Laptop battery pinout configurations - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: videobruce
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2018, 03:28:51 pm
content: I've been doing searches on this and have come up empty. I figured thisHASto be the place to ask this.Long story short I ordered a replacement pack for aolder ToshibaLaptop to replace the aging original pack. I doubled check the Toshiba part number & the Laptop model number to the seller/manufactures listing (OMBAR from Amazon). The packdidn'twork;1. The Laptops O/S does not detect the pack2. The Laptops battery LED does, but it indicates a 'low voltage' condition (which contradicts the above).I left the replacement pack in for hours with and w/o the Laptop 'on'.No difference. The original pack works & charges fine (thou at a much reduced operating time).Now, I took each pack and measured the continuity & voltage present at each of the 9 tabs (from left to right with the pack facing up as it would be installed in the Laptop).Pins;1 & 2. were negative/common,3 & 4. open5. 11.4v6 & 7. 10.4v8 & 9. 11.4v(The voltages measured were using 1/2 tabs)Now, on theoriginalpack, the ONLY voltage I measured was between 1/2 and 4 which was 2.6vMy assumptions are;1. The replacement pack is charged, unlike what the battery LED shows,2. This 2.6v is a "power good" signal similar to a PC's PS/MB 'power good' to protect the PS & PC.Ifthat is correct, it would explain why the 3rd party pack wouldn't work with the Laptop since it has no voltage present like the stock pack has.Input please, anyone can add anything to any of this?

author: Paul Price
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2018, 05:47:11 pm
content: There is only one thing to assume here. The replacement battery pack is either defective or not a replacement.You can can either send it back and order another or remove the batteries from the new pack and solder them into the old pack, if you think this hack is worth your time and trouble.

author: videobruce
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2018, 07:00:05 pm
content: I already know it's the wrong pack, that didn't answer my question.I'm looking for Laptop battery experts, if there actually are any. Members here dismantle and dissect fro more complex devices & items here than a battery pack.

author: kjr18
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2018, 11:48:35 am
content: Checkthis page. There is some info about identifying battery pinout, and some other things. Who knows, might help you.

author: videobruce
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2018, 02:13:11 pm
content: Yes, I did see that in my travels. I didn't take a real close look due to that was with a 'dead' battery and he was using a 'over my head' specific testing device.After two weeks I'm still waiting for my 2nd replacement pack from "BestBatt" which is anything but "best". Avoid like the plague. They are supposedly in NJ, but the pack was chipped from Calif. SIX days after I ordered it. I've already submitted a review at ResellerRatings.

author: Sceptre
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2018, 03:49:11 am
content: Based on your information and Kuzyatech's, I'd say:1. The replacement pack has a broken or missing SMBus interface (which is what the OS uses to query the battery management device in the pack). Pin 4 (2.6V on your original pack) is the SMBus data pin.2. The replacement pack has a broken or missing System Present input (V+ should be 0V unless you pull down Pin 6).3. Neither 1 nor 2 would prevent the laptop from charging the pack, but perhaps one or more cells are also defective.So it's either a broken used pack, or a shoddy rebuild. You knew that already, but hopefully the details above clarify it.

author: videobruce
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2018, 03:05:55 pm
content: Thank you, we finally getting somewhere.Broken, only by design. I finally received this 2nd sourced pack and it's the SAME damn thing. No data bus. Process of elimination told me it HAD to be this missing signal/voltage that's the problem, but this specific model pack is for numerous Toshiba models which means why aren't there more complaints about this? Of course with the very high percentage of Amazon lamo reviews that may account for the previous question. As I already stated, the other difference is the battery voltage is not present on pins 1/2 & 8/9 (which I figure is for protection).The other question is, are the other Toshiba models different in this respect (that take the same pack) which wouldn't make much sense?I tried posting this in the EU Toshiba forum, but that is another forum that has views counts in the hundreds (or thousands) and either no of one reply making that useless.