70W Apple charger + CalDigit Element Hub

[ProQuiz]

I got the CalDigit Element Hub about a week ago.

I have a question regarding charging. When I didn't have the Element Hub yet, I had my original Apple charger connected to my MacBook (which is used on a desk 24/7 plugged in) and with Optimized Charging enabled. It would limit the max charge to 80% but every 6-7 days would drop a percent. So from 80% it would go down to 79% after 6 days and then 78% after another 6 days, etc. With both the Apple charger and Element Hub connected, the charge has been holding at 80%. "System Information" shows that the charger being used is the 70W Apple Charger and is not currently charging because of the Optimized Charging limit.

I wanted to know that is the Element Hub "topping up" the charge to 80% even thought System Information is stating that the 70W Apple Charger is the one being used? Can two chargers charge at the same time? Or is this all a coincidence that it started happening after I got the Element Hub and it is due to some other reason?

Also, with both the Element Hub and the 70W Apple charger connected, the Element Hub will periodically cool down by itself and then warm up by itself with nothing connected to it or me using the hub. Could this signify that it is "topping off" the charge to 80% or periodically being used to charge the MacBook? If it is "topping off" the charge to 80%, isn't this really bad for the battery since it keeps getting charged to 80% when it drops below that level?

 

[jaytv111]

Only 1 charger at a time is allowed to charge. If you plug in more than one, it chooses the most powerful charger. So the 70 watt of the Apple charger is more powerful than the 60 watts of the Caldigit's rated PD over the Thunderbolt port.

The 70 watt charger is probably charging the Mac when connected, but since it's above 50% it's probably charging slowly to get to the 80%, depending on the workload you put on the Mac (more CPU and GPU power will mean less energy is being input into the battery).

The Element hub is probably always going to cool itself off because it's the Thunderbolt chip itself that generates heat. But as above, the power is probably coming from the Apple charger so it's not heating up from the power delivery from the dock (since the Mac is not using the dock's PD), but if you used the dock's power, it would also heat up a bit from that, not that much though because the power is just moving through a circuit and going to the Mac, not going through chips on the motherboard that need to cool down.

The "topping off" is okay because it's a slow charge to get it to 80. And keeping it at 80 is better for the battery than 100 or anything above 80, that said batteries always wear down but it won't be a noticeable amount from just the small charge it's getting to 80.

 

[ProQuiz]

I restarted my MacBook with the MagSafe charger and Element Hub both connected. As expected, it started charging from 80% back up to 100%. However, when I click on the battery icon, it doesn't say "charging" even though it is charging. Is it supposed to say "charging" somewhere while charging?

 

[jaytv111]

It says it’s charging when it says “xm until fully charged”, in as much words.

You can see more info under System Information (you can Spotlight search it to get there the fastest), under Hardware>Power.

 

[ProQuiz]

True, but if I recall correctly it used to say "Charging" right after where it says "Battery".