MacBook Pro 14" Power Delima

[egalois]

Hello all.
So this is what's going on:
I have a new MacBook Pro 14" that is connected to the power outlet using its power adapter.

The Mac battery is fully charged, so I am happy. Now I decide to connect an external monitor to the laptop. The monitor is also connected to the power outlet.

Guess what happens? Macbook's battery start losing its charge. It goes from 100% to 80% in about 45 minutes.

Took it to an apple store so a "genius" can take a look at it. The laptop, according to this "genius", passed all the tests that he could perform, even he reinstalled the OS.
Same thing happened again, the fully charges battery started to lose power the minute he connected an external device.

Remember that the laptop is connected to outlet using it power adapter during this entire story.

Have you heard anything like this? Have you seen anything like this? Any ideas?

By the way, the power adapter passed the test too.

Cheers.

 

[Freeangel1]

Bring the monitor into an apple store. duplicate the situation in front of an Apple genius using a 14" MacBook Pro they have as a display model in the store.

If everything is normal. no battery drain while plugged in then yours is defective and they owe you a replacement.

 

[egalois]

Connected 2 different display at home, same thing happened.

At apple store, they connected their own monitor, same thing happened.

Just found out that if I connect any external device, iPad, external hard drive, Ethernet cable, Same thing happens.

Also, apple "genius" told me all ports passed the test too.

 

[MisterSavage]

It's interesting that it goes to 80% because that is what it holds it at for me because I almost always have it plugged in.

 

[Freeangel1]

I defect in all M1s? or maybe the battery percentage itself is showing the wrong reading?

 

[GrumpyCoder]

Go to system preferences and then battery and disable optimized battery charging and see if that changes anything.

EDIT: see this

 

[egalois]

Go to system preferences and then battery and disable optimized battery charging and see if that changes anything.

EDIT: see this

I agree that delay on charging the battery may reduce battery aging. But what baffles me is why the battery is drained while the laptop is connect to power outlet.

 

[GrumpyCoder]

I agree that delay on charging the battery may reduce battery aging. But what baffles me is why the battery is drained while the laptop is connect to power outlet.

Having the battery at 100% all the time when connected to a power outlet isn’t the healthiest thing for a battery to do. So it might just be intended behavior which can be annoying when you unplug it as you’re stuck with 80% then. The bigger question is, why does it happen when the monitor is connected and not when run stand alone. Could just be a bug, best to ask Apple directly. I haven’t paid attention to battery behavior to be honest.

 

[RabidMacFan]

I agree that delay on charging the battery may reduce battery aging. But what baffles me is why the battery is drained while the laptop is connect to power outlet.

Because that’s how it works. Well, the way it’s supposed to work is that when left connected to power for a long time, it will eventually drain to 80% and stay there. I think it takes a few days to decide to do this. Since you’ve been unplugging it and taking it to the App Store, it shouldn’t be doing that, and should charge to 100% and stay there.

Do you have an app, I think it’s called Alfredo, that tries to manage the battery this way?
What monitors were you connecting and with what type of cable?
Despite the “tests passed” surely the Apple store genius did not think this was normal, right?

 

[jav6454]

Hello all.
So this is what's going on:
I have a new MacBook Pro 14" that is connected to the power outlet using its power adapter.

The Mac battery is fully charged, so I am happy. Now I decide to connect an external monitor to the laptop. The monitor is also connected to the power outlet.

Guess what happens? Macbook's battery start losing its charge. It goes from 100% to 80% in about 45 minutes.

Took it to an apple store so a "genius" can take a look at it. The laptop, according to this "genius", passed all the tests that he could perform, even he reinstalled the OS.
Same thing happened again, the fully charges battery started to lose power the minute he connected an external device.

Remember that the laptop is connected to outlet using it power adapter during this entire story.

Have you heard anything like this? Have you seen anything like this? Any ideas?

By the way, the power adapter passed the test too.

Cheers.

Reduces wear on the battery. Keeping any battery for extended time periods at 100% wears it down faster.

 

[doboy]

I agree that delay on charging the battery may reduce battery aging. But what baffles me is why the battery is drained while the laptop is connect to power outlet.

You need to study up on optimized battery charging.

 

[OhMyMy]

I agree that delay on charging the battery may reduce battery aging. But what baffles me is why the battery is drained while the laptop is connect to power outlet.

If Optimize Battery is active on your MBP then macOS starts using the battery till it reaches 80% and holds it there. This is regardless of the system connected to outlet and it only starts chargeing to 100% once the algorithm determines you’re likely to use it on battery soon.

It is intended behavior and nothing to worry about. You can try disabling the feature and test it yourself. With it disabled it should have no problem charging it to 100%.

 

[brerlappin]

Do you have an app, I think it’s called Alfredo, that tries to manage the battery this way?

I think the app is AlDente?

https://apphousekitchen.com

 

[egalois]

Thank you all. I appreciate your inputs on this matter.

 

[egalois]

You need to study up on optimized battery charging.

Ture.

Because that’s how it works. Well, the way it’s supposed to work is that when left connected to power for a long time, it will eventually drain to 80% and stay there. I think it takes a few days to decide to do this. Since you’ve been unplugging it and taking it to the App Store, it shouldn’t be doing that, and should charge to 100% and stay there.

Do you have an app, I think it’s called Alfredo, that tries to manage the battery this way?
What monitors were you connecting and with what type of cable?
Despite the “tests passed” surely the Apple store genius did not think this was normal, right?

No Alfredo or any other battery management app on my Mac.
Monitors: Apple display, HP display.
Apple genius was baffled too. He said I should wait and see if other people report the same behavior from their MBP.

 

[iSam21]

I wonder whether the act of plugging it into an external monitor triggers something in the algorithm which causes the Mac to think you are at a desk and it should start draining to 80%.

 

[jav6454]

I wonder whether the act of plugging it into an external monitor triggers something in the algorithm which causes the Mac to think you are at a desk and it should start draining to 80%.

Perhaps Apple has sort of hard coded that situation. Mainly do to the crowd that works with a laptop on the desktop hooked up to power. A mitigation of battery degradation.

 

[RabidMacFan]

Perhaps Apple has sort of hard coded that situation. Mainly do to the crowd that works with a laptop on the desktop hooked up to power. A mitigation of battery degradation.

Optimized charging can be turned off in settings.

If battery charging is paused or on hold on your Mac - Apple Support

Use the battery status menu to resume charging if you need to have your Mac fully charged sooner.

support.apple.com

As I said though, it shouldn’t go into that state unless it’s been plugged in for a few days. It doesn’t happen immediately, and will tell you that it’s in that state in the menu bar. If it keeps doing that, it is a problem