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So...How long do you think these new MB battery gonna last?

Solemony

Solemony

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 26, 2008
474
0
Wonderland
I just gotten my new MB recently and curious to know how long these battery gonna last before a new replacement. For me I'm not a very hefty user..Just surfing on the web and doing some typing for english class or doing some research on a project sometimes. Maybe watching a video (short ones) once a while...I usually use the laptop maybe once on weekdays for around 1.5 hours or due to school. On weekend maybe 2-3 hours per day.

I know that calibrating the battery once or maybe twice a month would help the battery stay healthy and last longer.

If you calibrate the battery once a month and do it every month and your not a hefty user. How long do you think the battery will last? My guess would be 2 years but I'm not sure that's why I need some opinions from you guys.

Also, at what percentage of the battery would you guys recommend to recharge the battery to full? I heard some says you should recharge it around 50% or so..

Post any tips to keep the battery healthy and alive *what I mean alive is that they don't die after 2 months of usage*


Thanks,
Julia
 
Solemony said:
I just gotten my new MB recently and curious to know how long these battery gonna last before a new replacement. For me I'm not a very hefty user..Just surfing on the web and doing some typing for english class or doing some research on a project sometimes. Maybe watching a video (short ones) once a while...I usually use the laptop maybe once on weekdays for around 1.5 hours or due to school. On weekend maybe 2-3 hours per day.

I know that calibrating the battery once or maybe twice a month would help the battery stay healthy and last longer.

If you calibrate the battery once a month and do it every month and your not a hefty user. How long do you think the battery will last? My guess would be 2 years but I'm not sure that's why I need some opinions from you guys.

Also, at what percentage of the battery would you guys recommend to recharge the battery to full? I heard some says you should recharge it around 50% or so..

Post any tips to keep the battery healthy and alive *what I mean alive is that they don't die after 2 months of usage*


Thanks,
Julia
Click to expand...

I found a really good article about 6 months ago that explained everything in idiot-proof terms. Too bad I can't find it! I'm sure a simple google search will provide ample resources, though.

From what I remember, you heard correctly. Constant discharging puts a lot of strain on your battery, so it's not recommended. You should charge your battery incrememntally with one full discharge per month. If you're not going to use the battery for an extended period of time (for whatever reason), you should store it in a cool dry place with 40% charge. I'm sure there's something on the Apple website that outlines other steps as well.

Hope that helps.
 
nope7308 said:
I found a really good article about 6 months ago that explained everything in idiot-proof terms. Too bad I can't find it! I'm sure a simple google search will provide ample resources, though.

From what I remember, you heard correctly. Constant discharging puts a lot of strain on your battery, so it's not recommended. You should charge your battery incrememntally with one full discharge per month. If you're not going to use the battery for an extended period of time (for whatever reason), you should store it in a cool dry place with 40% charge. I'm sure there's something on the Apple website that outlines other steps as well.

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Yes that helps. Thanks a lot ^^
 
Solemony said:
Yes that helps. Thanks a lot ^^
Click to expand...

That post was spot on.

But Apple deliberately designs Macs so that if you remove the battery they operate at lower speeds.

So with a Mac you need to leave the battery in.

And as Apple's site says, you need to "keep the juices flowing".

So if you're only using your computer for an hour or two every day, it might be better to just use it on battery power all the time.
 
Kind of curious. Is it ok to have the power adapter plugged into the laptop and use it like that for an extended amount of time *not like having it plug in and use it for the day but for almost everyday?*
 
Solemony said:
Kind of curious. Is it ok to have the power adapter plugged into the laptop and use it like that for an extended amount of time *not like having it plug in and use it for the day but for almost everyday?*
Click to expand...

Yeah you don't need to worry about that. The battery only charges when it needs it. Theres circuitry that keeps it from overcharging.

I mean, honestly, just use it and don't even think about it. The only thing you truly don't want to do is make a habit of draining it fully or almost fully on a regular basis.

Just use it and don't worry about it.
 
mosx said:
Yeah you don't need to worry about that. The battery only charges when it needs it. Theres circuitry that keeps it from overcharging.

I mean, honestly, just use it and don't even think about it. The only thing you truly don't want to do is make a habit of draining it fully or almost fully on a regular basis.

Just use it and don't worry about it.
Click to expand...

Do you mean on battery power or just plugged in and use it..B/c I've been searching around the forum about the battery. Some say keep it plug in every possible way, some say charge it whenever possible etc...It's kind of confusing for someone who's new at this..and I don't want to spend a hefty amount of money if I took a wrong turn on this..Just making sure :)
 
Solemony said:
Do you mean on battery power or just plugged in and use it..B/c I've been searching around the forum about the battery. Some say keep it plug in every possible way, some say charge it whenever possible etc...It's kind of confusing for someone who's new at this..and I don't want to spend a hefty amount of money if I took a wrong turn on this..Just making sure :)
Click to expand...

According to Apple, you shouldn't fully discharge/charge your battery too often. They recommend to use it on battery ONLY when you must. The rest of the time it should be plugged in.
HOWEVER, the other extreme is also not good, because your battery doesn't get any 'work'. So make sure you FORMAT your battery at least once a month.
 
VSMacOne said:
According to Apple, you shouldn't fully discharge/charge your battery too often. They recommend to use it on battery ONLY when you must. The rest of the time it should be plugged in.
HOWEVER, the other extreme is also not good, because your battery doesn't get any 'work'. So make sure you FORMAT your battery at least once a month.
Click to expand...

Oh I see and I'm guessing doing the calibrating the battery once a month will help get the battery working is that correct?


Sorry..I'm just making sure about this so my MB battery doesn't die on me too soon :) and thanks for helping me sort this out.
 
Solemony said:
Oh I see and I'm guessing doing the calibrating the battery once a month will help get the battery working is that correct?


Sorry..I'm just making sure about this so my MB battery doesn't die on me too soon :) and thanks for helping me sort this out.
Click to expand...

I know you're concerned, but I think your worry is misplaced. Laptop batteries are pretty resilient. Here is some generic advice...

Truthfully, you will have to make a concerted effort to fully drain the battery. That is, most users do not sit in front of a computer for 4 consecutive hours (unless at work, of course). So, don't worry about draining your battery too much. Just make sure you're using it. Take for a spin around the house, a quick trip to the library/coffee shop, whatever. Just make sure that you actually use it. You will probably have to plug it in once or twice a day, but don't feel that you have to.

The only way to really mess up the battery is to do 1 of 2 things:
1) Always leave it plugged in, never letting it drain more than 10%. If you do this, your battery will die within the year.

2) Consistently draining your battery to 0% and then charging it to 100%. I wouldn't worry about this because most users will find it difficult to completely drain the battery given normal use.

Remember, normal use + monthly discharge = happy battery
 
nope7308 said:
I know you're concerned, but I think your worry is misplaced. Laptop batteries are pretty resilient. Here is some generic advice...

Truthfully, you will have to make a concerted effort to fully drain the battery. That is, most users do not sit in front of a computer for 4 consecutive hours (unless at work, of course). So, don't worry about draining your battery too much. Just make sure you're using it. Take for a spin around the house, a quick trip to the library/coffee shop, whatever. Just make sure that you actually use it. You will probably have to plug it in once or twice a day, but don't feel that you have to.

The only way to really mess up the battery is to do 1 of 2 things:
1) Always leave it plugged in, never letting it drain more than 10%. If you do this, your battery will die within the year.

2) Consistently draining your battery to 0% and then charging it to 100%. I wouldn't worry about this because most users will find it difficult to completely drain the battery given normal use.

Remember, normal use + monthly discharge = happy battery
Click to expand...

Oh ok gotcha. I'll remember this. Thanks a lot and very much appreciate your help :)
 
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