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Got a new battery installed in my MacBook..but % now off?

P

patsfreak1281

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 10, 2014
12
0
So my battery was bad. So i stopped in and had them put in a new one. So i get home and charge it up to 100%. Took it off the charger and it went to 97% right when i unplugged it.

Just now the laptop was off and i was recharging it because i let it run down till about 5% last night. Shut it off this AM and charged it until it went green.

When it was green and still plugged in it said 100%..i unplugged it and it went to 92% now. Is there something i have to do to get the correct %?
 
patsfreak1281 said:
So my battery was bad. So i stopped in and had them put in a new one. So i get home and charge it up to 100%. Took it off the charger and it went to 97% right when i unplugged it.

Just now the laptop was off and i was recharging it because i let it run down till about 5% last night. Shut it off this AM and charged it until it went green.

When it was green and still plugged in it said 100%..i unplugged it and it went to 92% now. Is there something i have to do to get the correct %?
Click to expand...

Did apple change the battery?

To calibrate the battery. Charge it to full and then start using it until the battery depletes and the computer shuts down. Then wait about at least 7 hours or so (I usually wait 10-12 hours). Then connect the charger and turn on the computer.
The reason you have to wait is cause there's still juice in the battery to put it in some kinda of hibernate mode. So if you connect the charger at this time, it will just turn on and the calibration wont be successful. Best would be for you to have it plugged in till 4pm. Then start using it until it shuts down at around 10-11pm. Leave it like it is and then connect the charger in the morning.

If that doesn't work, take it to apple!
 
patsfreak1281 said:
So my battery was bad. So i stopped in and had them put in a new one. So i get home and charge it up to 100%. Took it off the charger and it went to 97% right when i unplugged it.

Just now the laptop was off and i was recharging it because i let it run down till about 5% last night. Shut it off this AM and charged it until it went green.

When it was green and still plugged in it said 100%..i unplugged it and it went to 92% now. Is there something i have to do to get the correct %?
Click to expand...
You didn't mention what year and model Mac you have. It's not unusual for your battery percentages, both health and current charge, to be less than 100% accurate. Unless the difference is significant, I wouldn't worry about it.

The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions, including tips for maximizing battery performance. If you haven’t already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it.
sebseb said:
To calibrate the battery. Charge it to full and then start using it until the battery depletes and the computer shuts down. Then wait about at least 7 hours or so (I usually wait 10-12 hours). Then connect the charger and turn on the computer.
Click to expand...
Those aren't the proper steps to calibrate a battery, and the built-in batteries in the newer Mac unibody notebooks come pre-calibrated and do not require regular calibration like the removable batteries in older Apple notebooks.

If it is an older removable battery, see the CALIBRATION section of the Battery FAQ link above to get the accurate procedures for calibrating a battery.
 
GGJstudios said:
It's common for batteries not to have a full charge when delivered. Just plug it in and charge it.
Click to expand...

I know that....this is about the % being off. So i used it until it was at like 3%. Shut it down. Let it sit...charged it and turned it on. It showed 100%.

But his AM when charging again it will only go to 96%.

I guess it's not that big of a deal as this battery last sooo much longer then my 4 yr old orig battery
 
patsfreak1281 said:
I know that....this is about the % being off. So i used it until it was at like 3%. Shut it down. Let it sit...charged it and turned it on. It showed 100%.

But his AM when charging again it will only go to 96%.

I guess it's not that big of a deal as this battery last sooo much longer then my 4 yr old orig battery
Click to expand...
It's not uncommon for charging to stop between 93-99%. There is no need to drain it until almost empty or let it sit before recharging. Run on battery whenever you need to and plug it in whenever you can. You can plug or unplug any time you need to, regardless of the charged percentage, and you never need to completely drain your battery.
 
Never deep discharge Li-Ion battery

Unless you want to loose capacity on purpose never deep discharge Li-Ion battery - this is how battery chemistry works - you are physically damaging cells. Those "smart calibration tips" are still hanging there in internet (dated back to 2002). Don't waste your time, modern laptop batteries don't nee ANY maintenance.

Just use and enjoy your computer - it's only a tool :)
 
lobo1978 said:
Unless you want to loose capacity on purpose never deep discharge Li-Ion battery - this is how battery chemistry works - you are physically damaging cells. Those "smart calibration tips" are still hanging there in internet (dated back to 2002). Don't waste your time, modern laptop batteries don't nee ANY maintenance.

Just use and enjoy your computer - it's only a tool :)
Click to expand...

I just read something on calibration so that's why i did it. I know if i use it and put it on the charger say at 50% or 60% and let it charge back up the battery will last much longer which is what i try to do. My old battery was bad because i would always let it drain. Now i know better!

Won't always having it on the charger be a bad thing as well...like 24/7 every day or no.
 
patsfreak1281 said:
I just read something on calibration so that's why i did it. I know if i use it and put it on the charger say at 50% or 60% and let it charge back up the battery will last much longer which is what i try to do. My old battery was bad because i would always let it drain. Now i know better!
Click to expand...
Read the Apple Notebook Battery FAQ I posted earlier in post #3. That will answer your battery-related questions, including calibration, battery saving tips, etc.
 
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