Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Have you ever removed the battery from your macbook [Outside of repairs]

  • YES whenever it runs out, I always have a spare.

    Votes: 7 8.0%
  • NO there's a reason you charge it with the battery in

    Votes: 51 58.6%
  • Occasionally, for whatever reason

    Votes: 29 33.3%

  • Total voters
    87

I'm a Mac

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 5, 2007
436
0
Who here actually removes the battery from their macbook, outside of repairs? The idea of having a spare battery is nice, but who actually uses it? I'd much rather an internal batter with 8 hours
 

I'm a Mac

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 5, 2007
436
0
An external battery actually sounds like a good idea- where did you find it- and can you post a link to it?
Also, I've found that on long international flights, a lot of times planes have outlets. (Or at least the ones in first and business do, which is very convenient) has anyone seen any of these on short (5 hours or less) flights?
 

acfusion29

macrumors 68040
Nov 8, 2007
3,128
1
Toronto
I already made a thread about this, but since you decided to start a new one with a poll I'll contribute :p

Aside from swapping my HDD, I have not removed the battery ever.
 

ayeying

macrumors 601
Dec 5, 2007
4,547
13
Yay Area, CA
The only time I removed my battery was.. when I redid my thermal paste (no apparent reason, just wanted to). Beyond that, any HDD or Ram changes, I just leave the battery in. I always discharge myself and make 100% sure the system is off before doing any work but I never see the real reason to remove the battery.
 

Tinknock71

macrumors 6502
Jan 18, 2008
269
2
Westland Michigan
The only time I removed my battery was.. when I redid my thermal paste (no apparent reason, just wanted to). Beyond that, any HDD or Ram changes, I just leave the battery in. I always discharge myself and make 100% sure the system is off before doing any work but I never see the real reason to remove the battery.

Does that thermal paste make that much of a difference? I see some other people have done that. thanks
 

Skeletal-dæmon

macrumors 6502
Apr 27, 2008
369
1
I have a spare with me because on the occasion I decide to use public transport I'm usually on said transport for a long long long long long time (Hey, our trains do actually go fast sometimes. Usually off bridges or ploughing into stations on their sides... but still) and one battery sometimes just doesn't cut it. So I have a second one and in a flash I have another four or five hours of DVDing or whatever.
 

kastenbrust

macrumors 68030
Dec 26, 2008
2,890
0
North Korea
Does that thermal paste make that much of a difference? I see some other people have done that. thanks

It does make a difference but if you arnt experienced at building computers i wouldnt do it. You only need to apply a tiny bit, i mean less than 1mm thick, or it has a negative effect and causes the processor to get hotter. and you have to use the best stuff you can get, dont skimp on quality.
 

ayeying

macrumors 601
Dec 5, 2007
4,547
13
Yay Area, CA
Does that thermal paste make that much of a difference? I see some other people have done that. thanks

Not too much difference. My fans never pass 4500rpm even at 100% load to both processors (folding@home). Average temperatures are close from 30-35 deg C idle, 50-65 deg C while doing stuff, 70-85 deg C under gaming/folding.

Unless your temps are going haywire, not a real good reason to do it. I only did it cause I'm pretty sure I was high that day and had nothing better to do.

It does make a difference but if you arnt experienced at building computers i wouldnt do it. You only need to apply a tiny bit, i mean less than 1mm thick, or it has a negative effect and causes the processor to get hotter. and you have to use the best stuff you can get, dont skimp on quality.

You don't need to be an expert. You can spread it across the die using a credit card and make it work. But the entire surface has to have it covered without any holes.
 

acfusion29

macrumors 68040
Nov 8, 2007
3,128
1
Toronto
Does that thermal paste make that much of a difference? I see some other people have done that. thanks

New computers? Little to none.

Old computers? Yes because the paste gets old and doesn't work how it should.

I remember when I built my first computer back in 2002. I didn't reapply new paste for a few years and eventually it started shutting off. I was confused because I couldn't figure it out until it hit me, "check the damn thermal paste!!" I checked it, it was gone and I could have messed up everything. I applied it and the computer still works on that paste till this day (this was 2006).
 

kellen

macrumors 68020
Aug 11, 2006
2,387
68
Seattle, WA
I think I may be the odd person. I have 3 batteries for my MBP (early 08). Granted they were only 30 bucks each for the extra 2, but I use them when traveling and seatguru.com is wrong on the power for seats during flights.

Also its nice having an extra, just to put in your bag when traveling and not have to be tethered to an outlet all the time. I wouldn't have paid 129 or whatever apple wants for a battery, but for 30 bucks, its worth it.

Kellen
 

slashjunior

macrumors regular
Jan 19, 2007
117
0
I removed my battery for the first time yesterday when I replaced the hard drive and the memory.

It is amazing how quick and easy it is. MacBook, 3 screws pop the new stuff in, screw it back up and you are done. The Aluminum iMac is even easier for memory. Pop out the one screw pull out the old stuff, pop in the new, screw up and you are good to go.

The only hurdle I did come into was installing Leopard (I wanted a clean install). I only have the the upgrade to Leopard so I had to first install Tiger, then upgrade to Leopard. Once I had Leopard up and running though I just connected the MacBook to my iMac using FireWire, reset the iMac holding down T, and the MacBook saw my iMac drive and then copied about 100GB of data across which took just over an hour :cool: . I could have tried the Gigabit ethernet which is even faster, but the FireWire was fast enough. I love my Macs lol.
 

iBookG4user

macrumors 604
Jun 27, 2006
6,595
2
Seattle, WA
Yes, I have two batteries for my MacBook Pro and would have two for my MacBook Air. I find the extra battery very handy on the road and when I do air travel. I may be one of the few who uses two batteries but it is important for me to have enough power for when I am on the road.
 

msjones

macrumors 6502
Oct 18, 2007
429
4
Nottinghamshire, UK
im looking at getting a spare as this would be useful when I'm out and about.

Does anybody know if there is an external charger for these batteries? Or do we have to charge while in the laptop?
 

NATO

macrumors 68000
Feb 14, 2005
1,702
35
Northern Ireland
I have a spare with me because on the occasion I decide to use public transport I'm usually on said transport for a long long long long long time (Hey, our trains do actually go fast sometimes. Usually off bridges or ploughing into stations on their sides... but still) and one battery sometimes just doesn't cut it. So I have a second one and in a flash I have another four or five hours of DVDing or whatever.

Lol, That's funny...
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.