogram the 28 up-> batteries to recognize the new runtime. I think it ended up where it would think it was dying, go red but continue to run for some time afterward. It basically just cant communicate accurately to the computer the actual capacity/discharge time.

 

Grey-Beard

The cf-27 is pretty straight-forward? I have one that's totally dead that I might try.

 

Got a heads-up on the particular seller? I see a lot of made-in-china new battery packs for CF-28's, etc. on Ebay and so far have avoided them. I think i've located a place here in Oz that does laptop battery packs so will try to contact them and see what they can do.

Craig.

 

Not to bad,,,, at least you don't have to reprogram the board
Getting it open without completely ruining the case was a trip.

Bob

 

Not sure if he ships out of the country, but this guy is awesome. Green Tabs for a steal.

(I have bought 4 batteries off of him).

 

Okay... Here is the straight dope... Yes... You CAN work in new batts into your batteries... But then you can also flush your cash down the toilet. Guess what? Your cash will last longer if you buy an OEM battery from ebay or a reseller online.

There are some people who know how to crack the code of the Panasonic battery and there are those that may have claimed they have.

My advice? Just pony up the duckets for a TRUE PANASONIC battery. If you get a rebuilt one... Search here for whom is good! Otherwise just buy some snake-oil and rub it on the battery and recalibrate... You'll get the same results! But before you do anything!!!! Search and read this forum!!!

 

Thanks for that Modly

I know a good deal when I see it

Bought a media bay+standard cf-28 battery from him after you posted the link

No fussing around with generic or rebuild after wasting time years ago on rebuilding the cells in a cf-25 battery and having a cf-28 generic battery fail prematurely and flash red

As toughbook says please search the forums

There is so much info here from knowledgeable members who have left us now but are remembered by their excellent posts

Kevin aka Gravitar RIP

Alex

 

I took a battery apart early last year, and found nothing that I could figure out how to tamper with.

However, I have gotten pretty involved with various reprogramming projects lately... even bought a hot air soldering station (making small chip soldering easier), so maybe I'll give it another shot.

I'll have to figure out which of my blue tabs is closest to dead, then try again. (Second option is to have a huge box of my crap in storage shipped out from Michigan, including the battery I took apart).

 

If anyone wants a CF-28 battery to try rebuilding, I have one that's not gone red yet but only lasts a few mins after a full charge.

It's free for cost of postage or shipping.

Robert.