TERRIBLE battery life on my 15" Unibody. Using 2 dif't, healthy batteries. HELP?!

[mattcube64]

Hi!

I've lately noticed that my laptop (in sig) is getting worse and worse battery life. I have two different batteries, and I'm getting poor life from both. Coconut battery reads one battery at 98% healthy, and the other at 96%. So, I'm convinced my laptop must be acting silly.

Using 1/4 brightness, Power-saver mode (integrated GPU), and just light web-browsing (Here, IGN, Gizmodo, etc), and using Word, I'm LUCKY to get 3hrs of life. Typically, I'm hovering around 2hrs:15min. With MAX brightness, I hit about an hour and 45minutes.

I tried completely reinstalling OSX (SL) and that didn't seem to help.

What am I doing wrong? Please, with school starting tomorrow, I'm desperately going to need more than a class's worth of battery life.

Thank you!

 

[GGJstudios]

I'm assuming you've calibrated your battery. (see link below) Check Activity Monitor to see what might be running in the background. Are your times based on readings from Coconut Battery, or are those the times your Mac runs until it shuts off?

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions: Apple Notebook Battery FAQ

 

[mattcube64]

I'm assuming you've calibrated your battery. (see link below) Check Activity Monitor to see what might be running in the background. Are your times based on readings from Coconut Battery, or are those the times your Mac runs until it shuts off?

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions: Apple Notebook Battery FAQ

I calibrated it about three weeks ago to no avail. And nothing odd is running in the background.... Nevertheless, thank you for the quick reply!

Also, just quick question; would calibrating do much if Coconut battery already says my battery's health is good?

As for battery life; I'm just going off what my meter in the menu says, because it is pretty accurate according to my watch...

 

[GGJstudios]

I calibrated it about three weeks ago to no avail. And nothing odd is running in the background.... Nevertheless, thank you for the quick reply!

Also, just quick question; would calibrating do much if Coconut battery already says my battery's health is good?

As for battery life; I'm just going off what my meter in the menu says, because it is pretty accurate according to my watch...

Calibrating makes that reported number more accurate. Read the Battery FAQ link I posted, including the details of how to calibrate properly.