Do I have a faulty battery, or am I paranoid?

[rtharper]

So I've had my MacBook for four months. Love it. I particularly have loved the battery life. Nearly four hours if I turn off bluetooth/wireless/turn monitor down (i.e. "Airplane Mode"). In other modes it's gotten about three hours.

Now, since I've had this machine, I've used Coconut Battery to monitor it's capacity. After first calibrating the battery it was between 95 and 97 percent. Now, four months later, the battery life has decreased some, and Coconut Battery consistently reports a battery capacity of 86%. Is this a failed battery? Or is this normal? How much drop in capacity is too much? Anyone have a story of getting their battery replaced at the Apple Store?

 

[WildCowboy]

Have you calibrated your battery every month or so since then to make sure your computer is still getting accurate data from the battery?

 

[mattcube64]

Same thing here. I've had my MB since July. I calibrated it the first time I used it, once a couple weeks later, once in, like, Nov (?), and just the other day. I only do it when I have some free time and really don't need the computer.

Anyways, Coconut battery is reporting only a 84% battery capacity. I think that's just normal...

EDIT:

120 Loadcycles.

 

[rtharper]

Have you calibrated your battery every month or so since then to make sure your computer is still getting accurate data from the battery?

To be honest, no, I haven't done a calibration the way Apple requires, I'll do that overnight and report back!

 

[jamdr]

I don't know if I'd call your battery defective, but I've had my iBook 2 years and 3 months and I'm at 85% of my original capacity. I calibrate my battery fairly regularly, probably about once a month.

Oddly, in those 2 1/4 years I have only 50 load cycles. I guess I don't really use my laptop away from my desk too often.