Battery Error with T61

[cadillacmike68]

Hi, I just got a "Battery Error - the battery cannot be charged" with my T61, one of the newer ones.

What causes this? Am I SOL with this battery?

I hardly ever use this machine. It's a Lenovo 9 cell (makes me double pi$$ed off!) and the machine is my 2.4GHz WS T61. About the only thing i did today was plug it into a BRAND NEW Thinkpad advanced dock. I hope that dock isn't zapping batteries.

To add to the situation, all my spare batteries are at home - that's 7,000 miles away.

I have 10+ year old T22 & T30 batteries that still work. They may not hold a charge for very long, but they at least function...

[leacris1]

My experience with T6x style batteries is that they are of inferior quality, especially when compared to the T2x and T4x/R5x batteries. I have a large stack [a stack that gets bigger everyday] of batteries that come up 'green' in power manager yet won't charge.

Chris

[cadillacmike68]

My experience with T6x style batteries is that they are of inferior quality, especially when compared to the T2x and T4x/R5x batteries. I have a large stack [a stack that gets bigger everyday] of batteries that come up 'green' in power manager yet won't charge.

Is itt curable / fixabe and what causes it?? I mean did a fart in the wind cause the battery to fail?

[ajkula66]

Is itt curable / fixabe and what causes it??

Not curable and/or fixable.

From what I'm to understand, the chip that controls the charging goes haywire and declares the battery dead...

[cadillacmike68]

Do you think the dock did it? It might have happened earlier; I only found out about it when i just plugged it in last nite. The T61 had been powered off and unplugged for a few weeks. I unpacked the dock, plugged it in, and then docked the ThinkPad while it was powered off.

[jedisurfer1]

google laptop battery and freezer for a last ditch attempt

[cadillacmike68]

That was fun reading. Nothing to lose though, so tomorrow it gets the big chill.

Still would like an opinion if the dock might have had anything to do with it.

[ajkula66]

Nothing to do with a dock.

[Cigarguy]

I use my Thinkpads in a docking station all the time and would not suspect the dock is causing premature battery failure. Over the past year I've had about 5 failures. Each time it was sudden. But these happened to old batteries (about 4-5 years old) with battery wear of > 30%. Might be plain old bad luck on your end. I find batteries manufactured by Panasonic or LGE to much more desirable and lasts longer than Sanyo. Unfortunately we have no say in who the OEM is.

edit - As a last resort I tried the freezing method on all my batteries but none have become Lazarus.

[cadillacmike68]

Cigarguy, agreed; my wife has had her T61 in an advanced dock or mini dock for about 3 years with no issues.

Who the hell knows. I guess it's time to get another battery. Good thing the USPS embargo is off. Pi$$es me of that this was supposed to be a good 9 cell. I'm getting a 6 cell.

[Cigarguy]

Sounds like this is a fairly new to you battery. Might be worth contacting the seller and see if they'll do anything about it. I deal with Intelligent Batteries when I can't justify a genuine Lenovo battery. They are a Western Canada B&M and provides fast shipping. They also have a 90 day warranty.

[rkawakami]

As a last resort I tried the freezing method on all my batteries but none have become Lazarus.

Just be glad they did not become a Phoenix... you know, "rising from the ashes" and all .

[Cigarguy]

Just be glad they did not become a Phoenix... you know, "rising from the ashes" and all .

Boeing have a monopoly on those. Been using it in their Dreamliner.

[cadillacmike68]

Ha Ha - funny!

Who has the Assy or FRU PNs for the 6 and 9 cell Batteries? I somehow got AC adapter numbers in my spreadsheet!

I have (hard to read through the freezer fog) Assy 92P1132 and FRU 42T4511 for 9 cell.

[RealBlackStuff]

My T400 (6-cell) battery also fits in a T6x widescreen and has:
FRU 42T4678
ASM 42T5265

Following are all from T6x/R6x widescreen HMMs:

4-cell FRU:
LG 42T4552
Panasonic 42T5225

6-cell FRU:
Sanyo 42T4504
Panasonic 92P1139
Sony 92P1141
Sanyo 42T5262
Panasonic 42T5264
Sanyo 92P1137
Sanyo 42T4513
Panasonic 42T5233

7-cell FRU
Sanyo 42T5229

9-cell FRU
Sanyo 42T4511
Panasonic 92P1133
Sanyo 42T4530
Panasonic 42T4532
Sanyo 92P1131

[cadillacmike68]

Thanks RBS, I didn't think of looking at the HMM!

Amazon (or at least the vendor noted above won't send to my APO. I'm leery of ebay, but know my way around it. Wifey has two spares at home, but she has the house all upended with a massive floor tile job, so she may not be able to find them.

TuuS, are you out there? What do you have available?

Disclosure: I bought the machine (and dock) from TuuS, it's been fine, just the battery going into sudden death syndrome. It's been in the freezer all day. I'll leave it in overnight.

I took it out of the freezer and rapped it on the table a few times. Tonight when i get back to my CHU (ask what that is! ), we'll see what happens.

I'm not holding my breath.

[TuuS]

Just thought I'd update this thread. The T61 that mike bought was a very rare unit that I believe had a 5year warranty with about a year left when he bought it last summer and although the battery did have low cycles, it was an original battery so was 4years old and lenovo only warranties them for 1 year, however I was able to get mike a 9cell panasonic battery with over 70wh remaining for $40, and since mike is over there in kwait fighting for our country I threw in a second more used battery for free after doing some extensive testing on it to make sure it wasn't about to die too.

I see these failed batteries often when looking at corporate laptops, many corporate users make sure to turn in their old equipment with dead batteries in them, so I have dozens of them here, but sometimes we see them come in with brand new replacements and at one point we got in a huge box full of brand new extended T61/T400 panasonic batteries, and there are about two dozen forum members who got one of them last year for only $50 each... what a deal... Today one in new condition 100% design capacity and 0-1 cycle will run about $70-80. Last I checked there was one available but the one I got mike was a far better deal and the panasonic batteries seem to hold up best in my opinion.

As for the docks, the full size advance dock does have a much more powerful charging system but that alone won't kill a battery, but if the battery was about to fail anyway, then it's possible it could expedite the matter. The logic boards on these batteries can disable a battery if any of it's cells go out of range in voltage or temp, or if the battery overheats, so I'm wondering if it's possible it was sitting somewhere that the sun could have "baked" it, perhaps in a footlocker in direct sunlight? I doubt this is likely a cause, but just to be safe I'd avoid storing your batteries anywhere they can get hot.

ps. I hope you're enjoying your Advanced full size dock. There are a few more available in excellent to like-new condition, but you got the last that was new-in-box condition, definitely a rare find.

[Pawelek]

I had the same situation regarding death of batteries. It happend in a very short time (month or so between each death -- irreparable battery damage - yellow indicator blinking and of course no charging). I started to suspect my laptop breaks batteries so I took it to a local computer/laptop workshop. The stated machine is ok.

Now I'm using geniune new battery (9 cell) which also behaves a little bit werid, so I keep it observing.

[cadillacmike68]

Update: I got the two batteries yesterday and will charge them up today.

The freezer foray was useless.

Should I keep the T61 plugged in to the wall with the battery even when it's tuned off or should I unplug it from the wall?

[TuuS]

If you adjust the charge threshold in power manager so it's not constantly topping off the charge of the battery, it will greatly extend the life of your battery. I have mine set to begin charging only when it gets below 70% then stop when it reaches 90% and since I have it always plugged in, my battery charges only once every few months, also by not allowing it to reach 100% it avoids wear n tear.

These settings can be found in lenovo power manager under advanced by clicking the "battery mantainance" button

[Radioguy]

9-cell FRU
Sanyo 42T4530
Panasonic 42T4532

It would seem 43R2499 is the current Lenovo-offered Sanyo version above, but is there a more recent version of the Panasonic one for the 14" T61?

EDIT: Looking around, it seems like it's 42T4645, but since that's not offered by Lenovo right now, is there an even newer Panasonic part?

[eru3]

There is a way to reset the battery's electronics. You need to make current flow between certain pins by connecting them with some resistance. It is googleable, some sort of blot was writing about it.

If you are successful with it, watch the cell life and voltages. It may be that cells will age now quicker than electronics.