User:Idego

ipod.wilia.com

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iPod Battery Replacement
I have procrastinated doing the surgery on my 3Rd Generation iPod for a year, maybe more. I had skimmed an article on how to do it in MacAddict (now MacLife or some generic stupid name like that) and I knew I could do it, but at the time batteries were kinda expensive and it just could not be a priority to change for XYZ reasons. Besides I mostly used my iPod with iTrip in my Jeep and ran it off the cigarette lighter. The rest of the time I use it with the iHome which sounds great for it's size.

One day in the last couple of weeks, my daughter tells me her iPod Mini's battery is kaput. I test the iPod out and the battery is stone cold dead and won't hold a charge.

Now my daughter uses her iPod on the go all the time with the ear buds. Since I don't want to kill her psyche by denying a functioning iPod I told her I would fix it. (how she keeps those stupid stock Apple Ear Buds in her ears is beyond me- Mine always fall out)

I grab my latest version of MacAddict (or whatever lame name they call my favorite magazine now) and I find the best price on iPod batteries from ipodbatterydepot.com. For only 15.75 USD I got the battery for the mini, and I got the battery for my 3RD Generation for the same price. Shipping was 5.75 USD and the package arrived in less than a week. Each battery came with it's special tools for the job. I am now going to describe how the battery change went for both units.

3Rd Generation battery swap:

This was somewhat a pain in the backside. You have to split the face from the back and the teflon tools they give you with the battery just held up long enough to get the thing apart. It takes a while to get it apart, but don't give up. You'll eventually get it. If you see a clip in the opening, slip the extra tool in it and pry left - right (not up- down) and you will get it started and work your way across popping it open- but be careful. The first booby trap is a foil runner connector that goes to the audio jack. It's real short and you could really screw this up if you break it- just go slow and be aware.

Now the case is open you take the hard drive out and then you are ready to take the battery out. Use a tiny standard tweaker screwdriver to get pry the battery plug out. Te instructions said put battery in place first the connect plug. They are wrong. it is easier to connect first and this enables you to see how you will have to route the wires (red, black and white) which are thicker than the Apple version. I kinda made a loop and put the battery in and then tucked the wires up against the wall with my tiny screwdriver.

Now you put the rubber shield back in place, slide the hard drive back in place and pop the iPod back together. It took all of 20 min.

The iPod Mini Battery Swap

This was initially a pain in the neck until I followed the directions that suggested taking a hair dryer to the iPod mini and warm up the top white plastic cap to soften the glue that holds it in place. The screw drivers the give you work fine for the job and the tiny standard screw driver was able to pry the top cap off with only leaving a couple little marks on the plastic and the aluminum case. The hair dryer thing made a big difference. Use it. I probably could have left fewer marks if I started with it. There are two screw to take out at the top and then it's down to the bottom to do practically the same thing. Once you get the bottom plastic cap off, there is a 4 corner clip to pop out. Not difficult using those tiny screw drivers they sent me. You then disconnect a foil runner lead, and slide the motherboard out.

Now you flip the hard drive back and there is the battery. Disconnect plug pull out battery, plop the new one in, connect the plug.

Putting the unit back together took me about 60 seconds. The glue for the plastic is still sticky enough to do it's job holding the white plastic in place.

If you could build a model airplane when you were a kid, you can replace an iPod battery.

Both batteries were smaller than a matchbook and were very much like the batteries in your remote landline phone.

Good Luck!!! '' Best Wishes, iDego''