T61p battery failure

[sktn77a]

OK, so I have an 18 month old T61p with the now-well-known battery failure.  The battery is a 6-cell 42T4504/92P1138 and was working fine with 80% of its original capacity and 2-3 hours.  Then yesterday, it just stopped charging and I get the classic battery error:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=BATT-082009

Does anybody know if the problem is with the cells or with the battery electronics?  If it's the cells, I might try getting the battery re-celled;  if it's the electronics, I guess it's the trash.

Thanks

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

it is actually the cell that is causing the problem... I am not sure if these are the Sanyo or Sony cells...Frankly i have had enough these two battery companies. 

[SouthPaw]

Bring up "Power Manager" go to Battery Tab the Cell Manufaturer is who you need to blame. Lenovo Just passes on the 1 year warranty offered by battery manufaturer. Same as the HDD and LCD and CPU but they have 3 -5 years warrantys. The Battery makers know that their batteries are of such poor quality that they don't offer a quality warranty.

I wish Lenovo would only work with battery cell manutaturers they will backup their cells with a 3 year warranty.

Any opinion Mark_Lenovo?

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

From a supply chain point of view, relying solely on one supplier is inviting for trouble, since if that company somehow has a massive production failure, manufacturing defects or even price hike, then Lenovo would be helpless and wouldn't find an alternative supplier at a competitive price. Also, with multiple steady suppliers you have more bargaining power with each.

This is like you depend on one country for crude oil, then that country stops production for some reason, what would that supply shortage mean to you as a driver of a car, the economy of your country??? You probably know the answer already. So sort of reasoning applies to battery supplier dynamics. 

No laptop companies nowadays rely on one supplier for their battery cells. 

[SouthPaw]

I agree a single supplier would be a problem that LCD plant had a fire. But I would pay 40 - 50 dollars more for  a battery with a 3 year warranty. Lenovo need to see that battery problems are a bad black mark on a wonderful product line.

Offer as Option

6 Cell Class B  1 year Warranty Add   0.00

6 Cell Class A  3 year Warranty Add 49.90

9 Cell Class B  1 year Warranty Add 39.90

9 Cell Class A  3 year Warranty Add 79.90

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

There is a three year warranty for battery, but you have to go through the corporate channel. My friend had one that has 3 years battery warranty from Lenovo. 

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

Description: This product has a three year limited warranty which includes a ThinkPlus warranty upgrade. This product is entitled to parts and labor and on-site service for three years. Service is available Monday - Friday with an next business day response objective. Batteries have extended coverage for the full three years. Customers may call the PC HelpCenter for more information.

[sktn77a]

Well, I have it on good authority from Lenovo that, regardless of the cause, the battery is probably not fixable.  Just as well, as I haven't had much luck with re-celled batteries - I've had 3 T4x batteries re-celled and they only lasted about a year.  Not really worth it when you consider a good OEM battery usually lasts a good 3 years.