[chalky]

Bought a brand new compatible battery for an old IBM 600E, £30 = about $48, as advised i fully charged it, drained then recharged to 100% but it lasts just about 90mins, about the same time as the one i replaced.

Downloaded the IBM battery tester app and it tells me the battery has a capacity loss.

It's marked as Sept 06 so not stored that long.

The test on the one i'm replacing tells me the battery is good for the age and use, words to that effect anyway, can't remember exact wording.

Is this usual with a compatible i don't want to send it back for replacement and get another exactly the same if it is.

[JohnWill]

The battery could have sat around for several years if it's for an older machine. That's something the discount places don't tell you, they age when sitting on the shelf, or being used in the machine.

[kiwiguy]

Is the rating of the "compatable" battery (in mAh) the same as the original?

It is possible that you do get what you pay for.

[chalky]

Hi, thanks, battery is marked Sept 06, i don't think it's been sitting around that long, was bought off the net from a firm that deals in compatibles.

Rating is exactly the same, 10.8V 3.2AH.

This was brand new and boxed so i did expect a bit more life then a used one.

Was just wondering if compatibles just didn't last as long or always showed capacity loss on test.

[JohnWill]

Marked Sept 06 of what year?

[chalky]

Sorry, UK date, just month and year, Sept 2006.

[JohnWill]

Sounds like a defective battery in that case.

[chalky]

Cheers John, was thinking it was showing that on test because it wasn't an actual IBM battery but a compatible, that maybe the diagnostic diskette couldn't test it correctly.

[JohnWill]

That could be, I know I had a clone battery in a Compaq machine in the past, and the battery utility didn't work correctly with it. The battery worked fine, so I ignored the fact that I didn't know how much was left.