Can MacBook Pro overcharge?

Seems like a balance between keeping cycle counts low to maintain a longer battery life and with exercising the battery and keep the electrons flowing by unplugging it maybe once a week for a 20-25% cycle. Does this sound about right?

I sense that this method is for a desktop replacement type of setup where you are always near power and/or plugged in 95% of the time. According to pigoo3's method of a 20% cycle discharge every 2 weeks means you only get a full cycle count added on every 10 weeks?

I have a late 2011 8,3 which I bought in November, I have 6 cycles on it and owned it for 70 days. So out of 70 days of owning the mbp I have it on power 98% of the time, if my math is correct (48 hours of unplugged use out of 1680 hours total usage @8hours/cycle). Is this enough for keeping the electrons going strong, or should I increase time on battery power?

TIA 1st post btw.

112 in six months, from new - sounds excessive!!

I put the notebook on charge overnight and use it every day - but in different places in the house. I dip in and out most of the day and put it to sleep inbetween times. Generally get 6-8 hours' usage (internet, photo management, email) without being told I'm on reserve battery power. if I'm sitting next to the power source I tend to leave it plugged in.

Guess I need to stay by the power source to promote long life (especially as this is my first Mac and cost as much as my three previous pcs put together!) but staying plugged in obviates the point of a notebook in my view. It's not as if the cable and slim transformer, with its US pins (requiring an additional adapter), is particularly portable when you live in the UK.

badshoehabit said:

112 in six months, from new - sounds excessive!!

I put the notebook on charge overnight and use it every day - but in different places in the house. I dip in and out most of the day and put it to sleep inbetween times. Generally get 6-8 hours' usage (internet, photo management, email) without being told I'm on reserve battery power. if I'm sitting next to the power source I tend to leave it plugged in.

Guess I need to stay by the power source to promote long life (especially as this is my first Mac and cost as much as my three previous pcs put together!) but staying plugged in obviates the point of a notebook in my view. It's not as if the cable and slim transformer, with its US pins (requiring an additional adapter), is particularly portable when you live in the UK.

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If you round that down to 200cycles/year that seems on par with the average upgrade schedule, even better than average as you would take 5 years to get to 1000 full cycles.

Thanks - maths is not my strong point! I've also re-read earlier posts and now realise the battery would be replaceable by a professional. I was thinking planned obsolescence.

badshoehabit said:

Guess I need to stay by the power source to promote long life (especially as this is my first Mac and cost as much as my three previous pcs put together!) but staying plugged in obviates the point of a notebook in my view.

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I don't necessarily see it this way. Sure...a laptop is great for portability...but portability does not necessarily always mean that the laptop cannot be plugged in.

If someone is leaving their home with their computer (library, school, airport, shopping mall, outdoors, coffee shop, etc.)...sure...a power outlet to plug into is not always nearby. But if someone primarily uses their laptop in their home...there really is no reason NOT to be plugged in...unless power outlets in the home are VERY inconveniently located...and if this is the case...an extension cord of some sort can be used.

The "portability benefit" of a laptop while using it in someones's home...is not necessarily (IMHO) the freedom from having to be plugged in while using it...the benefits are:

- being able to use a computer ANYWHERE in the home (where a desktop computer just doesn't fit)
- being able to quickly switch from one room to another as needed (but still being able to be on the computer)
- not being stuck/anchored in the basement or some other room away from the family with a " desktop computer"

Using a laptop computer (plugged in or battery power in their home) also depends on a person's usage patterns. If a person knows that they're just going to be "popping" onto a laptop computer for just 10-15 minutes (multiple times throughout the day) to check e-mail or a few webpages...sure...running off the battery is not problem (but the laptop could still be plugged in for this as well).

But if someone knows that they're going to be "planting" themselves in front of the laptop computer for an hour or hours...then I think that plugging into a power outlet ("the mains") is probably a better "power strategy".

This would be my advice if someone want's the portability benefits of a laptop computer (mostly used in their home)...but at the same time doesn't want to unnecessarily accumulate battery cycles.

- Nick

Okay - I'm lazy! Just don't like faffing on transporting the cable and the transformer which is reluctant to stay in an English adapter.

Ya I get that, Apples use of rubber on all the power cables is quite annoying if you travel with them.

ShoG said:

Ya I get that, Apples use of rubber on all the power cables is quite annoying if you travel with them.

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They don't lay flat, but they coil well

Of course, coiling cables (like butterfly coiling rope) is now just a habit for me.

Dysfunction said:

They don't lay flat, but they coil well

Of course, coiling cables (like butterfly coiling rope) is now just a habit for me.

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Is that like the over-under coiling technique to prevent coil memory in cables? It's just that the rubberized cables when they're new are pretty sticky. Tends to pull out loose papers or rip magazine covers when I pull it out hastely. (that's what she said)

badshoehabit said:

Okay - I'm lazy! Just don't like faffing on transporting the cable and the transformer which is reluctant to stay in an English adapter.

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For every problem...there is a solution!

My wife has a MacBook...and she has purchased multiple power adapters for it. She basically uses her MacBook in 3 rooms in our home...so when she wants/needs to change rooms...she just detaches the MagSafe connector from the MacBook in room #1...moves to room #2...and attaches the MagSafe connector that's in that room.

Regarding cost. We've found "extra" power adapters for a MacBook for as little as $25-$30 on e-Bay here in the U.S (shipping included).

- Nick

May think about that, thanks. I have three landline phone handsets, after all so what's the difference.

ShoG said:

Is that like the over-under coiling technique to prevent coil memory in cables? It's just that the rubberized cables when they're new are pretty sticky. Tends to pull out loose papers or rip magazine covers when I pull it out hastely. (that's what she said)

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Yea, that's what I've always used. Agreed, when they're new, they're sticky. Not sure how to get around that other than tossing the entire kit in a bag of some sort.

badshoehabit said:

May think about that, thanks. I have three landline phone handsets, after all so what's the difference.

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Yes...kind of the same logic! lol

- Nick