MBP Battery Charge status incorrect

[Julay]

So, let me first say this: yes, I have calibrated the battery more than once in the past week.

My battery is a little over a year old, and it has only 118 cycles on it. It was purchased directly from Apple.

I am running OS 10.6.6 on a 3.5-year-old 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 15" MBP.

The problem is this: the charge indication menu [and what is exactly reflected in CoconutBattery (CB) and in iStat] is not correct. I know this because when I unplug my power cord, the battery status in the menu bar, CB, and iStat all say the battery is "charged", no matter how long I leave the power cord unplugged. Current charge in CB also does not change. When I plug the cord back in, the cord shows the orange "charging" light for an appropriate amount of time before turing green, and still no change in CBV, iStat, or menu bar. It's as if all data going to software is "frozen".

The maximum charge and health numbers showing up in CB and iStat vary through time, although they are consistent with each other at any given time. The last time I calibrated, CB showed a maximum charge of 45xx and health of 81%. Now it is showing a max charge of 47xx and both a health of 85%. Load cycles number is constant unless I cycle, and then it adjust accordingly.

When I log out and log back in, things seem to be appropriately synchronized (says "charged" only when actually charged), although the Max Charge numbers still don't seem right.

Ideas?

 

[GGJstudios]

So, let me first say this: yes, I have calibrated the battery more than once in the past week.

First, make sure you're using the correct procedure for calibrating. The steps are listed in the link below. You should also reset the SMC (steps also in the link below, under CHARGING.

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​

 

[Julay]

Thanks, GGJstudios.

I had indeed followed the calibration directions correctly. So I moved to the next step. I just shut down the laptop, unplugged the battery and unplugged the magsafe from the power source, and then restarted. Magsafe, menu bar, and iStat all showing the same charge info. CoconutBattery shows same health info as iStat but different charge info (I have the laptop plugged in to a power source, but CB is showing battery use of 21.5 Watts). Maximum charge is now reading different than last time, too (although consistent with the slight uptick in Current Capacity from the number I had before I just rebooted).

I will now try to reset the SMC and hope this issue isn't at root a CoconutBattery issue.

 

[Julay]

Still a no-go.

Resetting the SMC seemed to work at first. For the hell of it, I also reset the PRAM. The battery took its usual 4 hours to charge and the health is back to a more reasonable 82%. Moreover, the data in iStat, Coconut Batter, and the menu bar all show the same thing. However, they also (once again) all show that my battery is charged and not spending power when I unplug my mag safe.

If I keep the power supply unplugged for a while and then plug the power supply back in, the magsafe gives me the green light, as if no charging is needed (or being done, if it is actually charging).

 

[Julay]

Logging out and logging back in did not change the situation. However, restarting the computer did. Which might also be the reason why when I reset the SMC things seemed fixed. It wasn't the resetting the SMC but the reboot.

Nonetheless, my battery health is back up to 85% (was 81% before reboot), and I'm sure to have the same problem occur again once I accumulate some uptime.

 

[GGJstudios]

Resetting the SMC seemed to work at first. For the hell of it, I also reset the PRAM.

For future reference, PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with power, battery or charging issues. Resetting it will never help in these situations.

 

[Julay]

Staus freezes at "Charged"

Battery levels across iStat, CoconutBattery, and menu bar all are consistent when charging, but once the status reaches "charged", it gets stuck there. Whether the power supply is plugged, or I run the laptop until it puts itself to sleep, everything reads "charged". Rebooting is the only thing that helps (I've also tried permission repair), but once the batter reaches "charged", I get the same problem. Health still fluctuates between 81% and 85%. I'm at a loss for ideas.

 

[ECUpirate44]

I bet a reinstall of SN would do the trick. It's a pain and time consuming, but may solve your problem.

 

[GGJstudios]

Battery levels across iStat, CoconutBattery, and menu bar all are consistent when charging, but once the status reaches "charged", it gets stuck there. Whether the power supply is plugged, or I run the laptop until it puts itself to sleep, everything reads "charged". Rebooting is the only thing that helps (I've also tried permission repair), but once the batter reaches "charged", I get the same problem. Health still fluctuates between 81% and 85%. I'm at a loss for ideas.

Try resetting the SMC, then calibrating. Instructions for both in the FAQ I posted.

 

[gnowk]

@Julay, did you ever get this resolved?

I am seeing the same behavior on my 2007 17" 2.33 GHz C2D MBP. It started a week or two ago. My battery is about a year old as well (maybe a little older), with 168 cycles.

 

[GGJstudios]

@Julay, did you ever get this resolved?

I am seeing the same behavior on my 2007 17" 2.33 GHz C2D MBP. It started a week or two ago. My battery is about a year old as well (maybe a little older), with 168 cycles.

Did you reset the SMC? Did you read the Battery FAQ I posted?

 

[gnowk]

Did you reset the SMC? Did you read the Battery FAQ I posted?

I misread your earlier post on PRAM and thought you meant SMC. Resetting the SMC did the trick. Thanks GGJstudios.

 

[Julay]

Did you reset the SMC? Did you read the Battery FAQ I posted?

The problem resolved itself, but I'm not sure what did it, so I didn't post a solution back here. I was using my laptop by just timing how long the battery was running and then plugging it back in when I thought I was close to dead. I believe the problem resolved itself after the battery died on me and I fully recharged. This was done some time after a reset of the SMC. So, it might just be that one has to reset the SMC then recharge the batter according to protocol. Yet that wasn't the first time the battery died on me after resetting the SMC. So, I can't say with 100% that that was the solution because of the time between the reset of the SMC and the battery recharge. It seems most likely, though.

 

[GGJstudios]

So, I can't say with 100% that that was the solution because of the time between the reset of the SMC and the battery recharge. It seems most likely, though.

There's no relation between resetting SMC and when you charge or drain your battery. You can reset the SMC anytime it's necessary, regardless of the state of your battery. Make sure you calibrate your battery every month or two, to keep your readings accurate.