Resetting SMC on MacBook Late 2008 Aluminum

When resetting smc do you have to connect the power supply. All the times I resetted it when I inserted my new battery I just removed battery held the power button for approx 10 seconds and reinsterted battery and powered on...Is that still good or you need a power supply to successfully complete a smc reset.

What do you mean "all the times"? Why are you using a SMC reset?

This is not something you should be doing on a regular basis as some sort of maintenance. It's done to solve specific issues. I've had to do it once in the last 3 years.

If you have an issue that calls for a SMC reset, then you should follow the Apple outlined method for your specific model. You should be trying the items they note before you do a SMC reset also to see if they resolve your problem. That info can be found here.

lol im not a freak with resetting my SMC I mean I replaced my battery 3 times and everytime I replaced it I did a SMC reset as which apple at the genius bar recommends.......When I went to the apple store the other day to get another battery this time a brand new one I took my old battery out and did an SMC reset I held the power button for couple seconds and then inserted my new battery and powered on my mac...What I meant is do I need to have my MacBook plugged in the AC in order for an SMC reset to actually work or it can work without it...

Thanks for the info will give that a checkkkk...

You don't need the power adapter, it's not supposed to be plugged in if that's what you're referring to. The point of pressing and holding the power button after you remove the battery is so that all extra energy from the capacitors will be drained, which removes power and starts the smc reset process(not really that simple). You can plug in the adapter after, but it is not part of the smc resetting process, it's just helpful if your battery doesn't have power. If you click on the, "Resetting the SMC on Mac portables with a battery you can remove," on the bottom page of the link that Bobtomay noted, it explains everything.

3 new batteries on a 2008 model - sounds like a good time to get the charging checked. Have you been Calibrating the batteries, see here.