SOLVED: Problem with charger, battery or motherboard?

[Zotaccian]

So, I have this Macbook 2008. The charger and battery are from 2006.

I have noticed that when I put the machine to sleep, unplug the power cord for long enough time for the battery to get drained some and then plug the charger back it very often does not start to charge even though it should.

After plugging the charger on and off it might suddenly start charging but very often not. The charging led is often totally off even though the charger is supplying power and sometimes, like at this moment for example, it is green even though the computer says battery is being charged.

To get this original 60W charger to charge, I have now noticed that if I first plug chinese 85W charger it starts to charge right away and led works ok, after unplugging it and trying with the original charger it also starts to charge and led will lit altough not work correctly always.

Is the original charger not being able to provide enough power or what?

 

[Altemose]

So, I have this Macbook 2008. The charger and battery are from 2006.

I have noticed that when I put the machine to sleep, unplug the power cord for long enough time for the battery to get drained some and then plug the charger back it very often does not start to charge even though it should.

After plugging the charger on and off it might suddenly start charging but very often not. The charging led is often totally off even though the charger is supplying power and sometimes, like at this moment for example, it is green even though the computer says battery is being charged.

To get this original 60W charger to charge, I have now noticed that if I first plug chinese 85W charger it starts to charge right away and led works ok, after unplugging it and trying with the original charger it also starts to charge and led will lit altough not work correctly always.

Is the original charger not being able to provide enough power or what?

Is the battery severely degraded or throwing a "Service Battery" warning? It could be a faulty DC in board.

 

[Intell]

Try cleaning the MagSafe pins and port with some cotton and rubbing alcohol. Make sure them machine is off and the MagSafe is unplugged.

 

[Altemose]

Try cleaning the MagSafe pins and port with some cotton and rubbing alcohol. Make sure them machine is off and the MagSafe is unplugged.

A soft bristled toothbrush works well. Actually had a close friend have cotton fibers on his MagSafe port burn onto the board due to remnants from cleaning.

 

[Zotaccian]

Okay I will try cleaning later. However, now when the battery is full, I have tried to unplug and plug the original charger and now the led seems to work correctly and actually lit everytime. I have unplugged it and turned it the other way (T-plug in this) to try to make it not to work but it just works now, but when the battery is bit empty it seems to not work correctly. The chinese 85W charger works no matter what the battery state is.

EDIT: Oh, and the battery does work, it keeps charge for several hours and the machine also tells it ok.

 

[Altemose]

Okay I will try cleaning later. However, now when the battery is full, I have tried to unplug and plug the original charger and now the led seems to work correctly and actually lit everytime. I have unplugged it and turned it the other way (T-plug in this) to try to make it not to work but it just works now, but when the battery is bit empty it seems to not work correctly. The chinese 85W charger works no matter what the battery state is.

EDIT: Oh, and the battery does work, it keeps charge for several hours and the machine also tells it ok.

Then it has something to do with the MagSafe board or the 60w adapter. Try cleaning and report back and ensure the machine is shut down and the power adapter is unplugged.

 

[Zotaccian]

Then it has something to do with the MagSafe board or the 60w adapter. Try cleaning and report back and ensure the machine is shut down and the power adapter is unplugged.

I'm currently away from that Macbook but I do suspect the charger, altough I don't have another Macbook to test, but if one charger works always and the another only in spesific conditions it points to that one being faulty. It is old after all.

 

[Altemose]

I'm currently away from that Macbook but I do suspect the charger, altough I don't have another Macbook to test, but if one charger works always and the another only in spesific conditions it points to that one being faulty. It is old after all.

Not necessarily. If the 60w is dirty then the pins may stick easier. That is why Intell and I are recommending that you clean the port on the machine and the adapter.

 

[Intell]

A soft bristled toothbrush works well. Actually had a close friend have cotton fibers on his MagSafe port burn onto the board due to remnants from cleaning.

In most cases, Apple recommends a qtip to clean it.

 

[GGJstudios]

So, I have this Macbook 2008. The charger and battery are from 2006.

I have noticed that when I put the machine to sleep, unplug the power cord for long enough time for the battery to get drained some and then plug the charger back it very often does not start to charge even though it should.

How low are you letting the battery drain before you plug in again? If you plug it in around 93% or higher, it's designed not to charge from that level.

 

[Zotaccian]

How low are you letting the battery drain before you plug in again? If you plug it in around 93% or higher, it's designed not to charge from that level.

I have let it go pretty low, I know that it should allow couple percentages to be drained before charging, but for example now I came back to this Macbook and I had left the machine on and disconnected charger in case there would be storm while I was away. Here is the charge level now and again problems initiating charge:

 

[Zotaccian]

Well, cleaning the pins on both charger or the connector itself did nothing, they were clean from the start. However, because situation allowed me to do so, I decided to try swapping Magsafe -boards from another machine which I think is beyond repair atleast for me (probably short somewhere on the logic board).

When I disassembled this working machine I finally agreed that this logic board and bottomcase (my machine is assembled from various parts from different machines) has suffered some kind of liquid damage even though it works generally. The Magsafe board and its screws had some signs of brownish goo. I guess that brownish goo prevented the 60W charger for getting enough power trough while those 85W had more of it and therefore worked... I dunno, but with the "new" Magsafe board this 60W charger started to work immediately, I have to wait and see.