2008 MBP - really bad battery life

[meme1255]

Is there someone who knows why Apple used only 50WH instead 60WH batteries?

Because with lion, I'm getting about 1-2h on battery (voltage = 11V currency = 4 Ah ----> capacity = 44Wh ) --> Average power usage is around 25-45W (!! What is taking SO much, running 9400M!), only Safari &*Lion running (flash disabled). SMC reset done, PRAM done, battery format done.

 

[ECUpirate44]

Check activity monitor. how many cycles does the battery have? Give coconut battery a look.

 

[meme1255]

CPU usage ~5-15% usually, right now on AC with Handbrake converting, so I can't make screenshot of Act. Mon.

PS: I know that battery is old, but it looks it is OK

 

[TUSR]

3.6 years = old as dirt

You need a new one. More than charging capacity is affected with age.

 

[ECUpirate44]

CPU usage ~5-15% usually, right now on AC with Handbrake converting, so I can't make screenshot of Act. Mon.

PS: I know that battery is old, but it looks it is OK

199 cycles for 3.5 years is really low. Do you not use the laptop often or is it always plugged in? I ask because coconut battery is likely wrong and the battery may need to be calibrated (This will not improve battery life just improve accuracy of estimated time remaining).

The Activity monitor should hold the secret as to why the battery life is short. After 3.5 years, a fresh install of OSX might be beneficial as well.

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3.6 years = old as dirt

You need a new one. More than charging capacity is affected with age.

Old but perfectly capable of performing just as well as it did on the first day, it just takes some maintenance.

 

[meme1255]

I know that, but I see bigger problem in the high power consumption than in battery (and 1 h is still not enough, even with such old battery , in my opinion)

Edit: Usually plugged to power, but performed Apple's recommended calibration of battery if it was possible
(1month = 1 time -->0% -->100% dis&re-charge), sometimes battery used nearly everyday, sometimes only done this procedure..

Edit 2: Fresh install done with release of Lion, I'll update to ML , if it won't help, I'll make clean install

 

[ECUpirate44]

I know that, but I see bigger problem in the high power consumption than in battery (and 1 h is still not enough, even with such old battery , in my opinion)

Unplug it, whats the power consumption?

 

[TUSR]

Old but perfectly capable of performing just as well as it did on the first day, it just takes some maintenance.

True, it would me affected marginally. The discharge time is rather high.

Any idea how fast it will discharge in sleep mode or off?

199 cycles is low for a 3.6 year old battery unless its always plugged in.

 

[meme1255]

Watching TV, CPU usage 40% now, 1:30 h , power usage about 30W

Edit: Screen: It is in Czech but I hope that you understand values in it

 

[ECUpirate44]

Watching TV, CPU usage 40% now, 1:30 h , power usage about 30W

That all seems about right. 40% with flash and parallels, use is completely normal as well as the 1:30 estimate. I assume your fans are also running as well.

 

[meme1255]

When i quit EVERYTHING, I am about 5% and two hours - that's also okay? I'll post screen later..

Fans running @ 4K RPM, 80 °C CPU
Tried battery recalibration before 4 hours.. and SMC reset too..

Screen without TV & Parallels: Battery reports estimated time: 1:23h
Display at minimal (1 square) settings)

 

[ECUpirate44]

Fans running @ 4K RPM, 80 °C CPU

Thats why. Why are your fans running so high? I see you have SMCFan control installed..

 

[meme1255]

My tip is thermal compound on CPU (it's old) (recently I cleaned fans from dust and it didn't help much).. Is something else possible?

 

[sweetbrat]

Watching TV, CPU usage 40% now, 1:30 h , power usage about 30W

Edit: Screen: It is in Czech but I hope that you understand values in it

You're using Skype, which sucks a lot of battery power. Have you tried quitting Skype and seeing what the estimated battery time remaining is?

Also keep in mind, the estimated battery time remaining is just that..an estimate. It's a snapshot based on your current power usage. As you use or quit apps, it constantly changes. Have you tried actually letting the battery run out, to see how long it actually lasts?

You might want to try istat instead of Coconut Battery. I seem to remember some people here posting about some inaccuracies in Coconut Battery. http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatpro/

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Thats why. Why are your fans running so high? I see you have SMCFan control installed..

If that measurement was taken with Skype running, I would think that's why the fans are so high. I believe Skype uses the discrete graphics card (assuming OP has a 15" MBP).

OP, if you have a 15" MBP, do you have gfxCardStatus? It's a free app that lets you switch graphics cards. Using it, you can force the computer to the integrated card, and that tends to save battery power.

 

[ECUpirate44]

If that measurement was taken with Skype running, I would think that's why the fans are so high. I believe Skype uses the discrete graphics card (assuming OP has a 15" MBP).

OP, if you have a 15" MBP, do you have gfxCardStatus? It's a free app that lets you switch graphics cards. Using it, you can force the computer to the integrated card, and that tends to save battery power.

Wouldn't it only activate the dedicated if a video chat was in progress? Does Skype activate the dedicated even if it's idle?

 

[meme1255]

MBP 2008 is switchable manually only - GFXcarcstatus doesnt work ( games are refusing to start, you have to switch via system preferences --> integrated 9400M is in use

Example from Apple's site:

Still 1:30

EDIT: 1:50.. power usage "only" 23W

 

[sweetbrat]

MBP 2008 is switchable manually only - GFXcarcstatus doesnt work ( games are refusing to start, you have to switch via system preferences --> integrated 9400M is in use

Example from Apple's site:
Image


Still 1:30

I had a late 2008 15" MBP (which hubby now uses) and I used gfxcardstatus to switch all the time. The developer says on his website, "gfxCardStatus is a menu bar application for OS X that allows users of 15" and 17" late 2008 — 2012 MacBook Pros to view which GPU is in use at a glance, and switch between them on-demand. " Not sure why you're unable to use it...

There seems to be a lot of stuff running on your computer. If I look at my list in Activity Monitor, it's much shorter. Do you have a lot of things loading at startup? What is the estimated battery time when your computer is actually idle? (nothing running; no startup items, no Safari, etc.) And have you tried running the battery down to see how long it actually lasts instead of just believing what the estimate is telling you?

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Wouldn't it only activate the dedicated if a video chat was in progress? Does Skype activate the dedicated even if it's idle?

For me, as soon as I log in to Skype it switches to the discrete card. When I quit Skype it changes back to integrated. Even if no call is initiated. I don't use Skype regularly, so this is just what I've observed the few times I've loaded it.

 

[meme1255]

Thats explained in FAQ it works, games just refuse start due to "lack of OpenGL support"

 

[meme1255]

Would "extended" battery formatting help? I mean this:


Plug in the power adapter and fully charge your laptop'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.

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.

Disconnect the power adapter with 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, you will see the low battery warning dialogue on the screen.

Continue to keep your computer on until it goes to sleep. Save all your work and close all applications when the battery gets very low, before the computer goes to sleep.

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

Connect the power adapter and leave it connected until the battery is fully charged again.

 

[meme1255]

Battery re-calibration done, +10 minutes received power usage still 23W in idle Could someone take a look on activity monitor? ( It's Lion Server )

Looks like WindowServer and SystemUIServer are having "memory usage spikes". (CPU from ~3% -> 17% and back)

Log: (translated into English, I hope accurate )

 

[meme1255]

Looks like it was fixed by Moutain Lion (3h on wireless @ Safari with Adblock and ClickToPlugin).