Macbook Pro Battery Life

[NeuronBasher]

Can someone explain this battery calibration thing to me? is this the first thing i should be doing once i unpack my MBP? or something i should do like within the first 2 weeks of getting it? what does it do, make the battery last longer? or it just makes the numbers(time left and %) more accurate?

It just makes the numbers more accurate. Apple recommends that you do it in the first week that you have it. It's really not a big deal, just unplug and use it until the battery completely dies and the system puts itself to sleep. Plug it in and let it charge up, and you're done.

 

[bpd115]

Can someone explain this battery calibration thing to me? is this the first thing i should be doing once i unpack my MBP? or something i should do like within the first 2 weeks of getting it? what does it do, make the battery last longer? or it just makes the numbers(time left and %) more accurate?

The process is listed in the manual but essentially you charge it to 100, let it drain until it sleeps, let it sleep for 5 - 6 hours, then charge it back to 100.

 

[Diatribe]

The process is listed in the manual but essentially you charge it to 100, let it drain until it sleeps, let it sleep for 5 - 6 hours, then charge it back to 100.

I thought you only had to do that with the old PB? At least it says so on Apple's battery page.

 

[plinden]

It just makes the numbers more accurate. Apple recommends that you do it in the first week that you have it. It's really not a big deal, just unplug and use it until the battery completely dies and the system puts itself to sleep. Plug it in and let it charge up, and you're done.

If you have in on AC semipermanently, you should also run down the battery and recharge once a month.

 

[bpd115]

I thought you only had to do that with the old PB? At least it says so on Apple's battery page.

Nope it's in the manual and the macbook pdf on apple's site.

 

[Diatribe]

Nope it's in the manual and the macbook pdf on apple's site.

Never says anything about leaving it sitting there, empty for 5-6 hours though...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86284

 

[Spectrum]

...
Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 5391
Remaining Capacity (mAh): 2562
Amperage (mA): -1710
...

so that means you should have 47% left and are using about 31% of your potential battery maximum per hour - giving you about 3 hours on a full charge at that level of usage, and 1.5hr on what you have (had) left.

 

[aristobrat]

For a point of reference, running four or five apps, I get 4:30-4:50 on my PowerBook G4 15". That's with the brightness set to low, though, which I think is the ONLY way to go when you're not plugged into a wall outlet. That's just me, though.

Is that with or without WiFi?

I've never made it over 3:30 on my G4 15" PB when using WiFi.

 

[bpd115]

Never says anything about leaving it sitting there, empty for 5-6 hours though...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86284

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBook_Pro_Users_Guide.pdf

Chapter 1, page 24, step 5.

 

[xPismo]

Good, sounds like the battery usage is in the sweet spot of 3 hours average use. That makes me happy.

Are any of you cooking the batt for 24 hours the on the first cycle? Remember, the battery manager may say 100% but it can still take time to fully charge. Its not calibrated yet.

 

[Diatribe]

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/MacBook_Pro_Users_Guide.pdf

Chapter 1, page 24, step 5.

Thanks a lot. Seems like a lot more sophisticated than the old approach.

 

[aristobrat]

Thanks a lot. Seems like a lot more sophisticated than the old approach.

Apple needs to update the battery instruction page that you linked to a few posts ago.

 

[AJBMatrix]

For general Battery Health you should calibrate your battery immediately.

1) Plug in the system and charge until the charge light reaches Green and everything is working.
2) Unplug the system after letting it sit for a while plugged in. (You can work on it while everything is happening)
3) Let the system run on the battery until it is completely drained. Draining the battery will take some time unless you are doing some high end stuff.
4) Once the computer sleeps by itself without you turning it off. This is due to the last bit of reserve power.

You can do 2 things here:

5a) Charge the computer immediately and let it charge completely.
5b) Wait about 5 hours or so until the computer shuts down from the sleep (all unsaved data will be lost). And then charge again to 100%.

This will calibrate your battery and you should do it about once every 3 to 4 months.

 

[Diatribe]

Apple needs to update the battery instruction page that you linked to a few posts ago.

They sure do.

 

[Spectrum]

...
5a) Charge the computer immediately and let it charge completely.
5b) Wait about 5 hours or so until the computer shuts down from the sleep (all unsaved data will be lost). And then charge again to 100%.
...

5b) On the powerbook, the contents of memory are saved to the HD upon sleep caused by lack of available power. As far as I am aware, this will remain there for as long as it takes until you plug the computer back in - not just 5hrs. It kind of saves the state of the system, and when it awakens upon fresh power, wakes up in an odd-looking, but perfectly healthy way - in my experience, at least

 

[NeuronBasher]

5b) On the powerbook, the contents of memory are saved to the HD upon sleep caused by lack of available power. As far as I am aware, this will remain there for as long as it takes until you plug the computer back in - not just 5hrs. It kind of saves the state of the system, and when it awakens upon fresh power, wakes up in an odd-looking, but perfectly healthy way - in my experience, at least

Actually, there are a couple of different sleep modes. The first keeps enough power running through the system RAM so that it can quickly restore the system to running state. The second is "safe sleep" or what PC users would call hibernation, where the contents of memory are saved to the hard drive and power does not need to run through the memory chips.

When the battery's voltage drops to a certain level, the sytem goes into the first sleep mode automatically to save your state. After a few hours of this (sound like 5 or 6) the power that has been used to keep the RAM state intact causes the battery voltage to reach another threshold, triggering a low voltage cutoff (LVC). The LVC keeps the battery cells from discharging past a particular level since lithium cells can be permanently damaged by being over-discharged.

 

[SpAtZ]

Does anyone have a kind buzzing sound coming from the direct center of the notebook just slightly above the f6 and f7 keys.

 

[Temujin]

Hmm... I don't notice that on my 1.67 PBG4.

And set to "Better Battery Life", I get about 2 hours 15 minutes, maybe 2:45 MAX. Way worse than the TiBook I traded up from last May.

If the MBP can beat that, then I shan't be disappointed.

I get the following on my PB15"DL
Full brightnes = 3:30
Full brigtnes + wifi = 3:20
Low brightnes + wifi = 5:10
Low brightnes = 5:15

I would expect the MBP to beat that, or I would be disappointed.

 

[SpAtZ]

I get 3:30 on my 15"DL with full brightnes no wireless, 3:20 with wireless on.
I would expect the MBP to beat that, or I would be disappointed.

Yea I am going to be disappointed if this last try of calibrating the battery does not work. If it does not I am going to call apple. Should I call Applecare or Customer Service?

 

[Temujin]

Yea I am going to be disappointed if this last try of calibrating the battery does not work. If it does not I am going to call apple. Should I call Applecare or Customer Service?

If you have Applecare then sure if not then Customer Service I guess

 

[Spectrum]

Hmm...

I often cause the safe sleep to be entered due to running off battery and the comp using up all the juice. When I reconnect to power and wake it up, it takes a few moments and the screen is greyed out with a status bar that climbs. Then it is back up and running.

I had assumed that in this form of sleep (invoked by low/no power), the contents of RAM had been copied to the HD, and then the computer is basically in stasis, with basically NO power being used. Is this not correct, then? I presumed I could remove the battery and the thing will still be happy - no?

Actually, there are a couple of different sleep modes. The first keeps enough power running through the system RAM so that it can quickly restore the system to running state. The second is "safe sleep" or what PC users would call hibernation, where the contents of memory are saved to the hard drive and power does not need to run through the memory chips.

When the battery's voltage drops to a certain level, the sytem goes into the first sleep mode automatically to save your state. After a few hours of this (sound like 5 or 6) the power that has been used to keep the RAM state intact causes the battery voltage to reach another threshold, triggering a low voltage cutoff (LVC). The LVC keeps the battery cells from discharging past a particular level since lithium cells can be permanently damaged by being over-discharged.