MBP New Battery....issues

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MBP New Battery....issues...please help

Hello all.

I have a 2.16 Intel Core Duo 15" MBP. I got it new in 2005. LOVE this thing and I haven't looked back after switching over 6 years ago. Been an extremely trusty and durable laptop. As we all know, the batteries tend to go after a couple years with some pretty good use to them. So, after my second battery started to go after 6 years, I was ok with buying a third. I did. At this time, I also installed Snow Leopard (I know....I got behind on the OS updates) and I also purchased a new power adapter (60W) as my 6 year old one was starting to fray and only liked to charge the computer when it was bent a certain way.

The battery and power adapter both came from Ebay. Snow Leopard came from Apple.com. All new.

I installed Snow Leopard. I installed the battery. Cycled it properly for the first time. I was experiencing the "service battery" indicator. So I did some research on it and decided to reset the SMC. So I did.

I am now in the process of cycling the battery again after the SMC reset. Charge time shows about 3 hours after the battery was fully depleted. I'll randomly get "calculating" and "not charging" and "service battery" indicators during this time now. I don't even dare unplug the power adapter and run the computer on battery power as I'm afraid of what it will show me next. Maybe "buy a new MBP" (not that I wouldn't mind the excuse to) or "dumb noob" or "why are you punishing me".

I thought I remember reading there was something goofy going on with installing new batteries or batteries in general with 10.6. I will say this. The power adapter I received from the Ebay purchase does not look to be made by Apple. There's no Apple logo on it. Not sure if that makes a difference or not. Sometimes the LED won't turn off when I unplug it from the computer. Just stays whatever color it was when I unplugged it from the MBP. Will only turn off if I unplug it from the wall. Sketchy I know....not too happy about that. Was $30 so maybe that joke is on me for not buying right from Apple on that one. I guess I thought a power adapter was the same as the next one.....Apple or not. I could be wrong!

Thanks so much for any help that could be offered or insight as to what may be going on here. I can take criticism. If I'm doing something wrong, please let me know so I stop wasting peoples time trying to fix easy problems. Haha.

EDIT: using iStat Pro, my battery health says 97%. When the status jumps to "service battery", the battery health goes to 0%. Seems obvious.....but just wanted to share. The "service battery" indicator stays on for about 15 seconds, then jumps back to calculating. Did this 3 times in the last 5 minutes.

Dallas
 

pigoo3

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The power adapter I received from the Ebay purchase does not look to be made by Apple. There's no Apple logo on it. Not sure if that makes a difference or not.

There are LOTS & LOTS of 3rd party knock-off manufacturers of apple accessories. I'm sure if the power adapter is as you describe, it is not a genuine Apple product. This doesn't mean that it's necessarily bad or anything...but it can mean that varying levels of quality will exist.

With new genuine Apple power adapter's costing $79...when you pay $30 on e-Bay...you can be pretty sure it is not a brand new Apple product (although used Apple adapters can be had for around $30).

- Nick
 
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Yeah I didn't notice the knockoff power adapter until I actually compared it with my old one. I'm going to try to find an apple one here so I can start eliminating variables to get this problem figured out. Very annoying issue that rarely happens with Macs....well mine at least I guess.
 

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