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Macbook Battery "Not Charging"

K

Kee123

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 6, 2007
50
0
I've searched a lot on this problem, on Google and other forums and although I can find plenty of people who've had the same problem, I can't find a solution other than taking it back to the Apple Store for a replacement. Which is something I can't do as my Warranty has ran out. So before I just buy a new battery, I want to make sure there's no way I can fix this.

Basically the problem is that my battery is empty and won't charge, I always have to run off the Power Adapter.
It happened in some strange circumstances though. A few weeks ago my power adapter sort of broke on itself, it would cut out all the time, I thought it was the fuse which it turned out not to be. Eventually it just died and I bought a new one, and upon plugging the new one in, I get the "Not Charging" status in the corner.

My Macbook was bought in Nov 2006 but I've had a new battery since then, I can't check the proper stats of it right now as I'm at work but I think I remember seeing that it had done around 650 cycles on iStat. Coconut Battery crashes when I try to check.

Any responses would be appreciated.
 
allmywebsite said:
i think pls check your battery status and also check your power adapter is it work perfect.
Click to expand...

My battery status is "Not Charging", that's the point.

And the Power Adapter is brand new, so I doubt the problem is there.
 
my macbook, bought in mid -2006 (june).... beginning of this year my battery suddenly wasn't recognised, status says "No batteries available". My warranty ran out, but since I only usually go to library with my macbook there usually is a power adapter. (my adapter died too but in 2007, but that was within warranty so got a free replacement)

Thinking about getting replacement battery too (like for the past 6 months... but I don't trip over my cord much so its okay.). I think my battery just died because it was a lithium battery that got -too- empty.
 
i have the same problem , my late 2006/early 2007 (not sure) some times will not reconise the battery and the rest of the time it sits there at 0% i have had 2 batterys in it and even made sure i had the battery updater downloaded from apple , but still no fix
 
My Macbook also won't charge.
I bought the computer in July of 2008.
I have hardly used this computer since I bought it.
I will plug it into the charger but the little light on the charger won't change to orange and the computer says it's charging, but when I leave the computer to charge for a few hours there is no progress, the battery still shows the charge level at 0.

Would that mean it's a lemon? And if so will Apple replace it without charge?
 
If its within a year I think you should try to take it back (and definitely, if your battery stopped after 2 months!), as macbooks come with 1 year warranty. I think any apple store/reseller would help you get it replaced free.
 
right , bit of an update , had my battery replaced as part of the exchange program has for batteries showing this problem , only half fixed the problem , it is all ways charging to 0% so looks like a new logic board for my mac book soon :(
 
To SUM it up...

So Basically there is no fix for this problem? My son's Macbook was working fine one day and then out of nowhere the battery just wont charge??? It simply says "Not Charging" the second we pull out the cord it dies... Is there honestly no known fix for this. His computer is still under warrantee but what a pain that is deal with.
 
the logic board works fine but wont let the battery charge , when i was looking on ebay at logic boards i noticed a seller selling the boards that wont charge as used items , so if you have apple care get it fixed , if not simply live with the fact you will have to work near a socket , or stup up some money and get a new lodic board . there no that hard to fit so thats my plan . :(
 
pipponino said:
So Basically there is no fix for this problem? My son's Macbook was working fine one day and then out of nowhere the battery just wont charge??? It simply says "Not Charging" the second we pull out the cord it dies... Is there honestly no known fix for this. His computer is still under warrantee but what a pain that is deal with.
Click to expand...

Yes its a pain..... but at least you still got warranty...! Take it back to the store they should give you a new one.
 
Looks like I just got hit by this. Left computer on for 3 days, but didn't use. Plugged in and now battery wont charge. Stays at 0%. Reports battery as "Not charging". Pressing the status button on the battery gets nothing. I've had it plugged in for 2 days now and nothing has changed.
 
This has been a problem with Macbooks for a while now. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can really do but take the laptop back to Apple or an authorized dealer to be fixed.

This is why I always recommend AppleCare for all Apple laptops. It's covered for 3 full years instead of 1. In that time, I've had to use AppleCare 4 times for one Macbook due to various hardware failures.
 
spilt drink

i spilt gin and tonic on my macbook a few months ago, at first it didnt turn on at all and was unpredictable but it eventually started to work after a week or so. the only problem now is a few keys dont work and the battery wont charge and it will only turn on and work with the adaptor plugged in. i have ordered a new top case and keyboard which will hopefully resolve the keyboard, but does anyone know what may be wrong with the battery? could it be the logic board? or do you think i just need a new battery? thanks jimmy
 
try to take the battery out and put it back in

I just found this thread after I encountered the exact same problem. My battery has been working fine since I bought my macbook in 2008 and suddenly it would not charge. I tried to turn the computer on and off, which did not help. I took the battery in and out and dusted inside the case a bit and it is back to charging now. Hopefully it will work long term.
 
solution - YMMV

My macbook also started to not charge the battery. Battery is healthy, MagSafe Adapter is working fine (tested with another computer). I found that if I tapped just around the power adapter jack on the computer, sometimes it would start charging.

I opened up the macbook and found that there were two grounding prongs coming from the top of the dc-power jack that were possibly making an intermittent connection with the top of the case (the part that comes up with the keyboard). I bent these prongs up a little (so they would make better contact with the case), put it all back together, and it's been working since.

I don't know for sure why this has worked for me. I suppose it could be that the charging circuit was open, and improving this ground connection closed the circuit.

Anyway, YMMV. If you're going to take the thing apart, be so very careful as there are lots of screws holding the thing together. You'll want to be sure you put the right screws back in the right place.

Good luck.
 
FreakinSyco said:
Looks like I just got hit by this. Left computer on for 3 days, but didn't use. Plugged in and now battery wont charge. Stays at 0%. Reports battery as "Not charging". Pressing the status button on the battery gets nothing. I've had it plugged in for 2 days now and nothing has changed.
Click to expand...

Leaving the macbook on battery power for several days without the magsafe plugged in, is enough to kill the battery.
 
jake222 said:
My macbook also started to not charge the battery. Battery is healthy, MagSafe Adapter is working fine (tested with another computer). I found that if I tapped just around the power adapter jack on the computer, sometimes it would start charging...
Click to expand...

Did the trick :)

I'm quite pissed that the refurb 13" I just got seems to have this exact problem, though. Apple Website states the 14-day return policy does not include refurbs, is that right?
 
my macbook is from 07 .. battery is installed but my display says there's no battery.

What do I do? The orange light is lit on the charger but there is no charging going on. What should I do? Battery was just replaced?
 
If you haven't had a liquid spill, try pulling the battery out and re-insert. Also borrow another macbook battery and try it in your macbook and see if it charges.
 
krimsen said:
Did the trick :)

I'm quite pissed that the refurb 13" I just got seems to have this exact problem, though. Apple Website states the 14-day return policy does not include refurbs, is that right?
Click to expand...

If you bought it from Apple or a licensed Apple dealer then it has a standard Apple warranty (not AppleCare)
 
One Solution to the (Not Charging) Problem

I purchased a MacBook Pro a year and a half ago. I've been through 3 MagSafe adapters and the symptoms are always the same. First, the LED flickers or just seems dimmer than usual. It isn't your imagination. Second, the LED will get stuck on orange. Finally, the MacBook Pro begins reporting that it is (Not Charging), but it will run from the Power Adapter. Your battery will simply run down. I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm careful with the adapters. Probably unlike most people, my adapters and their cables remain in the same place, never coiled up and transported. The MacBook is handled and moved more than the cables. I literally only move the magnet end of each cable about 3 inches each day when I place my macbook on my desks. My point is there is a flaw in the MagSafe quality or manufacturing process and these things do NOT last. What is shocking (pun?) is that so many other people are having similar problems or problems that they think are related to batteries, but are actually adapters and still Apple doesn't redesign and correct the problem!
 
another solution?

I'm on my 2nd magsafe on a 3-yr old macbook. After maybe a year and a half the first one had the green light go dim one day and then charging stopped altogether. I took it in (out of warranty/no apple care) to the Apple store and they replaced the magsafe no charge.

This 2nd one has had the green light go dim a couple of times but unplugging the magsafe and then plugging it back in has solved the problem.

Then last night I got the "Not Charging" message with a green light. I tried unplugging, tried restarting, no help. This morning I noticed that one of the pins on the magsafe plug was not out all the way. I tried pushing it with a pen to no avail, then finally just whacked it (not too hard) on the table and the pin popped out. I plugged it back in and the "Not Charging" message went away and charging resumed.

Maybe that will work for someone else...


cs5477
black macbook 2.4ghz, 10.6.4
 
eman said:
If you haven't had a liquid spill, try pulling the battery out and re-insert. Also borrow another macbook battery and try it in your macbook and see if it charges.
Click to expand...

And what if you HAD a liquid spill... on the left side of the keyboard and side of the laptop? :)

All the keys work, but it says "No Batteries Available" with the "X" in the battery charge indicator icon.
 
seanemac007 said:
And what if you HAD a liquid spill... on the left side of the keyboard and side of the laptop? :)

All the keys work, but it says "No Batteries Available" with the "X" in the battery charge indicator icon.
Click to expand...

Then you probably need a new logic board, magsafe board, and/or battery.
 
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