07-05-2011, 05:17 PM

Hey all!

I've had my MacBook Pro for 20 months--I bought it new. I seem to be having a battery problem. I am re-charging almost every day--I was at 100% and have now used my Mac for 50 minutes and it was down to 82%. This seems way less than the first 17 months I used it. I see it written the battery life before recharging is 3--8 hours--I must be heading for the minimum number here. My question is--is there something I can do (have done)to "fix it" or do I just plunk down money for a new battery?

Thanks,
Cathy

07-05-2011, 05:27 PM

These are the suggested methods for calibrating your MB or MBP battery to optimize it's life. Apple Portables: Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance
Sounds like you have mostly been using it unplugged. That will shorten the life of your battery sooner than necessary. Try calibrating and see if that helps any. Although, it does sound like a new battery ($130 from Apple Store) could be in your near future.

07-05-2011, 05:33 PM

Thank you for your reply Rox. I see right at the top of the page you linked me to, that I should have been recalibrating all along. Humm. I'll let you know what happens! Cathy

07-06-2011, 12:29 PM

If your MBP is 20 months old and the battery goes down to 82% after 50 minutes, that doesn't sound too bad. Of course it also depends on what you're doing with it. Apple's battery life guidelines are based on limited use... casual emailing, brightness turned down low, maybe wifi turned off. If you're watching a movie with the brightness all the way up with some email and chat programs running in the background, the battery will probably drain faster. What exactly are you doing on your computer?

07-06-2011, 01:12 PM

Hi:

I'm a limited user--never have watched a movie--don't even have music on it! I do go on several times a day to check FB, Email and that's about it! I have never calibrated it tho (as Rox suggested)so that's my next move.
Thanks, Cathy

07-06-2011, 01:18 PM

I'm not sure I made this clear: it's good practice to keep it plugged in when you're sitting at home or in the coffee shop (if possible) and only unplug it when you are transporting it or using it on public transportation or on the back porch. Stuff like that. If you don't rely heavily on the battery and you calibrate once every month or every other month, the battery will stay healthy longer. The battery has a finite number of full cycles before it loses effectiveness.

07-07-2011, 01:02 AM

You might try downloading Coconut Battery and tell us what that says when you run it.