Battery Timing Issue After PRAM Reset

[Clausewitz]

Hi; I own a new Macbook Pro 13 inch Early 2015. Against my better judgement I updated the OS X to 10.10.3 + supplementary update. Ever since the update my MB has been showing battery life of slightly more then 6 hours. My energy load on MB is fairly minimum. I usually only use Apple's iWork (mostly pages), or VLC when I need to watch movies.

Yesterday I reset the PRAM to see if it fixes my battery life. After the reset MB showed that I have 4:50 hours at 100% charge (drop from 6 hours). I left the machine idol for 15 minutes or so, came back & found the time remaining had gone up to 8:00 hours. However, once I restarted the machine it came back 3:30 hours, and the gradual increase only went up so far to 6:00 hours.

To just give out my problem in pointers:

* MB is not calculating the time remaining properly after the PRAM reset.

I starts with 3:30 hours & tries to gradually increase the time. Where as before the PRAM reset it would start with 6+ hours and gradually decrease with usage.

* I am losing energy at the average of 9 to 10% per 30 to 40 minutes.


This is happening while I am only using PAGES.

This is really making me angry. The whole reason for buying a MB was to be able to have longer battery life so I can do my research work without having to connect to power cord for a longer duration, especially in a situation where you have to be mobile & away from power sockets.


Any help would be welcome.
Should I try reseting the SMC?

 

[simonsi]

Yesterday I reset the PRAM to see if it fixes my battery life. After the reset MB showed that I have 4:50 hours at 100% charge (drop from 6 hours). I left the machine idol for 15 minutes or so, came back & found the time remaining had gone up to 8:00 hours. However, once I restarted the machine it came back 3:30 hours, and the gradual increase only went up so far to 6:00 hours.

To just give out my problem in pointers:

* MB is not calculating the time remaining properly after the PRAM reset.

I starts with 3:30 hours & tries to gradually increase the time. Where as before the PRAM reset it would start with 6+ hours and gradually decrease with usage.

When you reset PRAM I believe it throws away the power usage history and profile data it holds for the battery, so it is starting afresh and starts with a 3:30 figure and works up. Give it time and it should re-establish the history.

* I am losing energy at the average of 9 to 10% per 30 to 40 minutes.


This is happening while I am only using PAGES.

This is really making me angry. The whole reason for buying a MB was to be able to have longer battery life so I can do my research work without having to connect to power cord for a longer duration, especially in a situation where you have to be mobile & away from power sockets.

That equates to a battery duration of roughly 5-6.5hrs which is what you said initially so why does that make you angry??

 

[Clausewitz]

When you reset PRAM I believe it throws away the power usage history and profile data it holds for the battery, so it is starting afresh and starts with a 3:30 figure and works up. Give it time and it should re-establish the history.

Thanks. Just noticed it.

Although I have been Mac user since 2012 I am still learning its technical aspects.

That equates to a battery duration of roughly 5-6.5hrs which is what you said initially so why does that make you angry??

Yes, it does. I just needed little bit more. Before 10.10.3 I could drain about 8 hours or so from my machine, based on my minimum usage. Now I am stuck with 5 or so hours.

Anyway, did a proper full charge today. Battery seems to be relatively stable since. Lost about 8% in an hour - although I did leave it idol for 10 minutes in between usage. Right now I have 85% charge & 6:27 hours left.