Hey Doug,
I've been using the 23047 version of this ROM for over a week now and have had no issues with battery loading at all. If anything the battery life is incredible with this ROM ! So I think you may want to try and download the 23047 version and flash that.
Also, it may very well be that the battery has died on you or that the USB socket on you Herald is damaged or dirty perhaps, since it fails to load in the cradle, even if the light is on and active synch is working, because the load contact is a different one than for data transmission. You say the orange led is indicating that the device seems to be loading, but what does the battery icon on the taskbar show, is it loading there as well ?
Have you tried loading the battery with the wall socket cable, to eliminate a defect in the cradle ?
I would also suggest uninstalling S2U2, at least for test purposes, for in my experience this may mess up a ROM.
Finally, there is a setting which instructs USB not to load the battery when on Active Synch, as this is supposed to prolong the battery's life. Perhaps this function is switched on in your ROM version, but Illconcepts may be able to answer that one. If so, all the more reason to flash 23047
HtH
Robert