Thinkpads Forum

It seems that everyone who advertises sale of a high capacity battery for the T4x series fails to specify the actual FRU for sale and instead specifies several compatible FRUs. I do not want to buy a recalled battery. One simple solution seems to be to purchase an FRU 08K8198, which is the Sanyo 9 cell. (FRU 08K8201 is the Sony and a potential recall. 08K8197 is the broader code for either the Sony or the Sanyo, which makes it a potential recall.) However, I cannot find a single person or company claiming to sell an 08K8198 who is not careful to make the actual FRU ambiguous and unclear. If someone can prove me wrong about this, I'd love it - please do. Can someone (please, please) find a brand new T4x 9 cell for sale that is definitely an 08K8198? Or can someone tell me how to purchase a brand new T4x 9 cell that is definitely not a recall? I'd appreciate any suggestions, advice, info, comment, etc.

Here's one on eBay that the seller says explicitly NOT Sony:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0046049486

However, it may be a re-celled factory pack OR an aftermarket version (i.e. NOT IBM original).

Right - I've seen several aftermarkets or ones not made for or authorized/approved of by IBM or Lenovo.

My question stands - is there a single brand new definite 08K8198 for sale anywhere in the United States? Where?

Alternatively, does anyone stand by a particular aftermarket brand of the T4x 9 cell? Does anyone have years of a good experience with one, or know of reliability reports of an aftermarket version of the 08K8198?

t41user wrote: Alternatively, does anyone stand by a particular aftermarket brand of the T4x 9 cell? Does anyone have years of a good experience with one, or know of reliability reports of an aftermarket version of the 08K8198?

I have several of them myself, Sanyos (08K8198), and they are all excellent. One of which was made in 2003 with a first use date in 2005 and it gives well over 3:30 hours use with moderate-heavy loading and 186 cycles.

Interestingly enough, I currently don't have any 9-cell Sonys to compare it to, but the last time I tried a T42 with an older 9-cell Sony battery in it was enough of a drop in battery for what was a 0.5 year old battery, for me.

Could you please clarify christopher_wolf - I'm a little slow. I think the Sanyo 08K8198 is an authorized IBM/Lenovo part sold by IBM/Lenovo in the past. Does Sanyo also sell the same part under some label other than or unrelated to IBM/Lenovo?

I've had a Sanyo 08K8198 in my T41 for the past three years - I bought it from IBM. It's been great, but it's old now and I really need a new one. Are you saying that you know where a definite Sanyo 08K8198 is currently for sale in the United States? Are you willing to sell one? Please help me...

These are claimed to be panasonic...

http://www.laptop-battery.org/IBM/T40.htm

See text near bottom of "description".

t41user wrote: Does Sanyo also sell the same part under some label other than or unrelated to IBM/Lenovo?

Not that I am aware of, but the 6-cell that originally came with my T43 was a Sanyo as well so I am sure that IBM/Lenovo still has them on as a supplier for the T4X Series Thinkpads and are still selling them.

Have you called up a rep and asked specifically for that part number?

On their website, you might run into trouble as it has been thought that, because of the recall of Sony batteries, that they are dipping into their reserves of batteries from their alternate suppliers to send out and may, therefore, have a shortage of them.

Lenovo seems to update their T4x battery for purchase links a little every day. You could not place a web order two days ago. Yesterday you could place a web order, but with a warning that the batteries are not in stock and will not ship for weeks. The description links are still dead for the batteries that you can now apparently order on backorder.

My search to purchase ASAP a brand new, nonrecall IBM 9 cell T41 battery continues: I need either an older Sanyo 08K8198, or a 92P1102 that is not on the recall list. Does anyone know whether all 92P1102s are off the recall list? Is the 92P1102 a post recall number, or are some 92P1102s on the recall list?

I've tried calling Lenovo several times, but stopped waiting on hold after an hour. Maybe I'll have better luck reaching a person during the week. I also plan to call places like NewEgg and CDW (no customer service during weeked) to ask whether they can either give me a serial number with which to check the recall list/webpage, or can tell me whether they are selling batteries on the recall list. Does anyone know? Do places like NewEgg send back all recalled products, or do they try to sell them?

I don't see any luck here:
http://www.laptop-battery.org/IBM/T40.htm

That link appears to be a good example of a product that could be anything. It lists five different P/N/FRUs that it could be, or is merely compatible with. This means that it could be a no name after market battery, or an IBM battery (or a battery officially made for IBM) that is on the recall list.

It's not clear to me whether "Panasonic cells" indicates a Panasonic product or product component. Also, I do not know anyone who has had good or bad experiences with Panasonic 9 cell batteries for the T4x.

Can someone please tell me where I can purchase ASAP a brand new, sealed IBM 9 cell battery for my T41 that is either a Sanyo 08K8198, or a 92P1102 that is not on the recall list? Please help!

Has anyone tried this vendor?

http://laptop-batteries.sparepartswareh ... ,Part.aspx

If someone adverstises a 08k8198 then it should be a Sanyo, not some other manufacturer...right?

If I look at a previously-owned battery, what wear-level (%) should be acceptable? Should I require the vendor to supply that info up front?

I currently have the 9-cell model. It appears from several comments that the 6-cell wouldn't be that much of a downgrade in terms of charge. Something about the amount of power needed to fully charge the 9-cell.

Since I'm in the questioning mode, what is the 'next' model for the T42P. I'm in love with the 1600x1200 and wouldn't downgrade for anything. Anyone moving to a different vendor?

that webpage looks suspicious to me, in part because of the list of "associated part numbers". I believe that many webpages are designed to return positive search results for certain wide parameters of "associated part numbers", with the appearance that they have the specific number you searched for and possibly with the reality of only having one of the associated numbers.

after spending too much time repeatedly calling and talking to different people both at Lenovo and at IBM (there's seems to be a difference between them - marked by such things as phone numbers and locations, but I don't know if there is a difference and if so what it is). after multiple people from multiple places with different numbers (representing Lenovo and/or IBM) telling me that they did not have what i was looking for, i finally found someone who had the right info, stock/order information, and was able to sell me the right part. if anyone is interested in more specifics, send me a pm.