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

10h54m battery life and weird stuff~

R

ramzhh

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 21, 2010
173
0
Hey guys. I got my first mac, my 13'' MBP 2 days ago and I've calibrated the battery overnight - PA until 100% and 2 hours more aprox., then have it on using the battery until it goes to the "empty" reserve battery. When I woke up it was on that reserve. I put the power adapter until full, waited 10 minutes afterwards, and now it is giving me some VERY weird readings: I've gotten 10h54min, and it is unstable. Now that I'm writing it is giving me 11:13. How is this possible? Should I re-calibrate it?

It is altering from 11:33 to 7 hours something. I smell weirdness.
 
The time is not very accurate and depends on usage, thus it will hop around a lot.

Apple on notebook batteries
Apple Portable: Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance


Also have a look at the following links, as the information presented there might be helpful in your future endeavours into Mac OS X and could clear up initial confusion and may even prevent harm to your system or your files.


Mac OS X Basics


Switch 101 - guide with articles made by Apple on how to accustom yourself, after you switched to Mac OS X from Windows​


Mac 101 - How to get started with Mac OS X​


Find out how - tutorial videos made by Apple on how to do certain thing in Mac OS X​


Pro tips - tips made available by Apple for easier ways of doing certain tasks​


Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn about common Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.​


Mac OS X Beginner's Guide by MacRumors - learn about software, media players, shortcuts and some useful tips, tricks and hints​


Mac Guides - tutorials, product guides and more​


MRoogle - a very effective tool to search these fora using Google and made available by edesignuk, introductory threads: 1, 2 and 3​
 
spinnerlys said:
The time is not very accurate and depends on usage, thus it will hop around a lot.

Apple on notebook batteries
Apple Portable: Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance


Also have a look at the following links, as the information presented there might be helpful in your future endeavours into Mac OS X and could clear up initial confusion and may even prevent harm to your system or your files.


Mac OS X Basics


Switch 101 - guide with articles made by Apple on how to accustom yourself, after you switched to Mac OS X from Windows​


Mac 101 - How to get started with Mac OS X​


Find out how - tutorial videos made by Apple on how to do certain thing in Mac OS X​


Pro tips - tips made available by Apple for easier ways of doing certain tasks​


Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn about common Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.​


Mac OS X Beginner's Guide by MacRumors - learn about software, media players, shortcuts and some useful tips, tricks and hints​


Mac Guides - tutorials, product guides and more​


MRoogle - a very effective tool to search these fora using Google and made available by edesignuk, introductory threads: 1, 2 and 3​
Click to expand...

That does not apply here: while I was doing NOTHING on the computer, it kept changing the time remaining. I had Chrome and terminal ON and doing nothing with them.
 
ramzhh said:
That does not apply here: while I was doing NOTHING on the computer, it kept changing the time remaining. I had Chrome and terminal ON and doing nothing with them.
Click to expand...

As you haven't fully calibrated the battery, as explained here Apple Portable: Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance, you might experience some hiccups. But just because you did not interact with the computer, doesn't mean it does not use its CPU. Have a look at Activity Monitor (SHOW ALL PROCESSES and sort by CPU) and see for yourself. Even if only 3 to 7 % of the CPU is used, it is used, thus the wild times.
 
spinnerlys said:
As you haven't fully calibrated the battery, as explained here Apple on notebook batteries, you might experience some hiccups. But just because you did not interact with the computer, doesn't mean it does not use its CPU. Have a look at Activity Monitor (SHOW ALL PROCESSES and sort by CPU) and see for yourself. Even if only 3 to 7 % of the CPU is used, it is used, thus the wild times.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I'm either blind as God or you're wrong. How haven't I fully calibrated my battery? Didn't see anything different Apple's website from what I did. And I've read the instructions a dozen times.

And I obviously know that the CPU is always in use, but what I meant was that there's no reason for the battery time to change if I'm not altering the CPU usage.
 
ramzhh said:
I'm sorry, I'm either blind as God or you're wrong. How haven't I fully calibrated my battery? Didn't see anything different Apple's website from what I did. And I've read the instructions a dozen times.

And I obviously know that the CPU is always in use, but what I meant was that there's no reason for the battery time to change if I'm not altering the CPU usage.
Click to expand...

Have you never used a laptop before? It happens on every single laptop/notebook/netbook computer. The battery life is only an estimate. CPU ramps up for a few seconds to cache something, boom your battery life drops to 7 hours. Computer idles and it's back up over 10. It happens, it's an estimate, and with so many variables that could alter battery life, you can't expect it to be perfect.

The above poster was just trying to help, so the attitude is totally unnecessary.
 
ramzhh said:
I'm sorry, I'm either blind as God or you're wrong. How haven't I fully calibrated my battery? Didn't see anything different Apple's website from what I did.
...
Click to expand...

ramzhh said:
...
then have it on using the battery until it goes to the "empty" reserve battery. When I woke up it was on that reserve.
...
Click to expand...

Maybe I misunderstood what you meant with "empty battery reserve", but have you waited at least five hours after the MBP went to sleep and the sleep light wasn't pulsing anymore?

5. Turn off the computer or allow it to sleep for five hours or more.​

My battery time is fluctuating too, but that may be due having the 2009 model.

If you still feel uncomfortable with that, bring it to an Apple Store so they can have a look at it.
 
ramzhh said:
That does not apply here: while I was doing NOTHING on the computer, it kept changing the time remaining. I had Chrome and terminal ON and doing nothing with them.
Click to expand...

It does apply. The system often starts and stops various processes on its own with no user input. Therefore, the battery reading can fluctuate without you doing "anything."

It's a bad habit to tell people they're wrong when you've been using your machine for 2 days.
 
mikeo007 said:
Have you never used a laptop before? It happens on every single laptop/notebook/netbook computer. The battery life is only an estimate. CPU ramps up for a few seconds to cache something, boom your battery life drops to 7 hours. Computer idles and it's back up over 10. It happens, it's an estimate, and with so many variables that could alter battery life, you can't expect it to be perfect.

The above poster was just trying to help, so the attitude is totally unnecessary.
Click to expand...

Attitude? :eek: All I did was doubt the poster's words because I couldn't seem to find anything that proves what he was saying. I never expected this to be perfect, I was just amazed by how it showed me such an innacurate reading.

Still waiting for the "didn't calibrate your battery fully" argument, tho. :cool:
 
It is normal. The battery time left is an estimate only, and the computer is constantly revising that estimate based on all kinds of factors. Be happy, you may actually get that 10-11 hours! I have managed to get that much out of my 13" on a few occasions. :)
 
rockstarjoe said:
It is normal. The battery time left is an estimate only, and the computer is constantly revising that estimate based on all kinds of factors. Be happy, you may actually get that 10-11 hours! I have managed to get that much out of my 13" on a few occasions. :)
Click to expand...

Then it's clear - the estimate varies much more than I expected. Thanks everyone for the discussion, have a nice day :apple:

EDIT: Rofl it's at 2 hours right now :? Lol.
 
ramzhh said:
I hadn't seen that post of yours. But I stick to my story - I did everything, including what you quoted.
Click to expand...

From your first post, it appears that you didn't let your computer sleep for 5 hours (to the point where the sleep indicator stops flashing) after the battery reserve was drained. Therefore, your battery wasn't completely drained.
 
mikes63737 said:
From your first post, it appears that you didn't let your computer sleep for 5 hours (to the point where the sleep indicator stops flashing) after the battery reserve was drained. Therefore, your battery wasn't completely drained.
Click to expand...

Hey hey, the issue was discussed and solved. I in fact had done that and it was completely drained. The indicator had stopped flashing. This issue is over.

May I ask a moderator to lock/close the thread, please? :apple:
 
ramzhh said:
Hey hey, the issue was discussed and solved. I in fact had done that and it was completely drained. The indicator had stopped flashing. This issue is over.

May I ask a moderator to lock/close the thread, please? :apple:
Click to expand...

You could use the REPORT BUTTON (
report.gif
) for that closing thing. But that is not the proper procedure here, unless this starts to get into an ugly fest.

The member you "hey, hey"-ed just pointed out, that your OP was confusing, thus some of the resulting posts.

No need to get hiccups about it.

Have a good time with your new computer anyway.

Btw, if you have other questions, MRoogle might help you find answers to them.
 
spinnerlys said:
You could use the REPORT BUTTON (
report.gif
) for that closing thing. But that is not the proper procedure here, unless this starts to get into an ugly fest.

The member you "hey, hey"-ed just pointed out, that your OP was confusing, thus some of the resulting posts.

No need to get hiccups about it.

Have a good time with your new computer anyway.

Btw, if you have other questions, MRoogle might help you find answers to them.
Click to expand...

I thought that closing the thread was the right procedure when the issue was solved and new posts would only repete already answered questions/issues already solved. Mental note added, thanks!
 
ramzhh said:
I thought that closing the thread was the right procedure when the issue was solved and new posts would only repete already answered questions/issues already solved. Mental note added, thanks!
Click to expand...

Threads stay open, until they violate some rules.
That way, one can post something in an older thread to further the solution or ask about the same problem, but which hasn't been solved.

Sometimes really old threads get resurrected though by drive-by posters for no other reason than SPAM or repeating what has already been said.
 
spinnerlys said:
Threads stay open, until they violate some rules.
That way, one can post something in an older thread to further the solution or ask about the same problem, but which hasn't been solved.

Sometimes really old threads get resurrected though by drive-by posters for no other reason than SPAM or repeating what has already been said.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing things up :apple:
 
spinnerlys said:
Threads stay open, until they violate some rules.
That way, one can post something in an older thread to further the solution or ask about the same problem, but which hasn't been solved.

Sometimes really old threads get resurrected though by drive-by posters for no other reason than SPAM or repeating what has already been said.
Click to expand...

Would be nice sometimes to change the thread title, like in a thread "will there be new MacPro's on tuesday" which stays around for two years :mad:
 
ramzhh said:
Then it's clear - the estimate varies much more than I expected. Thanks everyone for the discussion, have a nice day :apple:

EDIT: Rofl it's at 2 hours right now :? Lol.
Click to expand...

Running skype by any chance? My estimate at near 100% while running skype was only 2:30 so it must put an awful drain on the battery :S
 
spinnerlys said:
The time is not very accurate and depends on usage, thus it will hop around a lot.

Apple on notebook batteries
Apple Portable: Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance
Click to expand...
Actually, I can't quite understand what I have to do for the first time...
I mean, I have to fully charge it when I plug it in for the first time, but what does it mean? I have to use it until it turn off and then charge it, use it as long as the battery alert pop up or I have to plug it in as soon as I get home from the store?
 
Jack02 said:
Actually, I can't quite understand what I have to do for the first time...
I mean, I have to fully charge it when I plug it in for the first time, but what does it mean? I have to use it until it turn off and then charge it, use it as long as the battery alert pop up or I have to plug it in as soon as I get home from the store?
Click to expand...

1.
Plug in the power adapter and fully charge your PowerBook's battery until the light ring or LED on the power adapter plug changes to green and the onscreen meter in the menu bar indicates that the battery is fully charged.
In other words, charge the battery until it's full.
​
2.
Allow the battery to rest in the fully charged state for at least two hours. You may use your computer during this time as long as the adapter is plugged in.

In other words, leave the power adapter (MagSafe) plugged into the Mac for two hours at least after step 1. has been completed.
​
3.
Disconnect the power adapter while the computer still on and start running the computer off battery power. You may use your computer during this time. When your battery gets low, the low battery warning dialog appears on the screen.

In other words, use the MB on battery until the low battery warning dialog appears.​

4.
At this point, save your work. Continue to use your computer; when the battery gets very low, the computer will automatically go to sleep.

5.
Turn off the computer or allow it to sleep for five hours or more.

6.
Connect the power adapter and leave it connected until the battery is fully charged again.
 
mikeo007 said:
Running skype by any chance? My estimate at near 100% while running skype was only 2:30 so it must put an awful drain on the battery :S
Click to expand...

Nope, haven't even installed it. It's just a miscalculation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back