MacBook Pro Thunderbolt Display Shuts Off on Battery Power

[Benny142]

I am running a Macbook Pro. Early 2015 model. I am waiting to change the expanded battery. The battery is not covered in Apple's recall. I am also running a Thunderbolt to expand the laptop into a desktop. I want to be able to unplug the charger from the laptop to allow the charging cycles to be easier on the battery. I was told that after 5 years of being connected to the charger 24/7, was why the battery failed. I don't want this to happen again. So...Everytime I disconnect the charger from the Laptop, the external display goes off. Everything else is still available. What is causing the external display to project a "No Signal" report?
Thanks for any help.

Benny

 

[chscag]

What is causing the external display to project a "No Signal" report?

Welcome to our forums.

You're running your MacBook Pro in "clamshell" mode. And that's fine, however, Apple does not support running a monitor from clamshell mode when the machine is on battery only. That simply makes sense doesn't it? The monitor requires much more power which when running on battery is not sufficient. Yes, the monitor has its own AC power but that's not what we are talking about. It's the extra power needed to supply the proper video signal to the monitor.

In short, the monitor can only be used when running off the charger in AC mode.

And as far as running your MacBook Pro in clamshell mode without using the battery, you can on occasion just run the machine (less the external monitor) on battery. There are many pros and cons on how often and so forth. Just use your best judgement.

 

[Benny142]

Well....That answers that. I was hoping that I just had something hooked up wrong. I will just have to adjust to the new operating sked.

Thanks for the help.

Benny
Orange, Texas

"The Second Mouse Gets the Cheese"

 

[krs]

I was told that after 5 years of being connected to the charger 24/7, was why the battery failed.

I don't think that is a true statement.
Yes, a battery will over time hold less and less of a charge, and discharging and charging the battery will extend its life, but if the battery swells like in your case, that is caused by overcharging which in turn was likely caused by a component malfunction inside the battery.

What's Wrong With the Batteries?

A lithium-ion battery can swell when a malfunction causes gas to build up over time.
“A small amount of gas is produced during the cycling of lithium-ion batteries, but normally it’s not large enough to cause any significant swelling,” says K.M. Abraham, one of the pioneers of the Li-ion battery and a professor at Northeastern University.
But that can change if a component malfunctions. One way that can happen, he says, is if the battery’s management circuitry stops working properly.
“Normally, a battery is charged and discharged to specific voltage limits, which is controlled by an electronic management system in the battery pack," he says. "If there’s a failure, now it is not controlling the voltage and then the battery can over-discharge and over-charge, producing gas.”
If there's enough gas, the pressure can make the plastic pouch where the battery is stored deform outward.

Some MacBook Pro Batteries Can Swell. Here's What You Need to Know

Apple says some MacBook Pro batteries can expand, and it's advising consumers that the battery in these laptops should be replaced. Here's what you need to know.

www.consumerreports.org

 

[MacInWin]

All Lithium based batteries begin to decay over time. Yes, keeping one constantly on charge can be a contributor, but at the age of that machine, the battery will be getting pretty long in the tooth anyway. If your battery is swollen, do not wait, that is a dangerous condition. The swelling is hydrogen building up inside the battery. Hydrogen can burn, so having a swollen battery full of hydrogen in an electric device is NOT a good thing.

And if the battery is swollen, taking it off the charger won't help. So keep it on power, get it replaced, maybe treat the new battery a bit better, exercising it periodically, but not too much as lithium based batteries also don't like being under 40%. Just be prudent with it.