iPod Ipod Mini Upgrade: 512GB, New Firmware, and 1300mAh battery Troubles

[HomeBrewLamps]

So I've taken on the task of upgrading a second generation Ipod Mini with a 512GB Samsung SD card, New Rockbox firmware (did you know you could play Doom on the ipod mini?) and a battery upgrade of 1300mAh...

I plan to replace my phone with this (in terms of music playing) as I do not like having a large and rather uncomfortable slab in my pocket that can get destroyed by the roughness of my job.... the Ipod mini is robust especially with the solid state upgrade and fits my wants and needs perfectly aside from one major issue... The batteries I've purchased all seem to drain far too quick and charge rather fast for what i think they should... Why is this? I purchased an INSTEN 1300mAh battery aswell as some unknown brand replacement battery and they seem to give me issues..

Does anyone have any advice? do these batteries need to be "broken in" ? did i purchase duds or fakes? if the later is the case where do i purchase proper 1300mAh batteries? if push comes to shove I will purchase some sort of small 1300mAh Li-Po battery and modify it into the player because I want this thing running for a while... a mere 2 to 3 hours is not quite acceptable from a battery so large...


Eventually i plan to also upgrade this thing with bluetooth, I just need to find a module small enough or some sort of device with a very small bluetooth transmitter so i can pop it inside the player, I intend on connecting the module directly to the pins on the audio jack and installing a switch so i can switch between wired and bluetooth devices.

 

[Muttznuttz]

I've recently done the same but not put Rockbox on, just kept it standard (256GB SDXC conversion).
I replaced the battery with an eBay 600mAH battery, nothing special. Was initially a bit disappointed with it as it seemed to run down rather quickly. I then left the iPod in a drawer for some time and it was totally flat when I went to use it. It took literally an hour of being plugged into a USB charger before it came back to life and started indicating it was charging. A bit worrying but now it's behaving perfectly. I seem to have 'bedded in' the battery by charging it until it says 'Charged' on the display then setting it to play random tracks (obv. need to put some music on it first). Plug in some headphones and set to around half volume. Leave it to play itself completely flat. Rinse & repeat a couple of times.
Doing this seems to also have calibrated the battery meter on the iPod to a more accurate picture of remaining battery life.

Hope that helps. Where did you get the 1300mAH battery from? I'm in the UK and can't find on eBay etc...

 

[HomeBrewLamps]

I've recently done the same but not put Rockbox on, just kept it standard (256GB SDXC conversion).
I replaced the battery with an eBay 600mAH battery, nothing special. Was initially a bit disappointed with it as it seemed to run down rather quickly. I then left the iPod in a drawer for some time and it was totally flat when I went to use it. It took literally an hour of being plugged into a USB charger before it came back to life and started indicating it was charging. A bit worrying but now it's behaving perfectly. I seem to have 'bedded in' the battery by charging it until it says 'Charged' on the display then setting it to play random tracks (obv. need to put some music on it first). Plug in some headphones and set to around half volume. Leave it to play itself completely flat. Rinse & repeat a couple of times.
Doing this seems to also have calibrated the battery meter on the iPod to a more accurate picture of remaining battery life.

Hope that helps. Where did you get the 1300mAH battery from? I'm in the UK and can't find on eBay etc...

I am currently doing as you have suggested and letting it drain completely... I will do it a few times and see how the battery does, I will keep you posted..

As for the battery I got it HERE, they send you the battery, as well as both a flathead and philips head screwdriver (which have come in handy in a few instances)..

 

[togruber]

Hi,
I think that your battery has not 1300 mAh because it would be too thick. I use a 500 mAh battery by OTB and the iPod mini 2G played 18 hours.

Regards
Torsten

 

[HomeBrewLamps]

Hi,
I think that your battery has not 1300 mAh because it would be too thick. I use a 500 mAh battery by OTB and the iPod mini 2G played 18 hours.

Regards
Torsten

Alright, I did purchase a second battery, a 650mAh Battery from iFixit.. Once it arrives in the mail I will test that cell... After I let the "1300mAh" battery discharge and recharge a few times it actually startd to discharge faster... I'm unsure if its a fake or a dud but I'd rather buy a new battery from a reputable source than risk blowing up the motherboard because a crappy Ebay battery blew up... I will keep the thread posted as things develop.

 

[Muttznuttz]

I checked the seller of that original battery from the link you posted. He does appear to have a few dissatisfied customers. You may have been sold something that was past its best.
Keen to know how the iFixit battery works out

 

[eicca]

Any news from the OP? I've got an iPod Mini freshly Rockbox'd and upgraded to a 256GB SD card, and it's barely lasting four hours with that same supposedly-1300mAh battery.

Thinking of going with an iFixit battery as well. Had two wins from them so far with batteries for my MacBook and iPhone 6S.