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• DIY: Replace your iPod's battery

DIY: Replace your iPod's battery

By Greg Koenig, Special to CNET.com on 03 February 2005

Replace your first- or second-gen iPod's battery

Much hoopla has been raised about the life, or lack thereof, of the iPod's battery. And while many users of the first 5GB iPod model are still using the battery with no problem whatsoever, the fact is that cells eventually run out of juice. You won't wake up one day to find your battery dead; rather, expect a long, slow descent that involves shorter and shorter battery life between recharges. Eventually, you're going to have to switch out the battery.

Replacing the battery yourself is a pretty easy task, but if you're the kind of person who frets about dings or if you have no mechanical ability whatsoever, your best bet is to send your iPod to Apple or a quality third-party shop to get the battery replaced. Apple's iPod battery-replacement program will cost you AU$199, plus shipping. Apple will take a week or two to put in a new battery and return it to you. But sites such as PDASmart and ipodbattery.com sell replacement batteries for more like US$29, and in some cases -- especially if your iPod is quite old -- you can actually double your battery life. So if you're adventurous or too impatient to go two weeks without your magical music box, then read on.

Before you get started, you'll need to acquire a new battery for your iPod and one of the following tools:

• PDASmart.com plastic disassembly tools



• A thin, flat-head screwdriver



• A guitar pick (the hard-plastic kind, not the newer rubberised ones)

Far and away, the best tool for the job is the one supplied by PDASmart because it's plastic and won't scratch or mar the original case. Since I'm of the school that a ding here and there adds character to an item, I just use a screwdriver. A guitar pick is easy to get hold of and will get the job done, but it's a pain to work with.

The iPod batteries are all standard off-the-shelf units, so it doesn't matter where you buy them. PDASmart.com provides both detailed instructions and the plastic disassembly tools noted above.

Before you go any further, please note that Apple did not design the iPods to be disassembled. Once they are snapped (or, in the case of the iPod Mini, glued) together, Apple essentially considers them to be a disposable item, and warranty/repair work consists of swapping the broken iPod for a new one. For the iPod hacker, this means two things:

• Opening an iPod without causing at least minimal cosmetic damage is very difficult. Before you embark on a journey into your iPod, you need to accept the fact that you're probably going to mar the case. You might get lucky, but chances are, it's going to get dinged up.



• If you break your iPod, you're going to pay for it. This hack provides very detailed instructions expressly to help you avoid any possible pitfalls with regard to damaging your iPod, but there is always a chance that the patient won't make it through surgery.

Opening the case
Turn off the iPod, and place the hold button on (so that orange is showing). Insert the edge of your tool of choice vertically between the plastic and the metal, next to the FireWire port. Insert the tool as far as you can, then slide it up and around the sharp metal upper-left corner of the iPod until it's about 10mm from the edge. At this point, pry up and release the first of the five clips (on the left side) holding the two case halves together.

Once you've released the first clip, continue to slide the blade down the side of the iPod, and the remaining four clips will come apart fairly easily. With one side of the iPod case released, you can now lift the plastic case half away from the metal portion. With it will come all the electronic components, in one unit. Congratulations -- your iPod is now open!

Removing the battery
First- and second-generation iPods have the battery attached directly to the hard drive by two strips of rubber featuring some sort of evil adhesive. This stuff sticks! Use your screwdriver or another thin, flat implement of choice to loosen the battery from the hard drive. Try to keep the rubber strips attached to the hard drive and not to the battery. When it's free of the sticky death grip, disconnect the battery and throw it away.

Installing the new battery
The new battery will install only one way because of the length of the connecting wires, so plug it in and lay it down on the hard drive. Line it up so that one edge isn't hanging off, and press it firmly so that the adhesive grips it.

Putting it back together
Once this is done, you can just snap the metal half of the case back on. Charge up your new battery, and your iPod will have juice again!

---

SUBMITTED BY: Greg Koenig Contributing author, iPod and iTunes Hacks

Greg is a contributing iPod dissector at iPod Lounge, and cheerfully took apart several iPods for the new O'Reilly book, iPod and iTunes Hacks.

Topics: apple, tips, battery, replace, ipod, tricks, case

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  Victator commented on 01/09/2009 21:53 Report abuse

  Easier and less dangerous than it sounds. My battery cost less than $40 including delivery, and my iPod is alive again!

• 

  ??? commented on 23/08/2009 18:48 Report abuse

  PaulW how much did it cost or does anyone know how to get it cheaper than 200 cos if that is the case you are better off just buying a new one for 159

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  Albert Ross commented on 23/07/2008 12:38 Report abuse

  You should not throw the battery away - they are very toxic. If your local council does not currently provide appropriate disposal facilities keep it until they do and lobby them to do so. Alternatively send it back to Apple and let them deal with it.

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  Fruk Monkey commented on 29/11/2007 14:16 Report abuse

  Ahhhh... The joys of ignorance in 21C.
  I would not just "throw" the Lithium Battery in the bin. Ideally it should be recycled. In Australia we have a mobile phone recycling system. The battery would easily be digestible in that system.

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  Lamby commented on 17/10/2007 14:03 Report abuse

  Thanks for the tip, Worked great. Not one ding and it saved me $200.
  P.S had to be very careful while opening though.

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  sam0001 commented on 13/07/2007 15:12 Report abuse

  Sometimes it's better to have the professionals do the job if you are unsure. I had mine done by http://www.batteriesforipod.com and it is working just great now. I have a second generation mini.

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  BlackBeauty commented on 13/04/2007 11:36 Report abuse

  I tried this but now my click wheel no longer works :( I have a 4GB iPod Mini.

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  PaulW commented on 25/08/2006 01:34 Report abuse

  After reading these instructions I decided I didn't like the idea of trying to prise open my iPod's case - I'd be worried sick about scratching the case, or worse breaking the delicate electronics inside.
  
  So I got my iPod battery replaced by myBoomBox (http://www.myboombox.co.uk) from the UK. They got my generation 4 iPod back to me in three days and now it holds it's full charge again. Easy!

• 

  ttt commented on 13/10/2005 23:53 Report abuse

  Here is the DIY guide with pictures
  
  http://www.ipodbattery.com/slimipodinstall.htm

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