Battery Charging Cycle

[lnong]

I just recently got a macbook and apparently, my charge cycle is more than it should be.
I have read all the information on the apple website about calibrating it and how to maintain a better battery life but i'm still unsure about when to charge it.
I have been told its better to let it die, then charge it to 100% which I have been doing since i've had it but now i'm told I shouldn't.
So when is it appropriate to charge the battery?
Is it alright if I charge it at 80% and use it on AC power?
Or does each charge count when the AC power is taken out and put back in because i've had cases where the plug has fallen out for a split second and i'm not sure whether or not to charge it back in.

 

[forcefieldkid]

Hmm, not sure how to explain this properly lol.

If you let the battery run to 50% and then charge it to 100% that only counts as half a charge. if you do the same thing again, that would be a full charge. Does that make sense?

How long have you had it and whats the charge cycle count currently?

If you use the machine on battery alot, you should calibrate fully once every 3 months. If you use it mostly on AC, its should be once a month.

 

[lnong]

Haha yeah that made a lot of sense to me, thanks for clearing that up. So really, the charge cycle just counts to when you use exactly 100% of a battery from the very beginning.

I've had it for a month and its charge cycle is at 30 which is really high because when i first got it, people told me don't keep it on an AC power because it reduces the power of it so thats why its been recharged a lot. I wish I had read around forums rather than listened to other people because really, i just got screwed over.

 

[GGJstudios]

About Apple Notebook batteries

Calibrating a portable computer battery

To check battery status, use iStat Pro or coconutBattery or
 > About This Mac > More Info... > Hardware > Power > Charge Information:

Be aware that battery readings aren't 100% accurate, so you may find that your battery stops charging at 98% or your battery health fluctuates up and down over time (100%, 96%, 99%, etc.) This is completely normal. You don't have to worry about anything unless your battery health suddenly drops to under 80% with fewer than 300 cycles. In this case, assuming your battery is properly calibrated (so the readings are as accurate as possible), you may have a defective battery. If so, contact AppleCare to see if they will replace it.

Determining Battery Cycle Count

A charge cycle means using all of the battery’s power, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a single charge. For instance, you could use your notebook for an hour or more one day, using half its power, and then recharge it fully. If you did the same thing the next day, it would count as one charge cycle, not two, so you may take several days to complete a cycle.

Apple does not recommend leaving your portable plugged in all the time.

If you mostly use your Mac plugged in, it's a good idea to unplug and run it on battery for a few hours every 2 or 3 days. It's not necessary to drain the battery completely when doing this. It's just important to keep electrons moving by using it on battery power every few days.

 

[Sir Lorad]

Inong,

I'm also owner of a macbook white, and I use it mostly connected to the wall plug. But I really don't care about the charge percent of the battery. Once a month I perform the apple recommended battery callibration procedure and go on using it.

When the battery life ends probably will be time to buy a new macbook.

So the message is: Use it the way you prefer and be happy.

 

[-aggie-]

Inong,

I'm also owner of a macbook white, and I use it mostly connected to the wall plug. But I really don't care about the charge percent of the battery. Once a month I perform the apple recommended battery callibration procedure and go on using it.

When the battery life ends probably will be time to buy a new macbook.

So the message is: Use it the way you prefer and be happy.

Me too.

I read somewhere it was best to go to 50% and recharge. Anyway, that's what I do every month or so. I have 19 cycles after 5 months. I'm at 98% original, but I've seen that go back to 99% sometimes after a recharge.