Second battery - DEAD

This is the second battery that I have had in less than three monhts as a new Mac user (Powerbook G4). This second battery problem, though, is slightly different. It will take a charge. However, it's life has gone to nil.
Just now, I charged it up for a while, it shows 100% full, and when I switch to "time", it shows I have only 17 minutes left.
Just a few days ago, it was showing full with a couple of hours to go, but then it would drain when the computer was OFF! It was not holding a charge when it was not in action. I thought that maybe it was because I had the computer in sleep mode and it was draining due to that.
I have no idea how to perform more detailed checks on the battery. Apple has already replaced one battery for me, wondering if I am going to get a second dud.
Also, I have been on an airplane a couple of times with the computer, wondering if that has anything to do with the loss of power, and I have also been in foreign countries where the power is slightly different, but I used adapters.
This really *****, can anyone help???
Walter

My first PB had the same problem. Within 2 months of buying it, the battery was acting very flaky and the charge life was ridiculous. Apple twice sent me a new battery to no avail (same problems happened within a few weeks). I contacted Apple yet again and they said they'd send me a new battery. I said "okay, but it's not going to do any good." Well, turned out that it did work.
The one thing I did differently with that last battery was to do a clean install. With the old battery in, I put in the install disc, plugged in the adapter, shut down, replaced the battery, powered up holding down the C key and did the clean install. Could it have been a software issue or was that coincidence? I'll never know. They never advised me to do that, so I was just trying it hoping it would improve the chances of the new battery working.
Maybe I had gotten 3 defective batteries in a row or maybe it was a software issue all along. Apple didn't know. All I know is that battery finally worked properly. So I'd suggest calling Apple (I'm assuming you're still under warranty) to get a replacement battery (they should replace it in this type of situation). And when you get it, do the clean install as I decribed. It certainly can't hurt.

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