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MacBook only charges when closed

M

mynameisdonald

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 10, 2014
2
0
My Late 2009 White MacBook died on me a few weeks ago, I suspeced the battery and replaced it with a non-OEM battery, when I received it the battery icon in the Finder Bar said "Battery is not charging".

I done an SMC reset andf a PRAM reset but still nothing, the charger lights up as normal but the battery was draining away whilst the cable was plugged in. The backlight of the screen increased brightness as it does when the AC Power cord is connected.

So I closed the lid and left it overnight as I ran the battery down to 2% and by the morning it was up to around 90% charge. I ordered another non-OEM battery from another supplier and exactly the same issue here where it only takes charge when the lid is closed or the machine is switched off.

I have an appointment tomorrow with Apple Genius bar but I'd like to go in knowing I've done all I can or what the likelyhood the outcome will be as no-one seems to know on the internet why the MacBook behaves like this.

Help or Advice is appreciated
 
GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
mynameisdonald said:
My Late 2009 White MacBook died on me a few weeks ago, I suspeced the battery and replaced it with a non-OEM battery, when I received it the battery icon in the Finder Bar said "Battery is not charging".
Click to expand...
This is yet another example of why I wouldn't trust or recommend any non-Apple battery or charger, due to the number of problems reported with "knockoffs". Also, there is no assurance that non-Apple components will have the same charging technology that Apple uses, involving the battery, the MagSafe adapter and the Mac's logic board. Apple has not licensed its MagSafe adapter technology to any 3rd party. It's not worth risking your Mac to save a small amount of money.
​
The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions. If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it.
 
Zotaccian

Zotaccian

macrumors 6502a
Apr 25, 2012
645
7
mynameisdonald said:
60W Apple Charger and the batteries are 63.5Wh.
Click to expand...

And you are sure that the charger is OK? I would recommend testing another charger and if possible, try to test those batteries with another machine.

When you shut down the computer it naturally does not need any power and charger can use all its resources for charging the battery, also when you close the lid the power draw lowers greatly because display will shutdown and the whole computer will enter low power state.

I had one Fujitsu Siemens which required 90W charger but it was supplied with 65W (sold as faulty), I noticed that if the battery is not full and the computer decides to charge, the computer will start and stop charging immediately, back and forth, this resulted the screen to flicker. If I took the battery out the computer was fine and if used proper charger there was no issues and also when battery was full, the computer worked fine with that underspec charger... and battery could also be charged with that 65W charger when the computer was off.
 
Altemose

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
487
Elkton, Maryland
You can bring it to an Apple Store and they can try it on a charger at the Bar as well as test the battery and Logic Board. I would bring the potentially defective charger and see what they think. If it is a T style and it is showing stress relief cracks then they may replace it.
 
GGJstudios

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Altemose said:
You can bring it to an Apple Store and they can try it on a charger at the Bar as well as test the battery and Logic Board. I would bring the potentially defective charger and see what they think. If it is a T style and it is showing stress relief cracks then they may replace it.
Click to expand...
I think the first thing the Apple Store genius would say is the problem is the non-Apple battery. I'd be surprised if they would troubleshoot any further than to recommend the battery be replaced by a battery from Apple.
 
Altemose

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
487
Elkton, Maryland
mynameisdonald said:
My Late 2009 White MacBook died on me a few weeks ago, I suspeced the battery and replaced it with a non-OEM battery, when I received it the battery icon in the Finder Bar said "Battery is not charging".

I done an SMC reset andf a PRAM reset but still nothing, the charger lights up as normal but the battery was draining away whilst the cable was plugged in. The backlight of the screen increased brightness as it does when the AC Power cord is connected.

So I closed the lid and left it overnight as I ran the battery down to 2% and by the morning it was up to around 90% charge. I ordered another non-OEM battery from another supplier and exactly the same issue here where it only takes charge when the lid is closed or the machine is switched off.

I have an appointment tomorrow with Apple Genius bar but I'd like to go in knowing I've done all I can or what the likelyhood the outcome will be as no-one seems to know on the internet why the MacBook behaves like this.

Help or Advice is appreciated
Click to expand...

Does the old battery (OEM) have any life left? If so test with the old battery and try again. Otherwise I would suppose the Genius Bar is the best troubleshooting measure.
 
T

TryHard01

macrumors newbie
Mar 29, 2014
1
0
Turn off your Wi-Fi

I have had the same set up and charger for years and tonight it stopped charging with the message "Not Charging". I turned the WiFi off and it started charging. Don't know why, but give it a try.
 
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