Charger/Battery issues

[theman123]

Last night I noticed issues with charging my laptop while I was using it. THe charge shut off randomly, and the metal part of the port that connects to the computer seemed unusually hot. So I unplugged it, let it sit, and plugged it back in with little issue.

Today I went to plug it in and the charger didn't work. I went to use my friends charger and his works perfectly(using it now) and mine didn't work on his so it seems like it's the charger.

However, up at the battery details on the top right of the desktop it says "service battery". It's charging fine with the different charger, but I'm still wondering why this is up. Can anyone clarify that it's just the charger?

Also, where is the best place to buy a new one?

 

[GGJstudios]

Last night I noticed issues with charging my laptop while I was using it. THe charge shut off randomly, and the metal part of the port that connects to the computer seemed unusually hot. So I unplugged it, let it sit, and plugged it back in with little issue.

Today I went to plug it in and the charger didn't work. I went to use my friends charger and his works perfectly(using it now) and mine didn't work on his so it seems like it's the charger.

However, up at the battery details on the top right of the desktop it says "service battery". It's charging fine with the different charger, but I'm still wondering why this is up. Can anyone clarify that it's just the charger?

Try resetting the SMC. Then see if it still shows "Service Battery", which may indicate a problem with your battery. It also shows that when your battery health drops below 75%, even if your battery isn't defective.

If you're not already doing so, use iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) to get accurate readings of battery health and cycles and computer uptime, among many other things. A forum member has posted a copy of iStat Pro that has been "tweaked" to enhance compatibility with Mountain Lion. You can download it here.

Also, it's not unusual for your MagSafe adapter or your Mac to become extremely hot while charging.

Also, where is the best place to buy a new one?

From Apple.

The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions. If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it.

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​

 

[xShane]

Last night I noticed issues with charging my laptop while I was using it. THe charge shut off randomly, and the metal part of the port that connects to the computer seemed unusually hot. So I unplugged it, let it sit, and plugged it back in with little issue.

Today I went to plug it in and the charger didn't work. I went to use my friends charger and his works perfectly(using it now) and mine didn't work on his so it seems like it's the charger.

However, up at the battery details on the top right of the desktop it says "service battery". It's charging fine with the different charger, but I'm still wondering why this is up. Can anyone clarify that it's just the charger?

Also, where is the best place to buy a new one?

Sounds like your charger could have been overheated and/or is dying.

I think the "service battery" is a different issue altogether, and is likely related to maybe needing a new battery. Have you been using your battery a lot or had it for a long time?

 

[theman123]

Sounds like your charger could have been overheated and/or is dying.

I think the "service battery" is a different issue altogether, and is likely related to maybe needing a new battery. Have you been using your battery a lot or had it for a long time?

It's about a year and a half old, and I do use it pretty regularly.