[azncreazion]

I realize this may be somewhat of a stupid question..... but I don't know the answer too it!

What is considered a battery cycle on a mac? Would it be going from 100% to 0% than back up? Or Would it just be using for whatever time, and charging it back up? ex. Full to 98% than charging back up? Would that be considered a battery cycle? HELP!?

[Macola]

if you mean calibrating the battery, the procedure varies depending on the model. It's actually pretty annoying with my MacBook, so I've only done it once.

Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance

[Dork.]

A "battery cycle" according to the System Profiler is when the battery has used its entire charge capacity once, no matter how many times it takes to get there. A full discharge session is one cycle, and ten sessions where you use 10% of the battery's capacity and recharge in between is also one cycle.

[Cucucachoo]

But say you use only 25% of the battery while you work away from the house. And when you get home up plug up? Is that also considered a cycle?

[imitchellg5]

Not until you do it 4 times. When you go from 0-100% then it is a full cycle.

[azncreazion]

ohh.... so the battery is smarter than we think... eh?

[frdmfghtr]

It would appear so yes...

HOWEVER, I've noticed that using XBattery, I see a cycle count that doesn't quite mesh with the charge/discharge pattern I've seen plotted. I've run XBattery ever since getting my replacement battery, and soon after it showed 4 cycles while the battery charge plot showed one, maybe two complete cycles. I think the cycle count is a bit on the high side.

Maybe a series of 100%-->drain to 50%-->charge to 100% cycles will shed some light on the subject.