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MBA 13" cant stay open 1-4 inches

KasperH

KasperH

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 26, 2011
189
0
Hi,

I just got a new 13" MBA and wondering if its normal that the lid slowly closes itself if it's only open by a couple of inches.

Maybe mine has it's hinges too loosely tightened, i mean it's nice that it can be opened without having to hold the machine down with the other hand, so i'm guessing it's a fine balance, just wondering if yours are the same ;)

Sometimes i want the machine to keep running without having the screen completely opened, and not closing and going to sleep.
 
It's normal... it's magnetic and there are also some springs that don't just freeze in the position you open the lip up to. Why would you want to leave the lip open just a few inches in the first place?

EDIT: Sorry, just read your last phrase that actually answered my question... In that case, if I am not mistaken, you can actually configure the OS to not put your computer to sleep every time to close the lid. It could just turn off the lid instead of going to sleep...

Can't really remember how exactly to do it right now ( cause I just leave it open if I really need to keep something running over night ), but if you Google a bit, you might find some useful info on how to configure it.
 
Some others here have mentioned a program called Caffeine that stops the MacBook sleeping when the lid is closed.
 
No because it is a mechanical thing combined with Mother Nature (gravity in this case).
 
KasperH said:
Hi,

I just got a new 13" MBA and wondering if its normal that the lid slowly closes itself if it's only open by a couple of inches.

Maybe mine has it's hinges too loosely tightened, i mean it's nice that it can be opened without having to hold the machine down with the other hand, so i'm guessing it's a fine balance, just wondering if yours are the same ;)

Sometimes i want the machine to keep running without having the screen completely opened, and not closing and going to sleep.
Click to expand...

I can keep mine open at a smidgeon under 10 mm (1 inch = 25 mm). You have to open it first so that the hinge catches, and then push it down gently. If yours can't do that, then you can take it to the Apple store and they can re-tighten your hinges for you.

photo-8.jpg
 
Barna Biro said:
It's normal... it's magnetic and there are also some springs that don't just freeze in the position you open the lip up to.
Click to expand...

Thanks :) I doubt the magnet could have any influence above maybe half an inch or so, but yeah maybe there are some kind of spring inside the hinge mechanism.

Most of the time i DO want it to sleep when closing it, but if i'm watching tv and it's on the table installing, converting, importing or whatever that takes some time, i don't want to look at a bright screen all the time. But I guess it makes sense that it needs to be somewhat loose in the design to be able to open up so nice and easily as it does with one hand without tipping over too much.

I'd say that it slowly closes itself at anything less than a 30 degree angle. Does that sound about right?
 
KasperH said:
Thanks :) I doubt the magnet could have any influence above maybe half an inch or so, but yeah maybe there are some kind of spring inside the hinge mechanism.

Most of the time i DO want it to sleep when closing it, but if i'm watching tv and it's on the table installing, converting, importing or whatever that takes some time, i don't want to look at a bright screen all the time. But I guess it makes sense that it needs to be somewhat loose in the design to be able to open up so nice and easily as it does with one hand without tipping over too much.

I'd say that it slowly closes itself at anything less than a 30 degree angle. Does that sound about right?
Click to expand...
No, it does not. Look at my post above. If you don't want to look at the screen, why not just have a screensaver and/or reduce the display sleep delay. Then assign screen saver to one of the hot corners.
 
theSeb said:
I can keep mine open at a smidgeon under 10 mm (1 inch = 25 mm). You have to open it first so that the hinge catches, and then push it down gently. If yours can't do that, then you can take it to the Apple store and they can re-tighten your hinges for you.

Image
Click to expand...

Mine doesn't come close to that. And we don't have real Apple stores in Denmark. Can you open yours with one hand?
 
KasperH said:
Mine doesn't come close to that. And we don't have real Apple stores in Denmark. Can you open yours with one hand?
Click to expand...

Not from closed. I have to hold down the base. Once it's past a certain angle, then I can move the monitor up and down with one hand.
 
The lid hinges might be a little loose. It stays open on mine up to about 1 cm if I want to. When I attach the MBA to an external monitor I leave it a crack open for better heat dissipation and would not like it if this were not possible to do anymore.
 
KasperH said:
Thanks :) I doubt the magnet could have any influence above maybe half an inch or so, but yeah maybe there are some kind of spring inside the hinge mechanism.

Most of the time i DO want it to sleep when closing it, but if i'm watching tv and it's on the table installing, converting, importing or whatever that takes some time, i don't want to look at a bright screen all the time. But I guess it makes sense that it needs to be somewhat loose in the design to be able to open up so nice and easily as it does with one hand without tipping over too much.

I'd say that it slowly closes itself at anything less than a 30 degree angle. Does that sound about right?
Click to expand...

Press: Ctrl + Shift + Eject
It will turn off just the screen of the notebook.

That should solve your issues :)
 
Barna Biro said:
Press: Ctrl + Shift + Eject
It will turn off just the screen of the notebook.
Click to expand...

Yeah, except that a recent Macbook Air does not have an Eject key any more.

I have assigned one screen corner to "Display sleep" using the "Hot corners" setting in "Screen Saver" in "Desktop & Screen Saver" in "System Preferences".
(I'm not sure Apple could have hidden that any better.)

I'd love to get back a keyboard shortcut.
 
Oh yeah... sorry, totally forgot we're not talking about MBPs.
Hmm, then there must be some utility / software out there that can do this.
( else you can always write your own the way you want ) :)
 
I was annoyed by it, so i asked for an advanced RMA and got a new one today that has a perfect hinge. It can be opened easily with one hand and can stay open with only a 4mm gap, absolutely perfect :)
 
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