Adding Battery Time To An Old Laptop?

[Felasco]

So I was planning on buying a new Macbook, but keyboard controversies are persuading me otherwise.

I realize that really the only reason I was going to buy a new Macbook was for the all day battery life, which I agree is an awesome feature. So basically I'd be spending $1500 to take my battery life from 2 hours to 12 hours.

I'd be happy with my old Macbook (running SnowLeopard!) if I could substantially boost the battery up time. Any suggestions on how this might be done are most welcome.

I know I could buy a new battery, done it before, very easy, self install. But that only takes me so far. It might add an hour, something like that.

Any ideas here?

Thanks!

 

[MacInWin]

I know I could buy a new battery, done it before, very easy, self install. But that only takes me so far. It might add an hour, something like that.

If you get a quality battery, it should restore your lifetime to whatever the original time was. If that's not sufficient, then the only solution would be to get a newer Mac with longer battery life designed in.

 

[ferrarr]

What type of drive is in your older MBP? Installing an SSD in place of a HDD, may increase battery life?

Edit: you can also carry an additional battery with you.

 

[pigoo3]

So basically I'd be spending $1500 to take my battery life from 2 hours to 12 hours.

Are you REALLY spending 12 hours/day away from an electrical outlet in the middle of the Amazon rainforest??...or are we talking about spending $1500 just for the convenience of not having to plug in to charge it?

If you really don't need a new computer...spending roughly $100 or less for a new battery seems much more logical.

Nope...running an older macOS such as Snow Leopard is not going to improve total battery runtime on a single charge. Your current MacBook's battery probably has a ton of battery cycles on it...and needs to be replaced.

HTH,

- Nick

 

[Felasco]

Edit: you can also carry an additional battery with you.

Good suggestion. So I'm looking in that. For starters, here's a page that may be useful.

10 Portable Batteries For Your MacBook - Hongkiat

Seems promising. I'll have to dig deeper to find the portable battery that can work with my old Macbook.

Yes, spending a couple hundred on an extra battery seems a better plan (for me) than spending $1500 on a new laptop. Encouraging.

 

[Felasco]

Are you REALLY spending 12 hours/day away from an electrical outlet in the middle of the Amazon rainforest??

Not the Amazon rainforest, the North Florida woods forest. Yup, 12 hours a day is normal during hiking season. Get there at dawn, leave at dark. No outlets anywhere.

 

[Felasco]

Your current MacBook's battery probably has a ton of battery cycles on it...and needs to be replaced.

Right, the thing is, even with a brand new battery the older MacBooks didn't have all day battery run time, or anything close. They were better though in the sense that it is super easy for users to swap out the battery.

 

[MacInWin]

Not the Amazon rainforest, the North Florida woods forest. Yup, 12 hours a day is normal during hiking season. Get there at dawn, leave at dark. No outlets anywhere.

But when you are hiking you aren't using the machine. Or are you?

 

[Felasco]

But when you are hiking you aren't using the machine. Or are you?

Right now I have 1-2 hours with screen brightness all the way down to 1, which isn't so great outside. If I can get to 3-4 hours with a brighter screen, for reasonable fee less than $1500, I'll be pretty happy.

One problem may be finding a battery that will work with my old Macbook, we'll see. In case it is useful, here's what I've got.

MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.13 13" (White-09) Specs (Mid-2009, MC240LL/A, MacBook5,2, A1181, 2330): EveryMac.com

 

[ferrarr]

Maybe something like this, Voltaic Systems

 

[Felasco]

Maybe something like this, Voltaic Systems

Thanks, I've contacted them to see if they can assist me.

 

[pigoo3]

Right, the thing is, even with a brand new battery the older MacBooks didn't have all day battery run time, or anything close.

If this is the case...then you're really asking a computer to do what it was never designed to do.

Your 2009 MacBook with a brand new battery back in 2009 was only supposed to get 5 hours of total battery runtime on a full charge. Asking it to do 12 hours is kind of unreasonable.

There are some options to extend the runtime...a couple of those ideas have already been mentioned:

- Use a portable solar panel of some sort...one that generates enough watts to really help. Probably needs to be something in the 30-45 watt range (these are using pretty pricey).
- Use multiple portable battery packs that can be used with most electronic devices. These are usually not too expensive.

A 3rd option is to use an iPad (or get an iPad if you don't have one). Not only does an iPad take up less space & is lighter than a Macbook (both BIG positives when hiking). Most iPads get approximately 10 hours of runtime on a single charge.

- Nick

 

[Felasco]

If this is the case...then you're really asking a computer to do what it was never designed to do.

No, I'm not asking anything of the sort.

Your 2009 MacBook with a brand new battery back in 2009 was only supposed to get 5 hours of total battery runtime on a full charge. Asking it to do 12 hours is kind of unreasonable.

Which is why I never expected my 2009 MacBook to have 12 hours of battery uptime, nor asked it to etc. You're trying to play the role of the Great Debunker. You aren't especially good at it.

- Use a portable solar panel of some sort...one that generates enough watts to really help. Probably needs to be something in the 30-45 watt range (these are using pretty pricey).
- Use multiple portable battery packs that can be used with most electronic devices. These are usually not too expensive.

Yes, I'm looking in to such things, but it's difficult to find batteries that work with my laptop. Working on it...

A 3rd option is to use an iPad (or get an iPad if you don't have one). Not only does an iPad take up less space & is lighter than a Macbook (both BIG positives when hiking). Most iPads get approximately 10 hours of runtime on a single charge.

Yes, that's an option, but I want a laptop.

 

[Rod]

If you can find one that's suitable and reasonably cheap I'd suggest you get two. Given that it's reasonable easy to swap them out.


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[Rod]

Alternatively you could consider a portable charging device such as
These; The 8 Best Portable Laptop Battery Chargers of 2019
In particular the Anker Power Core+
For $130.00 it a viable alternative having the option to charge your other devices too but I'm guessing they would be heavy if that's an issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Mac-Forums

 

[badshoehabit]

Would you not be better with an iPad mini out hiking in the woods?

 

[pigoo3]

Which is why I never expected my 2009 MacBook to have 12 hours of battery uptime, nor asked it to etc. You're trying to play the role of the Great Debunker. You aren't especially good at it.

I'm trying to help you find a solution to your battery issue...I'm certainly NOT trying to be the "Great Debunker".

If you obviously know you can't get 12 hours of battery runtime out of your 2009 MacBook...then why were you posting anything in the first 50% of this thread about getting a new battery for it...when you know the BEST a new battery will be able to do is 5 hours??

It wasn't until the 2nd half of this discussion when we start talking about ways to extend battery life...and thus make purchasing a new battery make more logical sense.

Basically you have these options:

1. Get a newer computer with much longer battery life ($$$$).
2. Get a new battery for the 2009 MacBook + battery extending products (spare battery or solar panel device).
3. Use your MacBook less when outside hiking.
4. Enjoy the outdoors more...and leave the computer at home.
5. Get an iPad.
6. Assuming you have a cellphone...use your cellphone for your connectivity needs while hiking...and leave the computer at home!!!

BTW...totally don't understand how you can be hiking for 12 hours/day AND need 12 hours of runtime on your MacBook while hiking. What are you doing...hiking AND typing on your computer at the same time?? I think you REALLY need to reassess how much battery runtime you REALLY need while hiking.

No way you need 12 hours of battery runtime on your computer while hiking if you're returning home each night!

HTH,

- Nick

 

[Felasco]

Thanks for that link, appreciated, bookmarked.

I really like this idea of buying a battery instead of a new laptop. So, thumbs up there. This may turn out to be a major benefit of joining the forum, saving me many bucks.

My problem at the moment is finding a battery that I can be confident will work with my old MacBook.

MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009) - Technical Specifications

I don't understand a good bit of the tech talk on sales pages. So I've been contacting sellers and asking them for product that will work with my machine. When I get a reply at all, they are typically minimalistic, iffy, uncertain, sorta, maybe, probably, inconclusive etc.

So I'll keep working on it. I'll dig in to the page you've shared and see if I can nail something down.

Feel free to advise me further should you be able. Thanks!

 

[pm-r]

I think you REALLY need to reassess how much battery runtime you REALLY need while hiking.

Or if one actually really even needs a portable computer in that situation.

Or maybe use a set of wheels and use it to carry all your needs and do what this person did to overcome their battery driven car's limited range:



PS: That's a small gas powered generator in case it wasn't obvious.

- Patrick
======

 

[Felasco]

Nick, to save you some time, I'm actually not interested in anything you have to say on any subject.