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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Battery dies at 30% <1year old

Battery dies at 30% <1year old
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jlgrandam
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Aug 11, 2007, 06:45 PM
 
Hey guys,

My MBP shuts off when the battery indicator is around 30%. It is only abou 10 months old and the battery has been through 101 load cycles. Is this normal and if not, can I get it replaced by Apple? It is not part of MBP battery recall. Thanks!
12.1" Powerbook G4
     
Timetheus
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Aug 11, 2007, 07:55 PM
 
Mine's doing the same at around 25% - though mine has few more cycles under it's belt. I called Apple (I do have Applecare) and they told me I need to calibrate the battery - that process, however, requires running the computer on battery until it goes to sleep at 0%.

Obviously that's not possible, since the computer completely shuts off long before it would ever go to sleep, but the Apple rep (who seemed a bit confused and/or incompetent, btw) insisted I try. I haven't called back (this was a few days ago) as I can't send my computer in at the moment anyway.

I did have this happen once before, but that battery exhibited the swelling issue (the Al casing was literally bulging away from the plastic portion). They replaced it then with a simple cross-ship exchange. I'm hopeful they'll do the same this time around.

So basically I'll get back to you when I know more.
     
concavelab
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Aug 11, 2007, 08:15 PM
 
Mine has had 243 cycles and currently 59% maximum capacity ...about a year old. Not sure if this is so good..
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Simon
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Aug 12, 2007, 04:11 AM
 
Apple specifies their notebook batteries to retain 80% of their capacity during the first 300 cycles.

Calibrate the battery, reset the PMU, and check again. If that doesn't help call Apple, tell them your cycle and capacity numbers, and have them send you a replacement. I already received two replacements (one for a MB, the other for a MBP) that way and it worked very well.
     
JKT
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Aug 12, 2007, 10:13 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
Apple specifies their notebook batteries to retain 80% of their capacity during the first 300 cycles.
...if handled correctly.
     
Timetheus
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Aug 14, 2007, 03:13 PM
 
I called Apple yesterday, and after explaining that I had tried and failed to recalibrate the battery and had reset the PMU (to no avail), they agreed to ship me a new battery for free (provided I ship them the old in the same box).

Of course I have Applecare. If your MacBook Pro is still under warranty, they should replace for you as well.
     
mattcass
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Aug 14, 2007, 05:40 PM
 
Check your battery. Is it bulging? My friend's 17" MBP battery was also dying at around 30%. There was a definite bulge in the battery. Not as bad as the link below, but still a bulge.

MacBook Pro Battery bulge!
     
Timetheus
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Aug 14, 2007, 11:08 PM
 
Actually my current battery replaced a bulging battery (the original). So this will be number three

On the bright side, I keep getting new batteries, and seeing as how I've already put 240+ cycles on the current one (which is < a year old), I'm not complaining too much.
     
   
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