Another Thinkpad t42 warranty question

[revolutionary_one]

I've had this thinkpad for just over 6months now and after trying tons of applications to reduce power consumption and heat, i've succeeded temps are now around 40-44C in BOTH Linux and and WinXP

However, despite my success at getting power consumption / heat down my battery life has detrimented significantly.

I'm usually only on AC and i do a full dishcharge (0-15% remaning) about once a week. I usually get about 80minutes of battery sometimes more sometimes less with LCD at 4-5/6 bars.

I'm thinking about sending in this battery for warranty and maybe just buying a second 9-cell battery. You think IBM would consider this type of degredation after just 6months a defection. I have both 4 year EZ serve and 3yr TPP.

[hoya]

why do you do a full discharge once per week? I've actually read that lithiu ion batteries do NOT like to be fully discharged. that's only for NiMH batteries.

[revolutionary_one]

I say I do one full discharge once a week because I NEED to push the battery life in some situations where I need my laptop for an extended period of time in situations where there isn't any power outlet available.

That still doesnt answer the question of whether I should bother submitting this battery to IBM because it shows so much degredation? From what I've read here they are/were(?) pretty liberal with battery warranty stuff.

[draco2527]

Batteries carry 1 YEAR warranty, regarthless of any other warranty you might have. They are considered consumables and are treated as such....

If you are within the 1 year (as you stated 6 months) then they should not give you any grief over getting another battery.....

Just mention that the battery is only lasting 80 minutes, and leave it at that.

I purchase a lot of equipment, 99.9% of the time I have no issues with batteries. Once in a while, one just dies or starts acting weird before the year is up( I had one die, three days after I received it); as long as it is within the 1 year Dell will replace it no questions asked, I see why it would not be the same with IBM/Lenovo.

The sooner you call, the faster the battery will be at your door.....

[dorin]

i had a problem with my 4 cell, after 4 months (60 cicles- comuting by train everyday) i think one cell died, it was dropping from 30% to 5% in matter of seconds.

i called ibm, they've sent me a new one home (in less than 24h) and with a letter asking to throw the faulty bat to recycle point or to send it to them and they will take care abt recycling (swiss is abit paranoid on this point- they even search in your garbage to identify who you are if you dont respect the rules)

so no i use the faulty bat as main one (dont care abt the constant heat in it ) and use the other one when need long bat on the road.

so, call ibm, theoretically if its less than 70% of designed capacity they should change it, according to their graphic, at least this argument worked for me.

dorin