[Bearsfan34]

So I've decided to start following Apple's advice for calibrating notebook batteries, as I stumbled upon the article recently (after finding out I was a poster child for "You're Doing It Wrong"). I had been using my new MacBook's battery until the menu bar icon turned red, then would re-charge it fully, as a "Mac Genius" told me I didn't need to condition my iBook G4's battery more than once every 6 months or so (this was after that battery recall in 2005). But I decided to follow President Jobs' advice now that I have a brand new MB.

But the first time I tried this new "Apple Way," problems ensued. I used my MB yesterday/last night until I got the "...running on reserve power, save your work, will shut down in a few minutes" message. Twice. After the second battery notice, I got a kernel panic, saying I must restart my computer. Then, after the kernel panic appeared on screen for about :10 seconds, my MB just shut off. Figuring I better just leave it alone, I put it away for the night & didn't try to restart.

I'm not "new" to Macs, but I'm not an "advnaced" user either. I'd seen kernel panics before on my work Mac mini CD 1.83GHz machine (poorly inserted RAM; fixed that, no more KPs), but never on my brand new C2D 2.2GHz MB I got this past November.

The MB is charging here at my desk next to me after leaving it off overnight (per Apple's advice), and I've used it briefly this morning without any issues. Looks like it's fully charged now, and am going to resume regular usage.

Has anyone else seen a KP when discharging a battery? Either way, is this something you think I should be worried about? I do use Time Machine to back everything up, so I'm not worried about my data...just wanna be sure there isn't something else wrong.

[acoustix]

When my MacBook battery died prematurely (and before it was subsequently replaced on extended warranty) I did a lot of research, and that thing about draining the battery flat and leaving it overnight was pretty soundly discredited by experts. A battery lives and dies by cycles and that deep discharging is not only unnecessary but potentially life shortening for the battery. They should certainly be cycled, but not necessarily deeply discharged like that.

[Bearsfan34]

Originally Posted by acoustix 

When my MacBook battery died prematurely (and before it was subsequently replaced on extended warranty) I did a lot of research, and that thing about draining the battery flat and leaving it overnight was pretty soundly discredited by experts. A battery lives and dies by cycles and that deep discharging is not only unnecessary but potentially life shortening for the battery. They should certainly be cycled, but not necessarily deeply discharged like that.

Interesting. I thought I'd done plenty of research on this too, but I'd read in some places that some "experts" thought this periodic battery draining method was BEST for this generation of notebook batteries. Guess it depends on "who" ya read.

Thanks for posting this...if getting a kernel panic happens every time I try Apple's "suggestion," maybe I'll stick to just running the battery down until the indicator turns red & then recharging.

[rcs]

Exactly the same problem as mine...I have a week old white MB 2.2 2GB RAM(latest revision). I guess its a software issue. One user even got a replacement MB with exactly the sam problem, another user got 3 brand new battery + logic board & battery connector replacement with the same problem

Look at these threads, you're not alone:
Apple - Support - Discussions - Macbook won't safe sleep on low battery ...

Shutdown on Low Battery instead of sleep? - The macosxhints Forums

Apple - Support - Discussions - No "Low Battery" warning on new ...

Apple - Support - Discussions - On low battery macbook doesn't sleep ...

Check if you have battery updater 1.3 installed...and post your battery information. Max full capacity of MB battery is actually 5200 mAh. If you have between [5400,5500] then guess thats the problem. Its because this exaggerating value that causing your MB think that it still have enough power to go to "sleep"

I'm still pretty sure that this is a Leopard software issue, because my MB behave normally...

Post bug report here to get more attention and so that apple acknowledge the problem:
Bug Report Form

and
Apple - MacBook - Feedback

[Bearsfan34]

Thanks for those links, rcs. In reading through those posts & other places, it sounds almost as if it's a Leopard software issue. Some think that 10.5.2 will solve the problem; I'm skeptical of that, but am hoping that's what happens.

[Bearsfan34]

Nope...10.5.2 didn't solve this issue. I decided to try to "condition" the battery again, letting my MacBook go to sleep after the "...running on reserve power" message, but when the battery indicator got down to 2%, got the 'ol kernel panic again.

*Sigh*

Battery's remaining capacity says 5391 mAh in the System Profiler...was able to check that right before the KP.

Not a big deal, I guess...just can't condition the battery as Apple recommends, that's all.