Miscellaneous laptop discussions : buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY
buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY
by kerbro - 11/11/08 9:09 PMI have a Toshiba Satellite P25 laptop running windows xp professional. I bought the computer around 3 or 4 years ago and it has not really given me a lot of problems, but I have noticed a slowing down of functions. I increased my RAM 512 MB to 2 GB. I have been reading that batteries for laptops only last about 3 years so I guess mine is ready for a change. What I want to know is how dependable are batteries bought on Ebay. The prices found there are 1/2 the price from dealers like radio shack etc. I know these are generic brands but can they do damage to my laptop.
I would also look at stores that deal heavily
by orlbuckeye - 11/12/08 5:01 AM In reply to: buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY by kerbrowith batteries like BatteriesPlus.
Laptops: buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY
by kerbro - 11/12/08 10:01 AM In reply to: I would also look at stores that deal heavily by orlbuckeyethanks for the response I checked Batteries Plus site and even though prices were slightly higher, they are selling brand name products and i feel more comfortable using such products.
One difference usually is
by orlbuckeye - 11/12/08 12:42 PM In reply to: Laptops: buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY by kerbroone product is new (BP)and other is used (Ebay) which could cause warranty issues.
Your safety
by RunRagged2 - 11/15/08 12:37 AM In reply to: buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY by kerbroHi, these batteries are Lithium Ion, this is a very dangerous technology.
You need to take care to buy a reputable brand and even then, make sure that it is not one that has been recalled.
There are many of these recalled, potentially unsafe batteries around.
Whatever you do, don't buy an no brand Chinese or far eastern battery.
I spend 20 years testing batteries and have seen a video explosion of a lithium battery, all in OK in one frame and there is no lab in the next frame, the risk is very real.
Reputable brands include safety devices, who knows what the no name brands include.
My advice is to avoid ebay for this.
Don't be in a Hurry
by jcbowen - 11/15/08 12:55 AM In reply to: buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY by kerbroFirst off don't be an a hurry to replace the battery just because of its age. As the battery begins to wear out it will give you increasingly less time running on the battery alone. The only reason to replace the battery is if the length of time you can run on the battery has decreased to where you no longer find it acceptable. If the battery still gives adequate running time it doesn't matter if it's three, five or even ten years old. You mention that your computer has been slowing down, but I trust you realize this has nothing to do with the battery. The battery cannot affect performance - it either provides enough juice to run the computer or it doesn't.
Concerning eBAy, please ignore the response that says eBay batteries are used. Every eBay add should state clearly whether the product is new or used, and with batteries they are nearly always new. You will find established dealers on eBay with huge numbers of sales and very good feedback ratings. Buying from one of these dealers you should have no fear that the battery will be of poor quality or damage your computer.
One thing you should always check is the battery capacity (expressed in mAh - like 6600mAh). The bigger the number the better. Battery technology is always improving and there may well be batteries with higher capacity than the original had. But often the Manufacturer's battery replacement is the same capacity as the original, even though higher capacity generic's are available. Several years ago I bought a replacement battery for a Toshiba on eBAy. It was much cheaper than a genuine Toshiba battery and had nearly twice the capacity (meaning the laptop would run nearly twice as long on it). I would not hesitate to buy again from one of the big sellers on eBay.
One more thing
by jcbowen - 11/15/08 2:44 AM In reply to: Don't be in a Hurry by jcbowenAn earlier post gives several reasons to only buy the original manufacturer's battery. I disagree with much of what it says and still believe you can be perfectly safe with a MAJOR seller on eBay (I'm not talking about individuals selling one or a few items). Here's why:
1) Look at the picture of the battery in the ad. Usually you can see the CE mark on the battery. This means the product has been tested and meets all directives of the European Common Market, which are usually even stricter than U.S. standards. The battery you buy should look exactly like the picture, including the CE mark. If not, send it back. If in doubt whether the battery carries the CE mark you can always email the seller and ask. My experience is these sellers always respond quickly to product questions.
2) The seller I looked at on eBay stated the battery cells were manufactured in Japan, same as Toshiba.
3) These large eBay dealers sell a huge volume, and like any business they are very sensitive to word-of-mouth reports affecting their business. If they were selling shoddy goods it would show up quickly in their eBay feedback. It doesn't. They are buying and selling in large quantity from reputable battery manufacturers (possibly the same ones who make Toshiba's batteries!). They are able to sell at a much lower price because they don't have Toshiba's marketing costs, there are fewer middle-men in the sales stream, and they are not supporting any brick-and-mortar sales fronts.
4) The previous poster said you might get a recalled product. I can't imagine how. In anyone has a battery under recall, they're going to turn it in and get a new one, not try to sell it on at a discount. And certainly you can't think that Toshiba is going to recall defective batteries and then resell them elsewhere? That would be commercial suicide.
5) And finally, every article I have ever read about a laptop battery fire has been about an original manufacturer's battery, not a generic. So why should you feel safer with the original?
Heck, I realize you might still feel better with the manufacturer's brand name battery, and, if so, then do buy it by all means. I just want to be sure you have all the points of view before making a decision.
buying laptop replacement battery replacements on Ebay
by kerbro - 11/23/08 8:55 PM In reply to: buying laptop battery replacements on EBAY by kerbroOkay I didn't buy the battery on Ebay instead I bought it from Batteries Plus. The thing is, after inserting the new battery and following the instructions to charge and recharge the new battery a number of times, I clicked on the new battery icon on my task bar but it is still showing the original batteries information down to the serial number an make. Also with the new battery installed the computer is still popping off like before. anyone have any suggestions.
New Battery
by jcbowen - 11/24/08 1:09 AM In reply to: buying laptop replacement battery replacements on Ebay by kerbro1) I'm not sure what the "new battery icon" you mention is. Possibly from software that came with the battery or software bundled with your particular laptop. When your laptop is running only on battery power there should be an XP battery icon in the notification area of the task bar. You can right click on this and select Open the Power Meter. Here you can select the checkbox for "Show details for each battery" and then view the battery information by clicking on the battery icon. There is a Refresh button that, I assume, would show the new information if I clicked it after changing batteries.
2) All you mentioned in your original post was that the laptop seemed to be slowing down and that you added more RAM. You now report "the computer is still popping off like before." You'll have to explain what the "popping off" consists of before we can offer any suggestions.
New Battery
by kerbro - 11/24/08 9:54 AM In reply to: New Battery by jcbowenI believe we are on the same page regarding the power meter except what I stated previously was that when I installed the new battery on my Toshiba Satellite-P25, on the lower right hand corner of the screen there is an icon of an electrical wire when I am on ac power and a battery when i am using that function. After installing the new battery the icon changed reflecting the fact that a new battery was being. What I find to be troubling is after going to the power meter and clicking on the battery icon as you mentioned, the information being provided is for the old OEM battery and the refresh button is either stuck or not working. This is where I am at this juncture..
Hmmm
by jcbowen - 11/24/08 12:00 PM In reply to: New Battery by kerbroHmmm. Afraid I don't have any more ideas on that score. I'd suggest a search of the knowledge base on microsoft.com support. There doesn't seem to be much they haven't addressed as far as issues with Windows.
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