PowerBook Battery Level Stuck?

[joseph_68]

Hello,

I just got an Aluminum PB 1.25 GHz, Superdrive model. I have been through 3 full charge and discharge cycles, and now my battery meter won't display a 100% charge (it is stuck at 99%), even when it is plugged in for several hours. Does anyone know what might cause this, and if it is abnormal? Or is there a fix I am missing?

Thanks!

 

[5300cs]

This has happened on 3 of my iBooks, and my Tibook and 17" PowerBook. I think it started with Jaguar, because 10.1 never reported it wrong.

As far as I know, it doesn't cause any problems. It is annoying though...

 

[KershMan]

Actually, it may not be wrong. The batteries quite often don't get to 100% and will not begin charging until they fall below 100%. This is to avoid short charges that lessen the life span of the battery.

Look at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=88344.

 

[Abstract]

The battery doesn't start charging until it falls to 95% or less. At 96% or above, its considered full. This is so that if the battery falls to 99%, it doesn't feel that it has to start charing just so that it reads 100% once again. Its quite pointless to do so, since your battery WILL fall to 99% once in a while "for no reason", and charging it from there shortens the battery life. At 96%, it doesn't really have to recharge as often.

Search for this question before you post this topic again. If you do, i assure you that you'll get a better answer than the one I gave you.

 

[barbas]

Battery life

I have a TiPB G4 667Mhz, bought in the summer 2002, running 10.3.2. i have Joseph_68's same problem, plus I recently realized that the battery now lasts only ten minutes, when not connected to A/C, before dying. This obviously makes it impossible to work "on the road"... Does that happen to anybody out there too? I found an article on Apple site ( http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449#faq9 ) about resetting Power Management Unit (PMU) but haven't tried it yet...
Thanks

 

[Frisco]

Even though it says 99%, it is actually 100%. 99%=99.999%. I believe I heard that it is a rounding decimal error in Panther. After I uprgraded to Panther my PB was fully charged at 99% or 99.999%

Congrats on your new PB!

 

[KershMan]

I have a TiPB G4 667Mhz, bought in the summer 2002, running 10.3.2. i have Joseph_68's same problem, plus I recently realized that the battery now lasts only ten minutes, when not connected to A/C, before dying. This obviously makes it impossible to work "on the road"... Does that happen to anybody out there too? I found an article on Apple site ( http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449#faq9 ) about resetting Power Management Unit (PMU) but haven't tried it yet...
Thanks

This is normal. Your battery is close to two years old. The lithium-ion batteries used normally only last for about 300-350 charges. So, depending on how often you use the battery, it could last as little as 8 months or so. Apple's battery policy is to replace any battery that can't hold a charge of 30 minutes within the first 12 months. After that, it is normal and just has to be replaced.

 

[barbas]

This is normal. Your battery is close to two years old. The lithium-ion batteries used normally only last for about 300-350 charges. So, depending on how often you use the battery, it could last as little as 8 months or so. Apple's battery policy is to replace any battery that can't hold a charge of 30 minutes within the first 12 months. After that, it is normal and just has to be replaced.

Thanks KershMan for the tip, I should have expected it at least you saved me time!