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Snake · Aug 2, 2004, 01:13 PM

Just purchased a 15" 1.33 Powerbook last week, and currently I am doing all I can to maintain it. My question is, when you are away from your computer for 9-10 hours a day like I am (working), how do you "store" your powerbook? Currently, I leave it in sleep mode with the charger attached, and I think the charger periodically turns on and off when the battery gets sufficiently drained. Is this a good practice? I know that Macs are meant to be left on, but I am just worried about battery life and longevity. I dont want to fry the battery prematurely, it already doesnt last very long. I also dont want it to shut down every day, making me restart it when I get home to use it (if I left the charger off that is).

Another thing I have noticed, the charger gets extremely hot while charging the Powerbook battery. Not 1st degree burn hot, but it is uncomfortable to hold for longer than 5-10 seconds. This is another reason I ask this.

Thank you very much for the input, I have been reading this forum for a few days now and everyone seems polite and eager to help.

fisherKing · Aug 2, 2004, 01:29 PM

what you're doing is perfectly fine, what i think most of us do.
sleep rules! (hmmmm....for me too

)

Powaqqatsi · Aug 2, 2004, 01:34 PM

I keep it plugged in all the time and the battery is still perfect after 2 years.

wuzup101 · Aug 2, 2004, 01:51 PM

I believe apple recomends that you fully drain the battery every few weeks to maxamize the life of the battery. Other than that, I always keep mine sleeping and only reboot when I have to. I notice no difference in performance if the laptop has just rebooted or has been running for a week... I think that's what the majority of people here do...

jorgem4 · Aug 2, 2004, 03:04 PM

Drain the battery once...I would suggest in the first use...form then on you are good to go. I leave my PB as sleep when ever I am going to be away from it (like going to work). I don't like leaving it charging all day because it gets hot and it is summer and my room gets pretty hot! I don't think it is necesary also to leave it charging all day while que computer is as sleep.

madmacgames · Aug 2, 2004, 04:59 PM

There is no real need to keep it plugged in all day if sleeping. A powerbook can run in sleep mode for about a week on the battery; one day will not drain it very much. Some people like to keep it plugged in, and some don't.

I personally do not keep mine plugged in when I put it sleep unless the battery needs charged. If the battery is full, I unplug it (like at night and during the day when I leave), because on mine the power supply gives off a horrible high pitched screeching noise if it is plugged into the powerbook while asleep and the battery is full (ring on plug is green).

moodymonster · Aug 2, 2004, 05:48 PM

the power supplies do get hot, I try to keep mine vertical when charging.

you can find out more from apple here:

http://www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html

and even download an ical battery charge schedule from:

http://www.apple.com/batteries/image...alreminder.ics

rastatero · Aug 2, 2004, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by Snake:
Currently, I leave it in sleep mode with the charger attached, and I think the charger periodically turns on and off when the battery gets sufficiently drained.

I do the exact same thing with my iBook while I am at work. The two rear rubber mounts on the iBook sit on two stacks of three CD jewel cases to elevate the iBook and improve ventaliation. Didn't really feel the need to spend any more money on the PodiumPod or the iCurve, at least not yet. -- Tony

Snake · Aug 2, 2004, 06:26 PM

Wow, thanks everyone!

As long as my PB can last all night (or more than an 8 hour period) in sleep mode without fully draining the battery, I wont leave it plugged in all the time. I didn't know it could last so long in sleep mode, that is quite reassuring. Thanks also for posting the links to Apple.com and the iCal update, that will sure come in handy.

One thing I do wish is that the battery would last longer. I sure everyone feels the same way with their Al Powerbook, but I know I haven't been able to get 4.5 hours out of the battery. When I am using it, I have bluetooth turned off (unless I am near other Macs), and dim the screen like the guide said. Now, I dont do anything processor or harddrive intensive, but it seems the battery lasts a good 2 hours before it needs the charger re-attached. I guess tweaking the OS settings to maximize battery power really helps, because I just leave it on automatic.

Anyway, even with all of those concerns, this is the best computer I have ever owned/used. Period. It doesn't feel like a computer, it feels more like a toy, an electronic swiss army knife.

Lancer409 · Aug 3, 2004, 08:27 AM

Originally posted by Snake:
Wow, thanks everyone!

As long as my PB can last all night (or more than an 8 hour period) in sleep mode without fully draining the battery, I wont leave it plugged in all the time. I didn't know it could last so long in sleep mode, that is quite reassuring. Thanks also for posting the links to Apple.com and the iCal update, that will sure come in handy.

One thing I do wish is that the battery would last longer. I sure everyone feels the same way with their Al Powerbook, but I know I haven't been able to get 4.5 hours out of the battery. When I am using it, I have bluetooth turned off (unless I am near other Macs), and dim the screen like the guide said. Now, I dont do anything processor or harddrive intensive, but it seems the battery lasts a good 2 hours before it needs the charger re-attached. I guess tweaking the OS settings to maximize battery power really helps, because I just leave it on automatic.

Anyway, even with all of those concerns, this is the best computer I have ever owned/used. Period. It doesn't feel like a computer, it feels more like a toy, an electronic swiss army knife.

You might want to try this.

Click the battery icon in your menu bar (top right of screen) When the drop down menu shows up, click the bottom one, or energy saver .. something like that. Under "setting for" choose battery and set it so that the cpu slows down when unplugged. you will find this in the third tab (option) ..You will see a dramatic improvement in battery life. I think most people do this. It ramps down the cpu, Usually when i am unplugged, i am doing a paper on Microsoft Word, or surfing the net, I dont need the processor to run full blast. Only when I am gaming, in which case, I plug my laptop into a wall socket! Good luck

urrl78 · Aug 3, 2004, 11:54 AM

I would never leave the house with my Powerbook plugged in. You never know when a thunderstorm will pop up around here, and it is the season in S. Florida. I hear of some surge arrestors that simply don't work as they claim. Since I take it to work, I geneaally never allow it to sleep anyway. I had one mysteriously switch on while in the case and when I pulled it out it was red hot. Never again. I am thorougly paranoid in that respect.