How bad is it for battery health to leave M1 MPB13 plugged in with optimized battery charging?

[DekuBleep]

Does anyone know, with the Apple optimized battery charging for their newer Laptops... is it OK to leave my M1 MBP13 plugged into power basically all day long most days except when I take it off of power or when I take it out of my house?

I basically have it plugged into a larger USBC monitor that sends power back to the laptop and I use it as a desktop except when I take it out of the setup.

How bad is that for the battery long term when you are using "optimized battery charging"? Can I leave it plugged in all day every day, except when I don't have it plugged in, and have the battery be OK longer term?

Thanks!

 

[cmaier]

Does anyone know, with the Apple optimized battery charging for their newer Laptops... is it OK to leave my M1 MBP13 plugged into power basically all day long most days except when I take it off of power or when I take it out of my house?

I basically have it plugged into a larger USBC monitor that sends power back to the laptop and I use it as a desktop except when I take it out of the setup.

How bad is that for the battery long term when you are using "optimized battery charging"? Can I leave it plugged in all day every day, except when I don't have it plugged in, and have the battery be OK longer term?

Thanks!

It’s fine. At some point the machine will let the charge level hover around 80% to keep the battery from being at 100% all the time. Shouldn’t have any noticeable effect on long-term battery health.

 

[DekuBleep]

It’s fine. At some point the machine will let the charge level hover around 80% to keep the battery from being at 100% all the time. Shouldn’t have any noticeable effect on long-term battery health.

Thanks! So I don't need to worry about unplugging it at night or anything like that?

 

[Apple_Robert]

The battery needs to be exercised on a regular basis. Once a month let the battery drain to 15 - 20% before charging to 100% again.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thanks! So I don't need to worry about unplugging it at night or anything like that?

No, you do not.

 

[cmaier]

Thanks! So I don't need to worry about unplugging it at night or anything like that?

No need to unplug. It takes a bit for the machine to figure out you don’t unplug it much, but once it figures it out it will automatically keep the battery at a charge level that keeps the battery life from degrading very much.

 

[DekuBleep]

The battery needs to be exercised on a regular basis. Once a month let the battery drain to 15 - 20% before charging to 100% again.

What is the science behind "exercising the battery"? Is draining to 20% enough or should it be drained to zero?

When I got my 2012 rMBP 15" I was advised by the authorities to drain the battery to stone dead zero once a month.

Thanks!

 

[Apple_Robert]

What is the science behind "exercising the battery"? Is draining to 20% enough or should it be drained to zero?

When I got my 2012 rMBP 15" I was advised by the authorities to drain the battery to stone dead zero once a month.

Thanks!

Batteries have changed since 2012 and you shouldn't drain to 0% anymore. That was done to calibrate the battery back then.

The battery is essentially a chemical reaction. If the cells in the battery aren't forced to move and exercise a charge, they die over time.

 

[cmaier]

Batteries have changed since 2012 and you shouldn't drain to 0% anymore. That was done to calibrate the battery back then.

The battery is essentially a chemical reaction. If the cells in the battery aren't forced to move and exercise a charge, they die over time.

That’s simply not true. What kills battery longevity is keeping cells charged to full capacity. Cycling will do nothing but lower the life expectancy, since life expectancy is a function of charge cycles. (5-10 shallow discharge cycles = 1 full discharge cycle).

To maximize lifespan, keep the battery at around 80% of full charge, and do not discharge it except when necessary.

 

[Apple_Robert]

That’s simply not true. What kills battery longevity is keeping cells charged to full capacity. Cycling will do nothing but lower the life expectancy, since life expectancy is a function of charge cycles. (5-10 shallow discharge cycles = 1 full discharge cycle).

To maximize lifespan, keep the battery at around 80% of full charge, and do not discharge it except when necessary.

I was saying that leaving the battery in a state where it sits and does nothing causes degradation of the cells. over time.

 

[cmaier]

I was saying that leaving the battery in a state where it sits and does nothing causes degradation of the cells. over time.

No, it doesn’t. That’s a common misperception, because that’s how NiMH batteries behave.

As long as the state of the battery is not fully charged or fully discharged, you’re good. Li-ion batteries do not degrade that way to any significant degree.

 

[Apple_Robert]

No, it doesn’t. That’s a common misperception, because that’s how NiMH batteries behave.

As long as the state of the battery is not fully charged or fully discharged, you’re good. Li-ion batteries do not degrade that way to any significant degree.

A battery with a charge that is left over a long period of time (resulting in the battery going completely dead) without being used will suffer some degradation.

I didn't post in this thread to into some long debate where I have to defend every minute detail of an original post made in brevity which I previously clarified.

What I said is true. If you disagree, that is fine. I correctly answered the OP's question and provided correct advice. I am not going to get into some 3 page debate with you where you continue to argue over everything about my post. I am having a good day and I am going to keep it that way.

 

[Mike Boreham]

It’s fine. At some point the machine will let the charge level hover around 80% to keep the battery from being at 100% all the time. Shouldn’t have any noticeable effect on long-term battery health.

OP, just check that your machine is doing this. My M1 MBA did it just once for a short period. It spent nearly all of its first ten weeks at 100% before I started using Al Dente.

 

[DekuBleep]

OP, just check that your machine is doing this. My M1 MBA did it just once for a short period. It spent nearly all of its first ten weeks at 100% before I started using Al Dente.

How do you check if your machine is letting the battery level hover at around 80 percent? What is Al Dente? Thanks!

 

[5425642]

Got my plugged in all the time, basically because if COVID I don’t need to move it.

and it’s going down to 80% and Hoover if there.

 

[jdb8167]

One thing I've noticed is that people say that they tried to allow Optimized Battery Charging to work but it never kicks in. In my experience it look about 30 days of being plugged in nearly continuously to have the optimization start. Since then, it has worked very well. It will occasionally charge back to close to 100% and then immediately start discharging slowly to back to around 80%. I'm on battery right now, but this is the first time in probably 2 weeks. I'll let the battery discharge to about 30%-40% and then put it back on the charger. If it works as usual, it will stop charging at under 90% and then slowly discharge to 80% again. It started at about 75% when I took it off the charger.

One thing to note is that many times when the Battery Menu Extra is showing 100%-90%, the actual battery charge remaining is lower. Apple is apparently applying some sort of heuristic to show the battery value that isn't the actual percentage of (current charge)/(maximum charge). Over time though, the percentage shown in the battery menu will come close to the actual remaining percentage.

 

[killramos]

Thing will probably be obsoleted well before the battery is toast.

and if the battery is toast before then you probably got your use out of it.

Seems like the kind of thing that isn’t worth your time to worry about imo

 

[Mike Boreham]

How do you check if your machine is letting the battery level hover at around 80 percent? What is Al Dente? Thanks!

Just keep an eye on the battery percentage charge in the menu bar. If you use the machine mostly plugged in it should usually show 80%, not 100% all the time which it will if Optimise Battery is not working.

I should give Apple's optimise a go for a few weeks and only try Al Dente if it doesn't seem to be working. Many threads about Al Dente, Here is one. There is a free version but I recommend the Pro version.

 

[lumpycustard]

Would some of you guys mind uploading your battery stats in coconutBattery?

I've made zero considerations toward the battery in my MBP13". I've run it flat maybe once. The majority of the time it's charged to 100% as i work on my desk 90% of the time.

This particular MBP has been in use since the 29th of November as i had to replace my first MBP for a case defect (holes not drilled correctly on the speaker grill)

Personally it's a little alarming to see my battery at 93% capacity in a matter of 6~ months.

 

[mszilard]

 

[Mike Boreham]

Would some of you guys mind uploading your battery stats in coconutBattery?

I've made zero considerations toward the battery in my MBP13". I've run it flat maybe once. The majority of the time it's charged to 100% as i work on my desk 90% of the time.

This particular MBP has been in use since the 29th of November as i had to replace my first MBP for a case defect (holes not drilled correctly on the speaker grill)

Personally it's a little alarming to see my battery at 93% capacity in a matter of 6~ months.

View attachment 1780390

Coconut and the other similar utilities uses the current max capacity value reported by ioreg obtained using the Terminal. I reported my Better Battery 2 results in This thread.

Note the number varies from day from day to day and can go up as well as down. Mine has been down to 94% and back up to nearly 97%.

 

[DekuBleep]

Coconut battery says that I am at 102% battery health.

 

[xraydoc]

My MBA:

 

[Lemon Olive]

Thanks! So I don't need to worry about unplugging it at night or anything like that?

You should never worry about this kind of crap. Just use the product.

 

[helloapple1]

I’m using an app called Aldente and have it set at 75%. So my battery charges to 75% and then switches to power source only so that the battery isn’t being used. Works very well for me.