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Sunday 18 March 2012

iPhone 3GS Battery Replacement

I've been very happy with the iPhone 3GS's features and performance, but after 2 years, as expected, the battery life would not sustain the daily activities. I knew it was time to replace the battery when the following happened on a regular basis:
  • Thinking about "the next time I could charge my phone" and carrying the iPhone cable around with me
  • Fast battery drain and the iPhone suddenly turning off when it reached 20-30%
  • Using apps like Boost Magic and BatteryDoctor to "trickle charge" the battery in an attempt to extend the battery life was useless. 
There was only one options to retain the longevity of the iPhone: replace the battery.

Having done enough research and confidence, I decided to save £60-80 buy getting a DIY kit.

Ordered: OEM 3GS Battery Replacement and 3GS Tool Set

Web guides & tutorials that helped me with DIY process:

Tips and problems encountered:
  • If you feel comfortable at opening up laptops to clean the dust or replace parts, replacing an iPhone battery shouldn't feel too foreign... think of it as a tiny computer.
  • Make sure you work in a neat environment; placing the screws in a systematic order to make the process easier. Some have used an empty egg carton to help organise their screws.
  • Unfortunately, my 3GS tool kit came with an incorrect screwdriver (I contacted the website who quickly sent me the correct one), but I was determined to replace the battery that day, so used a different screw set to complete the process. Fortunately, the screw set I had was only slightly bigger than the 3GS tool kit; this allowed me to unscrew all but one necessary screw. The only screw I had trouble with was the one to remove the camera, but this did not deter me to complete the process. Although it was challenging to align the connection behind the screwed in camera, I successfully completed the replacement after 3 attempts at pulling the phone apart and putting it back together. I was a pro after 3 attempts!
  • My blue plastic tool kit broke when trying to attempt to remove the original battery due to the strong adhesive used to attach the battery to the backing of the phone. The battery was removed by carefully, but firmly using a flat-head screwdriver to pull it out. 
After 2-3 months of using it, I can confidently say the battery replacement was a complete success!

Hope you found this useful!



 

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