Laptop batteries

[sara]

I posted something about this in OcUK but I don't think I worded myself well.

Has anyone here replaced their laptop battery with a 3rd party one? Did it manage not to blow up? Can you recommend any particular shop/manufacturer other than eBay (I'm a little distrustful as a battery going bang would hurt)?

I want some more life out of my current laptop yet, but current battery is dead dead dead after 3 or so years, and the Dell original ones are pretty pricey!

[Mark]

I'm wary about 3rd party batteries for much the same reason you are. I've had a few, and none of them have gone bang, but I've heard the same horror stories you have and hold most of the stated ratings with more than a little contempt. Exploding battery syndrome is rare, but what you get might not be as good as the original.

That said, most batteries, either OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or 3rd party, source the battery cells from only a handful of manufacturers (Sanyo, Sony, and a few others). That's partly why so many manufacturers were afflicted with exploding battery syndrome (the cells involved were all made by Sony).

[sara]

That's the issue I'm having, one site's even offering a 3 year warranty (!) but I assume they're all made by the same people...

So, £25 off ebay, £45ish off the cheaper websites (torn between the one that says it's 4800mAh instead of 4400mAh, and the one with the 3 year warranty), sometimes twice that off other websites for what still appear to be 'compatible replacements', and over £100 for a new Dell original.

Blah. Might just close my eyes and hit buy on one of the £45ish ones...

[Mark]

If you've got a choice between a UK and non-UK site for similar price, go UK. While it's no guarantee, you're more likely to be safe with a UK supplier thanks to trading standards et al.

[sara]

Looks like laptopshop it is, then... Thought "batteries-man" posts by Royal Mail, his command of English seems somewhat lacking...

http://www.laptopshop.co.uk/miscpages/aboutus.html
http://www.batteries-man.co.uk/about_us.php

[Mark]

Laptopshop has postal and phone contacts and a returns policy.

Batteries Man has a web form.

I know which I'd go with, and it isn't Batteries Man. :)

[sara]

Yup, all gone through with laptopshop now, thanks Mark ! :)

Lappy will get shiny new OS (hokey win7), some more RAM, a Bluetooth module, and a new battery :D

[sara]

Whoop the battery arrived today - will give it a good testing tonight :D

[Desmo]

I bought an original Dell extended battery from ebay. Wasn't the cheapest out there but was a lot less thn buying direct and from a lot of other shops :)

[Haly]

Battery from laptopshop all fine still sara?

My laptop's battery is starting to go downhill rather rapidly and although it's being passed onto my Mum on Monday, I figure for £42 she might want a new battery at some point. :D

[sara]

Yeah it's fine so far Haly :)

On low brightness it gives me about 4 hours, lovely stuff! Better than the 30 mins the old one had fallen down to... I do have a smallish screen though :D

[Haly]

Hehe yeah this one's starting to get down to the 30-40mins or so level!
Thanks, I'll get it from there soon then :D