Need a new battery - where to buy?

[jeffcrilly]

I've searched the forum a bit for this question, and the guidance seems "buy oem" i.e. from lenovo as third-party batteries are a bad experience.

However, it appears that lenovo has finally discontinued the T4x/R4x series batteries.

There's a number of hits for T4x battery dealers on the web.. should I avoid the low prices?, and just pay a bit more and expect to get quality?

E.g.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product
(I have no affiliation w/ newegg or the mfr - just trying to get a decent replacement battery.)

I'm probably going to go for a 9 cell battery.

Currently, the T42 has a 6 cell battery, but when charging the temp is really hot -- 63C or so. Battery life is ok.. maybe a couple hours. The heat just seems like a disaster waiting to happen, so I want to replace it asap.

thx for any pointers.

ps. this might be a good sticky thread topic.

jeff

[billp117]

Check eBay...you can find new batteries very easily and some have excellent prices. I usually buy the genuine stuff...not after market.

[rhombus]

A couple of notes:

As the original poster pointed out, the OEM units are no longer manufactured. It's after-market, or it's nothing. Sad, but reality.

The third-party batteries don't have to suck, and some people have had decent luck with them.

jeffcrilly: Two hours is actually pretty good performance from a battery. If I were you, I would stick with what you have. You won't gain anything by replacing it at this point.

[ajkula66]

rhombus wrote:

As the original poster pointed out, the OEM units are no longer manufactured. It's after-market, or it's nothing. Sad, but reality

.

Welcome to the forum, rhombus!

However, you are incorrect. I've had excellent luck with NOS (New Old Stock) T4x/R5x batteries from Lenovo's Outlet store, being sold as "Scratch & Dent", which were neither scratched nor dented, and showed 0 cycles on installation.

Aftermarket batteries - and I've tried many - are next to worthless in 9 out of 10 cases, and I'm being nice here.

[dr_st]

And T4x/R5x batteries are still being actively manufactured, albeit under "Lenovo" brand, not "IBM".

[rhombus]

However, you are incorrect. I've had excellent luck with NOS (New Old Stock) T4x/R5x batteries from Lenovo's Outlet store, being sold as "Scratch & Dent", which were neither scratched nor dented, and showed 0 cycles on installation.

Aftermarket batteries - and I've tried many - are next to worthless in 9 out of 10 cases, and I'm being nice here.

Thanks for the welcome, ajkula66.

The supply of the batteries you describe is limited ("New Old Stock" kinda speaks for itself). The fact is, Lenovo is not manufacturing them anymore; I found that out by asking them directly. When the NOS is gone, that will be it. A li-ion battery that has been sitting on the shelf is never as good as a newly-manufactured one, even if it has had no charge cycles. The batteries deteriorate with age; you don't even have to use them.

Too bad. I don't much like the aftermarket batteries, either, but they do vary in quality and some are definitely better than others.

[dr_st]

The fact is, Lenovo is not manufacturing them anymore; I found that out by asking them directly.

Who did you ask? Did they tell you when they stopped manufacturing them?

[rhombus]

Who did you ask? Did they tell you when they stopped manufacturing them?

I tried to order the battery through Lenovo Parts. I called them because the battery is not available on the parts order website. The agent told me the battery is a discontinued product (which I take to mean, "we are not making them anymore"). He didn't mention when it was discontinued, only that it is.

The outlet store is great for those people living in the United States, but it does not ship to international addresses (due to "US export restrictions").

Ergo: for the rest of us, original batteries are disappearing, so we have these options:

1. live without a battery.
2. rebuild an old IBM battery
3. buy a third-party battery

None of those are very appealing, but what are you gonna do...

[dr_st]

Since I am now looking exactly for that - a T4x battery for my old laptop - I've contacted IBM Israel, which are the authorized dealer for Lenovo service parts.

I was given an FRU which replaces the original FRU (42T4611 for 6-cell, 42T4608 for 9-cell). I was told that they have them in stock, and that these batteries come and go all the time. Did not get the impression that they were discontinued.

[rhombus]

Since I am now looking exactly for that - a T4x battery for my old laptop - I've contacted IBM Israel, which are the authorized dealer for Lenovo service parts.

I was given an FRU which replaces the original FRU (42T4611 for 6-cell, 42T4608 for 9-cell). I was told that they have them in stock, and that these batteries come and go all the time. Did not get the impression that they were discontinued.

Those FRUs don't look familiar -- are those new ones, which are supposed to replace the originals?

I did some more hunting and have managed to find the battery listed under the original FRU, but not through Lenovo. They are still being sold through IBM Parts. Maybe that's why I was told it was a discontinued item. Unbelievably difficult to find.

There is no image with the listing, and it shows "delivery within 4 weeks", which suggests it's not a stocked item, but available. It's expensive, though: 85 €

How much did you pay for yours?

[dr_st]

Yes, these are the FRUs that replace the original ones. When I asked about the original ones, I was told that they cannot get them, and that these new ones are "what's being manufactured these days".

If I understand correctly, these new batteries will have the Lenovo branding on them, not IBM.

The prices I've been quoted by IBM Israel are the equivalents of $88 for the 6-cell and $99 for the 9-cell. This is including VAT, which in Israel is 16%.

I haven't bought anything yet, because these are Sanyo batteries (or so it seems from Googling), and I haven't given up hope of finding an original Panasonic (92P1061/92P1069) just yet.

[RealBlackStuff]

See my first post in this thread: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=90707

[dr_st]

Having failed to obtained a 92P1069 Panasonic, ended up buying a 9-cell 42T4608 new from IBM.

The battery is a Sanyo, 7.2Ah, 10.8V (77.76Wh design capacity), manufacturing date 2010-04-14, first used today, 0 cycles. As most Sanyos, it comes overcharged (full charge capacity 81.30Wh). Expect it will work fine for 12 months (18 if I'm lucky) before it starts losing capacity like all Sanyos.

[MnR]

Hi dr_st,

I bought a BTI brand battery For one of my laptops. It has been fine for the last six months.

MnR