battery stops charging at 99%

[TodVader]

Does anyones else's battery stop charging at 99% and say the battery is charged in the upper menu?

It started doing that soon after I bought it. Yesterday, I calibrated it for the second time (first time was a month ago when I bought it). I charged it to 99%, then drained it with a DVD at full brightness, then charged it again. Its still at 99%.

Thanks for helping

 

[IJ Reilly]

Don't worry about it -- 99% is fine. I'd wouldn't be concerned unless it shows a full charge below 95%, in which case a recalibration should fix it.

 

[TodVader]

Does this happen to other people of the forum too?

 

[stridey]

Does this happen to other people of the forum too?

Yeah, don't worry about it. It's just because the OS thinks the battery has a tiny bit more capacity than it does. Happens all the time.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Does this happen to other people of the forum too?

Yepp, don't worry. It's quite normal... Actually, my iBook stopped at 99% after the last charge, too...

 

[d_and_n5000]

According to Apple, it does that to prevent too many charge-recarge cycles, so it won't constantly go all the way to 100% every time you plug it in. Therefore, by keeping it at 99%, you aren't reaching full capacity. Because it does that, it won't be regarded as a recharge cycle, which prolongs your overall battery life. Here's a link, if you're still confused:http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=88644

 

[TodVader]

Thanks everybody. This reassures me that my iBook is normal.

 

[dmetzcher]

Don't worry about it -- 99% is fine. I'd wouldn't be concerned unless it shows a full charge below 95%, in which case a recalibration should fix it.

Reading this just prompted me to look at my battery status, and, though I'm usually fully charged at 99%, I just noticed that right now it's 94% and fully charged. What do I do to correct this?

 

[madtodaimax]

is it better for my pb battery in the long run for me to:
a) leave it connected to the powersupply
b) charge it to full capacity, then remove the p/s and use it until it reaches low power level and then recharge it
?

 

[IJ Reilly]

is it better for my pb battery in the long run for me to:
a) leave it connected to the powersupply
b) charge it to full capacity, then remove the p/s and use it until it reaches low power level and then recharge it
?

IMO, (a) is the better choice. Batteries can stand only a limited number of charge/discharge cycles. They'll all go bad eventually of course, but from everything I've heard, discharging them fully more often than necessary will hasten the end.

 

[Jay42]

I honestly wouldn't worry about any of this. Again, the reason why Apple does this is to reduce charge cycles. If the battery stopped charging at 100% and then went down to 99% then back to 100 and so on, it would result in a gajillion charge cycles while your 'book is just sitting on your desk. By keeping the charge somewhere between 95 and 100%, these cycles are dramatically reduced. If you really find it bothersome, you can recalibrate the battery or shell out the cash for a new one.

Edit: As for the above post, I agree that plan A is better for battery life-span.

 

[Counterfit]

IMO, (a) is the better choice. Batteries can stand only a limited number of charge/discharge cycles. They'll all go bad eventually of course, but from everything I've heard, discharging them fully more often than necessary will hasten the end.

The actual answer is (c), charge the battery, then remove it until you need it. Of course, this leaves you susceptible to power outages. The battery, while stored, will slowly lose charge, but it's better than constant small drain/recharge cycles. I left my PB's battery in while it was plugged in, which was most of the time. Now, the capacity as reported by coconutBattery is 51% of the original max. I bought a new battery of MWB, which has a slightly higher max capacity, and I keep it in a drawer while I keep the old battery in my PB in case of an outage.

 

[dmetzcher]

Reading this just prompted me to look at my battery status, and, though I'm usually fully charged at 99%, I just noticed that right now it's 94% and fully charged. What do I do to correct this?

So I shouldn't worry about 94%? It's still at 94% right now, and it's hours later. This is the first time this has happened, so I'm just a little worried. If I'm worrying about nothing, please tell me. Thanks.

 

[Daedalus256]

So I shouldn't worry about 94%? It's still at 94% right now, and it's hours later. This is the first time this has happened, so I'm just a little worried. If I'm worrying about nothing, please tell me. Thanks.

Mine likes to get stuck saying "Calculating time until full" if it says it's charged around 94%. I'll usualyl unplug my powerbrick and plug it back in, that helps sometimes and it sometimes doesn't.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

is it better for my pb battery in the long run for me to:
a) leave it connected to the powersupply
b) charge it to full capacity, then remove the p/s and use it until it reaches low power level and then recharge it
?

The actual answer is (c), charge the battery, then remove it until you need it.

No it's not, b) is actually the best option, closely followed by a), but then with the addition of a monthly discharge/recharge...

 

[Counterfit]

No it's not, b) is actually the best option, closely followed by a), but then with the addition of a monthly discharge/recharge...

I stand by my statement

Q: When not using my notebook for long periods of time, should I leave the battery in the laptop?

A: When the laptop is not in use do not leave the battery installed. The notebook will slowly discharge the battery. Total self-discharge may also occur when the battery is left in storage, because the battery circuitry consumes power. Always fully charge your battery when not in use or when being stored for extended periods of time. Check on this battery every 3-4 weeks. If total self-discharge occurs, the notebook may not recognize the battery.

Q: Should I leave the battery in the computer if it is going to be plugged in for long periods of time?

A: To increase the life of the battery, it is best to remove it from the computer, if the computer will be plugged in for long periods of time. If the battery remains in the computer, it will constantly be charging which reduces its life cycle. It may also over-heat the battery, which will cause the battery cells to slowly deteriorate over time.


***By removing the battery, you will eliminate the automatic battery back up.
It is only recommended to use the computer without a battery
if the computer will be plugged into an uninterrupted power source in case of power fluctuations or blackouts.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Yes, like the Q&A and Apple says, when the 'Book is not in use for a couple of months or more, top-charging and removing the battery is your best way to preserve the battery... (another tip there is to store it somewhere relatively cool, that helps it keep it's charge longer).

But for a Mac in daily/frequent use (even one that's plugged in all the time) that's not necessary, because Apple notebooks will lose very little charge while connected and will not start another charge cycle until the battery dips to under 95% (which have never happened to my 2 year old iBook while connected).

So keep it plugged in and just remember the monthly draining/recharging (Apple even provides a reminder calendar for iCal) and your battery should be as happy as could be...

 

[IJ Reilly]

The actual answer is (c), charge the battery, then remove it until you need it. Of course, this leaves you susceptible to power outages. The battery, while stored, will slowly lose charge, but it's better than constant small drain/recharge cycles. I left my PB's battery in while it was plugged in, which was most of the time. Now, the capacity as reported by coconutBattery is 51% of the original max. I bought a new battery of MWB, which has a slightly higher max capacity, and I keep it in a drawer while I keep the old battery in my PB in case of an outage.

Good point, but this at least partly defeats the purpose of owning a laptop computer. My PowerBook is three years old, is plugged into the charger nearly 100% of the time, but is still good for about three hours unplugged. I am getting to the point where a new battery would be nice, but three years is par for the course.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Same here I stop at 99 percent. I don't think there's much to worry about unless you get what has already been stated above..

SNIP- already answered above.

 

[aquajet]

Regardless of whether you cycle your battery often, leave it plugged in 100% of the time, or leave it sitting on a shelf unused...those cells are always degrading over time. So why not get your money's worth and use it for its intended purpose?

BTW, mine is a bit over a year old, and with over 300 cycles, I'm still at 94% of original capacity.

 

[bartelby]

Does this happen to other people of the forum too?

Yep

 

[dmetzcher]

Mine likes to get stuck saying "Calculating time until full" if it says it's charged around 94%. I'll usualyl unplug my powerbrick and plug it back in, that helps sometimes and it sometimes doesn't.

I unplugged it and let it drain to about 75%, then packed it up for the night. When I got in today, I plugged it back in and it charged to 99%, so everything looks good. Thanks!