T23 recharges battery very slow

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robocop · #1 Post by **robocop** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:37 pm

Hello,
I am a proud owner of a T23 for more than 5 years. Besides the usual cracks in the housing, this machine has been working great since always. Recently, my battery started to no longer charge, so I went and bought a new one on ebay. The new battery is not an original IBM.
My issue is as follows: It looks like the PC doesn't recognize that the power adapter is connected. Battery maximizer states that the battery is discharging, but actually it is CHARGING but very slow. The battery would only charge when the computer is powered on. When I have the AC plugged in, I hear a buzzing noise, however that buzzing noise is not present when the AC is unplugged. I have been reading the stikies, so I have dismanteled and checked all inductors, but they all hold firmly to the board.
Any hints? Thank you in advance
Best regards from Belgium

#2 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:35 pm

Welcome to the Forum.
Start with updating your BIOS to the latest version 1.20
followed by updating the Embedded Controller to version 1.06a

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... ry=26474MG

Try and borrow another (72W) power supply from a colleague and/or try your new battery in another T20/T21/T22/T23/T30 to check if it charges.

If no good result, open the laptop and check the inductors on it, that they are properly attached. One or more might be loose or even fallen off.

See also this: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=33903
and search the T23 forum for similar posts.

robocop · #3 Post by **robocop** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:40 am

Hello and thank you for your help.

This problem is really getting me mad.
To upgrade the BIOS I need to have the AC plugged in, but as explained earlier the PC thinks there is no AC, and didn't let me upgrade the BIOS at all. I wrote "DIDN'T" because at a certain moment in time, while surfing the internet (because again apart from that the computer just works fine) it started to make strange BEEPS (the same that it normaly produces when you plug in and out the AC) and eventually recognized the AC, so I took that opportunity to upgrade the BIOS, and I am now on the last version....(need still to change my signature). When the upgrade finished and the machine rebooted, the computer still reports that there is no AC connected to it. So I am back to first stage.

I have already checked all inductors: they all HOLD very strong to the MB so I don't think it's to do with that.
I have also tried 2 different power supplies and both produce the same symptoms. Could it be that I need to upgrade the micro controller software too? I guess I'll have to wait until another opportunity that the PC recognizes the AC as being plugged....

Also a very weird thing is that, although Battery Maximizer and Windows Power in control panel, report the status of the PC as "working on batteries" even when the AC is plugged, somewhow the battery still charges, but the charge only goes up like 1% every 2 hours or so...

I am pulling my hairs, as I have dismantled the machine already a couple of times (I even have too many screws left now....) and checked and read almost every single post on this topic, but still no luck...

Oh, by the way: what could be this buzzing noise (sounds like a mosquito flying) only when the AC is plugged??

Thanks in advance

#4 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:37 am

What happens when you put the old battery back in?
Could you charge it up enough to update the Embedded Controller Program?
Just try it, if the ECP updater thinks there is enough power left in the battery, it will let you update, otherwise it'll refuse.
Contrary to popular belief, it does NOT need to be a full battery.
You need to do the ECP update also, to match the BIOS version.
However, that does not seem to be the issue at hand.

Have you taken the mobo out and inspected the inductors on the bottom also? Stick your nail under them and try to pry them off. If you can, they had a bad connection. Just 'wagging' them is not enough.
As a suggestion, re-solder the front two connections of the big rectangular inductor in the top-left corner. Redo the connection in the rear as well, even though it is only a 'place-holder'.

Does the micro-switch near the top-right work OK?
(the one that operates when you close/open the lid).
I have heard that adapter buzzing sound once only, and that was caused in the end by a bad I/O board. The original problem on that TP was no output on LCD, which seems rather unrelated.

robocop · #5 Post by **robocop** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:17 pm

hi RealBlackStuff
Thank you for your help so far.
Let me try to answer your questions:

1: old battery: if I use that one, the system will not even start, although the AC is connected: I get a "critical battery" error and then shut down

2: ecp I will try this tonight, my new battery keeps on charging and is at 80%, but I am under the impression that if no AC, the upgrade of the ECP will not even start (but I will try again)

3: YES I have inspected and tried to pull out all the inductors, but none would come off: do you think I should neverthless desold and resold them back?

4: YES micro switch works fine and puts system to sleep as required

5: do you think recording that noise and the behavior of the machine on a little video would help?

I too suspect that the noise comes from that big inductor y the processor under the FAN, but can't be sure 100%....

Thank you again

vanaya · #6 Post by **vanaya** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:55 pm

Just a quick thought, does the ac plug fit snug into the jack?? I read you have tried two different ac adapters with the same result. Maybe the I/O board is at fault/resolve? As far as you stating that the battery is charging but not being recognized, is the plug icon being displayed on the task bar when plugged in?

robocop · #7 Post by **robocop** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:27 pm

Hi Vanaya
Thank you for your contribution
Yes I have checked and indeed the AC is connecting just fine. I could measure the voltage a couple of times as I suspected this initially to be the issue.
How can I check that the issue comes from that board?

As far as icon: it always shows the battery icon even when AC connected it doesn't show the "power" icon charging the battery.

The weird about this is that somehow, the battery gets nevertless charged....but so slow.

Best regards

robocop · #8 Post by **robocop** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:32 pm

Could these 2 threads be related? It looks as almost the same symptoms.....
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=62968

#9 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:08 pm

Those threads could be related, but they are entirely different mobos, so the solution there might not necessarily apply to your T23.

The critical battery error seems to get passed on to the new battery, as it is a non-IBM one.
If you put the new battery in another T23, does it work properly there?
Or has the new battery also that critical error?
Can you borrow a good IBM battery to update your ECP?

If the square inductors seem to be solid enough, use a soldering iron with a very fine tip, and put some fresh solder on the sides where they attach to the mobo, that should also reflow what's on there already and give some extra contact just in case.

Other than that, you could try another T23 and swap mobos, to see if your I/O board is still OK.

vanaya · #10 Post by **vanaya** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:58 am

What version is your ACPI? I have read the version updates and one of the older versions (v1.2) corrects a critical battery error. The newest one is ACPI (v1.44). Just trying to eliminate some suspects.

T23 recharges battery very slow

T23 recharges battery very slow

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