Battery Problem

[slinky1]

I have had my MBP 15.5" 2G for nearly a year.I work from home and use it every day.It is connected to a power supply all the time,including external hard drive, supply,as well as printer and audio speakers(they all have there own power supply.When i take my Mac out and use the batterie,it lasts about 30 minutes.Have i damaged the life of the batterie by having it connected to the power supply most of the time?

 

[mustangsally82]

I can't speak for the MBPs, but I have a PowerBook that I bought in March, 2004. I replaced its original battery during the summer of 2006, and I needed a new battery this past summer. So for me, they have lasted about two years each.

I have read that when you get a new battery you should plug it in and charge it up all the way, then unplug your computer and let the battery run down all the way. If you do end up getting a new battery maybe you should try this.

Also, I have found that if you turn down your screen brightness it saves battery power. You can go into System Preferences and change your settings in Energy Saver. If you're without your power cord and you are running low, quit all the applications you don't need, it will save a little battery power as well.

 

[davidg4781]

Have you tried calibrating the battery? I don't know about MBPs, but my MB can go close to 3 hours (according to the meter) without being charged. Are you using it with anything else plugged in? This might reduce the battery life too.

 

[gusious]

Calibrate. Always. Don't use it with the power supply all the time. It's better to use it with the battery only.

 

[SheDevilBiker]

I find even when it says my battery has life left on it, it will still suddenly go black. An hour is probably the max it lasts.

I'm pretty new to Macs, too, but part of the reason I got a MacBook was so that I could work anywhere, but at this point unless I'm sitting near an outlet, I can't. I installed Battery Update, but I read somewhere that can cause problems. I ordered a new battery, and I'm not sure I'll use the updater when theh battery comes.

 

[gusious]

I find even when it says my battery has life left on it, it will still suddenly go black. An hour is probably the max it lasts.

I'm pretty new to Macs, too, but part of the reason I got a MacBook was so that I could work anywhere, but at this point unless I'm sitting near an outlet, I can't. I installed Battery Update, but I read somewhere that can cause problems. I ordered a new battery, and I'm not sure I'll use the updater when theh battery comes.

The time that a battery can hold depends on what apps are you using. Adobe products for example are "battery drainers".