Is my mac battery dying or is there another problem?

October 4, 2007 8:50 AM

Is my mac battery dying or is there another problem? My macbook is almost a year old. Suddenly my battery life sucks. I just opened it up after charging it over night and it only registered 1:33 minutes left. Right now, only minutes later it is at 79% with 1:09 left. It’s dropping faster then the elapsed time.

My macbook is almost a year old. Suddenly my battery life sucks. I just opened it up after charging it over night and it only registered 1:33 minutes left. Right now, only minutes later it is at 79% with 1:09 left. It’s dropping faster then the elapsed time. I’ve tried running it all the way down to nothing to reset the charge meter but that doesn’t seem to help.

What is going on? How much time _should_ I be able to get on a full charge? Is something other then the battery not working right? Do I need a new battery when it hasn’t even been a year? Does anyone know what Merlin Mann's rubber chicken litany is for extending battery life?

posted by jeffreyclong to computers & internet (12 comments total)

I'm not entirely sure if this is the same "known issue" but I just had my 14 month old MacBook battery replaced for free by the Apple store after it stopped being recognised entirely. I made a Genius Bar appointment and they changed it on the spot, no questions asked.
posted by roofus at 9:01 AM on October 4, 2007

Have you seen the Battery Update-slash-Recall? You might also try stuff listed here, here, here, and here , as well as browsing the Apple support site and forums before trying for the battery replacement.
posted by romakimmy at 9:05 AM on October 4, 2007

Remember that the warranty, unless you got AppleCare, is one year, so you'll have much less hassle if you get to the apple store before that period expires. I had my MBP's battery replaced after about 11 mos for similar problems.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 9:12 AM on October 4, 2007

I had the same exact problem. Take it to the Apple store and they'll replace it for free, no questions asked.
posted by HotPatatta at 9:29 AM on October 4, 2007

Yeah, it's a known issue, take it to the Apple store and they'll swap it out without even testing it.
posted by Oktober at 9:51 AM on October 4, 2007

Google up "Thinkpad 600x battery". Teh Thinkpad 600x came out in 1998. It's a general issue - LiIon batteries degrade over time. If the laptop has a bad charging circuit, it makes the problem worse.

I find it surprising Apple replaces batteries - IBM specifically listed batteries as "consumables" in the same category as toner and paper with regards to warranty coverage.
posted by GuyZero at 9:52 AM on October 4, 2007

I've had Apple recover a replacement battery on three different laptops in the last few years, all under warranty. Their coverage states that the battery should last a year under normal usage, and when they don't, they'll cover a replacement. However, once you hit that year mark from purchase, its up to you to pay the $130+ to buy a new battery, so hurry.

If you can't make it to an Apple Store (or would rather avoid a wait at the Genius Bar) just call Apple's phone support. They will confirm that the battery is less than a year old, and that it has lost some significant amount of capacity (50% or under an hour of steady use seems to be what they consider to be unacceptable). For free, they'll ship you a new battery in a matter of days, and have you ship the old one back.

Li-on batteries degree over time, and they also degrade with use. When you get your new battery, try to charge it as frequently as possible, and trust that in another year or two, you'll need a new one.
posted by jacobbarssbailey at 12:32 PM on October 4, 2007

It's not a generic problem. It is specific to the Macbook and its batteries. As everyone says, it's a no questions asked replacement even *out* of warranty when the battery just fails to read at all and you get the little "X."

I have to say my Macbook has been a bad Apple.
posted by spitbull at 2:31 PM on October 4, 2007

I've been having the exact same problem. I just noticed that Apple pushed out a new battery update (1.3) specifically for 15" MBPs today. Strangely, the date on the file is 4/9/07, but the description page was updated yesterday.
posted by Caviar at 8:57 PM on October 4, 2007

(Sorry, 4/4/07.)

Also - iStat Pro was reporting my battery health at aroun 48% prior to the update, and is now showing 99%.
posted by Caviar at 8:58 PM on October 4, 2007

Quote from the first link I posted for others who might search AskMe for this issue:

For MacBook and MacBook Pro systems with Intel Core Duo processors, this program extends repair coverage on the battery for up to two years from the date of purchase of the computer.

posted by romakimmy at 2:31 AM on October 5, 2007

Update - the battery is reporting more health and time through various meters, but it still completely cut out and the machine shut down within 15 minutes of going on battery power.
posted by Caviar at 5:08 AM on October 5, 2007