Best way to charge a battery?

[phantom3334]

I read somewhere that the best way to charge battery is to use it to 50% then plug it to fully charge again then use it to the half (etc..).
this way will decrease the number of cycles .
is this true ?
do you know a trusted way to charge and keep battery health. I already read apple statement but wanted to make sure.

 

[yegon]

You don't have to worry about it much these days.

That said, I rarely charge mine until there is less than 70% or so left. 126 cycles, 100% health on my 8 month old mbp.

On my old white MB I think I had 400+ cycles, 100% health, so I must have been doing something right.

 

[phantom3334]

thanks for the response..

I usually charge it when I get the low battery warning, say 10% or so.
and I fully charge it most of the time. I wasn't sure and this somehow seemed wrong.

 

[Yell0w]

thanks for the response..

I usually charge it when I get the low battery warning, say 10% or so.
and I fully charge it most of the time. I wasn't sure and this somehow seemed wrong.

I do this too, but not sure myself if it is the correct way, my battery life can speak differently though.

 

[maflynn]

One thing is for sure, deep draining a battery is a sure way to reduce the life of a battery. I'd avoid draining the battery down to 10% and instead put it on A/C when ever you're able too

 

[Patriks7]

One thing is for sure, deep draining a battery is a sure way to reduce the life of a battery. I'd avoid draining the battery down to 10% and instead put it on A/C when ever you're able too

Really? I always thought that having it so much on A/C would kill the battery faster. But I guess all batteries have to die eventually...

 

[maflynn]

Really? I always thought that having it so much on A/C would kill the battery faster. But I guess all batteries have to die eventually...

Nope, batteries have a certain number of recharge cycles in them before they go south, you deep drain them, you use up those cycles and the battery starts dying sooner then later.

That's why istat pro and coconut display the number of cycles. Its for people to manage and estimate their battery life.

 

[phantom3334]

so, best way is 1- to use it until 50% (or whatever percentage before it completes a cycle) then recharge ?
or 2- keep it on AC

besides of course recalibrating .

p.s: I don't like it on AC because of that 'hissing' sound.
AND, thanks really for your responses all.

 

[Patriks7]

Nope, batteries have a certain number of recharge cycles in them before they go south, you deep drain them, you use up those cycles and the battery starts dying sooner then later.

That's why istat pro and coconut display the number of cycles. Its for people to manage and estimate their battery life.

Oh OK. Is there any site to find how many cycles the MB/MBP batteries should last?

 

[dlo604]

Oh OK. Is there any site to find how many cycles the MB/MBP batteries should last?

Well the new uMBP are supposed to have upto 1,000 charge cycles according to Apple. The good thing about the uMBP is that if you were to charge at 50% and 75% left it doesn't count as a full cycle. It would have to be equivalent to 100% I'm not sure if that makes sense to you?

 

[dlo604]

I do this too, but not sure myself if it is the correct way, my battery life can speak differently though.

It looks as though your battery maybe at about 1/3 of what it used to be. I now know that deep charges are baaaaad. However, I do know coconutBerry is a bit weird using the application myself. I thought it was weird how it jumps up in mAH.

It may be 5250 one day, and then 5350 the next cycle I charge it.

 

[mikes70mustang]

plug one end into the wall, the other into the mac...........

 

[MultiFinder17]

With modern laptops, it really doesn't matter all that much. I just use my battery until I'm done with the computer, then charge it back up. It's on AC for most of the time I'm at the house, battery usually when I'm up on campus. Two years old (PowerBook G4 battery recall FTW!) and still at 97% health, must be doing something right

 

[MacModMachine]

Nope, batteries have a certain number of recharge cycles in them before they go south, you deep drain them, you use up those cycles and the battery starts dying sooner then later.

That's why istat pro and coconut display the number of cycles. Its for people to manage and estimate their battery life.

this is not true at all...the batteries cycle is counted when 100% of its capacity is used.

if you used 50%...plugged it in charged it to 100% and unplugged it and used 50% again....1 cycle is counted.

so if you used it down to 10%...plugged it in and chagred it...once you unplug it again and use 10% the cycle is counted.

thats the way apples battery technology works, individual cell use and control.

 

[Branskins]

So is it best to just leave it plugged in?

 

[MacModMachine]

no, you should use the battery regularly....until its dead completely and recharge it full.

they battery needs to be power cycled.

i have gotten a substantial amount of cycles from my macbook pro by power cycling the battery every week, my macbook air though i have not been doing that and i already see a decrease in total capacity.

i will power cycle this battery to see if i can get some capacity back.

 

[whoiseric]

I have a June 2008 macbook pro and I'm only at 65% battery Capacity? I run my mac with an external monitor so it is plugged in a lot. Is this normal behavior? Can I get a new battery from AppleCare.

 

[kryptonianjorel]

I have a June 2008 macbook pro and I'm only at 65% battery Capacity? I run my mac with an external monitor so it is plugged in a lot. Is this normal behavior? Can I get a new battery from AppleCare.

Your battery is reaching the end of its life, it has 270 charges on it! You should use a battery regularly to maintain its health. I try to discharge my battery nearly completely once a week, and recharge to full capacity. If you don't take care of your battery, its total capacity will drop quicker