A lot of people, like me, had the misfortune of buying a 3G iPod, loving it, and absolutely hating its terrible battery life. Apple eventually provided a product recall following a class-action suit, but the replacements weren’t that much better. At this point, my factory installed battery literally averaged just 45 minutes of life each charge. Less if I tried to skip a song or change playlists.
To really get this lovely vintage gear in top shape, an upgrade with longer life is called for. Lots of companies are now offering service to install new batteries, but that’s for wimps!
Ready to take on the challenge, I ordered a DIY kit for iPod battery replacement last week, and tonight I got the process down. It’s easy, and it’s fun. So click through for a complete step-by-step photo guide to installing a third-party battery.
1. Essential Tools
Lots of kits exist for installing new iPod batteries. I went with the 1100 mAh kit from iPodjuice.com, buying into the idea that a large number of milliAmp hours would make my life better. It’s really cheap — less than $40, and it comes with a colorful — and comical — iPod-opening tool. The battery by itself is $5 cheaper, but it doesn’t matter one way or the other.
2. Pry it open!
Use the sharp end of your tool (a screw driver could work, too, but it could damage the case or internals) to open one of the lengthwise sides of your iPod. Just get in between the plastic and the metal, and then very slowly work around the edges until the case halves can be pulled apart. You should turn your iPod off, but mine came on spontaneously — the hold switch from this era really sucked.
3. Flip it open, lay the halves flat.
This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Make sure to protect the bronze ribbon connecting the motherboard to the metal case. The blue foam rubber on the hard drive is wacky, huh?
4. Remove the hard drive.
Ground yourself by touching something big and metallic first. Lift from the end of the hard drive without the concentric circle indentations on it. Last, gently lift the bronze tab with the connector on it away from the motherboard and look at the mysterious underbelly.
5. Look at the motherboard: Weird. And remove the battery.
The battery is the big black rectangle at the upper right. Lift it out, and note the three brightly colored wires that run from it to a white interface box. The wires are wrapped around the bottom of the motherboard, so guide them clear, then tug. No more battery!
6. Yell at the battery.
You suck, factory-installed battery!
7. Install the new battery. Reinsert the hard drive.
Use the white connector box on your brand-new battery to hook into the motherboard. Lay the battery into place, carefully wrapping the cables around the outside of the motherboard. Now it’s hard drive time. Remember that weird bronze tab on the back of it? match it up to the line of circuits at the lower right. Pick up your iPod with the hard drive in roughly the right place, then use your fingers to feel that the connection is right. This is the hardest step, so check to make sure your music comes up when you turn it on before closing up. If you can play any songs, you’re good hard drive wise.
8. Close it up and rock on.
That’s it. Soon you’ll be back to listening to the mid-tempo acoustic ballads of gothic Americana that you’ve always dreamed about. I’ll report back soon with a new battery life figure.
Pete Mortensen is a design strategist for consulting firm Jump Associates and the co-author of Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy, a book and blog that are significantly more interesting than you might initially think. Pete’s particular Apple avocations are both around design–interface and industrial. Follow him on Twitter!
