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MacB · Sep 25, 2003, 05:24 PM

When my powerbook gets here do I just plug it in and with until the light on the cord shows full charge and then turn it on....or do i plug it in and then I can turn it on and be using it while it fully charges? If i let it power up without turning it on, would that be better?

Cop Rock · Sep 25, 2003, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by MacB:
When my powerbook gets here do I just plug it in and with until the light on the cord shows full charge and then turn it on....or do i plug it in and then I can turn it on and be using it while it fully charges? If i let it power up without turning it on, would that be better?

I believe Apple suggests you plug it in until it is fully charged (you can use it while it is charging) then unplug it and keep using it until the battery runs down so much that it forces itself to sleep, then plug it in again until it is fully charged. That should be all you have to do to condition/calibrate the battery.

nagromme · Sep 25, 2003, 06:37 PM

I could be wrong, but...

I think after you drain it, you should charge it with the computer either off or asleep--but BEFORE you drain it--and while draining it--I think it's OK to play!

docholiday · Sep 25, 2003, 07:41 PM

Hey,
I got mine today and I will follow the procedure you guys suggested...
So nagromme, after the first time the battery is empty, I recharge it fully without using it and that will calibrate, correct?

Thanx,
Doc Holiday

nagromme · Sep 26, 2003, 09:17 AM

That's my understanding--but check Sherlock AppleCare channel for the real word from Apple.

I've only owned one PowerBook and I did nothing special at all when I got it. Next time I will probably.

aapljack · Sep 26, 2003, 09:46 AM

There is a section about conditioning (calibrating) the battery in the 'Getting Started' book that came with your PB. It says to fully charge it, unplug it and use until it goes to sleep from lack of battery power and then plug it in and fully recharge it again. I don't think it said it has to be asleep when you do the second recharge.

-b

C-Bear · Sep 26, 2003, 10:04 AM

From Apple's support page regarding Powerbooks:

"The Lithium Ion battery of an iBook or PowerBook computer has an internal microprocessor that provides an estimate of the amount of energy in the battery during charging and discharging. The battery needs to be recalibrated from time to time to keep the onscreen battery time and percent display accurate. You should perform this procedure when you first use your computer and then every few months thereafter.

Follow these steps:

1. Plug the power adapter in and fully charge your computer's battery until the battery indicator lights turn off and the adapter plug ring goes from amber to green, which indicates that the battery is fully charged.
2. Disconnect the power adapter and use your iBook or PowerBook. When your battery gets low, you will see the low battery warning dialog on the screen. Continue to use your computer until it goes to sleep. At that point the battery has been sufficiently drained for calibration.
3. Connect the power adapter and leave it connected until the battery is fully charged again.
Note: You have to fully charge and then discharge your battery only once to calibrate it. After that, you can connect and disconnect the power adapter when the battery is at any charge level.

Important: When the battery reaches "empty", the computer is forced into sleep mode. The battery actually keeps back a reserve beyond "empty", to maintain the computer in sleep for a period of time. Once the battery is truly exhausted, the computer is forced into shutdown. At this point, any open files could be lost. Therefore, it is important that you find an electrical outlet and connect the adapter before the forced shutdown occurs."

Hope that helps�

videian28 · Sep 26, 2003, 10:25 AM

when all else fails read the instructions

thats my motto

bobette · Sep 26, 2003, 10:36 AM

Originally posted by C-Bear:
From Apple's support page regarding Powerbooks:

"The Lithium Ion battery of an iBook or PowerBook computer has an internal microprocessor that provides an estimate of the amount of energy in the battery during charging and discharging. The battery needs to be recalibrated from time to time to keep the onscreen battery time and percent display accurate. You should perform this procedure when you first use your computer and then every few months thereafter.

etc...

Can anyone tell me what's the battery life like after this operation? I heard 2:30. iiisshhh...

PBG4 User · Sep 26, 2003, 11:00 AM

Battery life depends on what tasks you are doing, your energy settings and monitor brightness.

Leave you monitor at full brightness, CPU speed at Highest, and uncheck the "Spin down your hard drive blah blah blah" option, and you might get 2 hours. Maybe.

With my settings (not what is listed above) I get between 2 - 3 hours doing menial tasks such as email, coding (not compiling too much), websurfing and using Word.

I think if I played NeverWinter Nights I might get an hour. So, it all depends on your settings and what you are doing, but I haven't gotten >3 hours battery life, which was possible on my Ti.

ae86_16v · Sep 26, 2003, 01:36 PM

It is different than before.

I remember before was that you discharge completely first and then recharge.

Daniel Bayer · Sep 27, 2003, 02:36 AM

FYI...I have two batteries and cycle them both regularly in one week.

Even though they are LION not NICD, I still think that you should "Deep-cycle" the battery once in awhile to keep it robust.

My three rupees...

cybermat · Sep 27, 2003, 03:54 AM

I am also getting roughly 2:30 min from my battery after calibrating and changing to max battery setting and turning off bluetooth, airport, model with my new 15" Al Superdrive.

I was doing light activities such as surfing the net and installing software. Does anyone know if it is safe to leave the battery in while using AC power? I've heard conflicting stories.

On a side note, I am converting to a OSX user from a Windows user.

So far so good though. The only major hurdle that I have is to memorize the shortcut keys.

Cheers

ae86_16v · Sep 27, 2003, 05:13 AM

Officially Apple said you could do what ever you want after you have calibrated the battery.

If I am at the desk for a long time and I know my computer isn't going to leave my desk (say at home) then I usually take out the battery.

But if you are always traveling back and forth, just leave it in and you shouldn't have to worry about it.

forcelite · Sep 27, 2003, 05:28 AM

technically the computer will recognize a full battery and stop charging, and then only use the outlet power source.

So you should be ok to always keep the battery in. I havent heard of any stories where there was a battery problem from keeping the battery in at all times.

Just the design on the powerbook and ibook says you should keep the batteries in at all times. (the rubber feet on the battery)

So you should be fine to keep it in.

Force

MacB · Sep 27, 2003, 07:23 AM

But the question is....while it is plugged in for the first time to fully charge as well as the second time once it has completely drained, can you have it on as using it or should you leave it of to charge both those times?