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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > How many MacBook batteries have you gone through?

View Poll Results: How many batteries have you gone through with your MacBook?
Poll Options:
I'm still on my first battery, and it's working fine. 37 votes (74.00%)
My first battery died prematurely, but my second one is OK. 9 votes (18.00%)
My second one died too. Hopefully this third battery will last. 3 votes (6.00%)
I've had three or more batteries die on me. Ouch. 1 votes (2.00%)
Voters: 50. You may not vote on this poll
How many MacBook batteries have you gone through?
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Eug
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Jul 26, 2007, 11:14 PM
 
Well, my second MacBook battery has died. Pretty disappointing. How many have you gone through?
     
xsphat
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Jul 27, 2007, 02:56 AM
 
I've had the original battery since last September and it is still acting the way it did back then. What are you doing to your? do you put them in the dishwasher or something?
     
Simon
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Jul 27, 2007, 03:15 AM
 
My black MB's battery died after 13 months. Apple Care got me a new one and that one seems to be OK (up to now). My white MB's battery is still doing fine after 14 months.
     
JustinHorne
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Jul 27, 2007, 06:30 AM
 
According to Cocunut battery, After 33 cycles, and 5200 Ma hours originally, I have 5506 to use... So, 107% or so? Sounds good to me!


Stock battery, by the way, not replaced.
     
Cold Warrior
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Jul 27, 2007, 09:47 AM
 
14 months, no problems, with high usage.
     
Eug  (op)
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Jul 27, 2007, 10:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by xsphat View Post
I've had the original battery since last September and it is still acting the way it did back then. What are you doing to your? do you put them in the dishwasher or something?
Errr... It's a known issue, which Apple has already acknowledged.

MacBook and MacBook Pro: Battery not recognized after being fully drained

If your MacBook or MacBook Pro's battery is fully drained of power, the battery will put itself into a low power state to preserve its ability to charge in future. Fully draining the battery might be done by running the battery until the computer sleeps and then leaving the battery in the sleeping computer for an extended period without plugging it in.

If you have fully drained the battery, once you plug in the MacBook or MacBook Pro's power cord and start the computer up, you may see a red X over the battery icon in the menu bar.



Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
14 months, no problems, with high usage.
Ironically, it may be low usage (in a sense) that is the problem. I sometimes leave my MacBook in sleep mode, but then may not use the machine again for a couple of days. After that time, the battery is totally drained. Once you charge it, it should be fine, but in the case of the MacBook, the battery is sometimes permanently dead after that. This was never an issue with my iBook or my GF's iBook. (Then again, one of my iBooks had the dreaded logic board issue.)
     
xsphat
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Jul 28, 2007, 09:57 PM
 
During summer break, I usually keep my 'Book plugged into all my wares, and the wall. During college, I use the battery quite a bit more. Are you saying I should drain the battery more than I do?

I am on my computer all day, just so you know.

Hey Eug, I wasn't clowning you, I have never had a problem with my battery so I never looked into it.
     
Sage
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Jul 28, 2007, 10:19 PM
 
xsphat: He’s not saying your should drain the battery more. He’s saying that he would drain the battery, but then leave it in sleep mode and not re-charge it for several days, which is what killed it.

Eug: What constitutes an “extended period”? Have there been any reports of people having trouble if they leave it unpowered for 7 hours (like Apple recommends), or is it only if people leave it unpowered for more than a day, like you have? I’m just curious, because I don’t want to accidentally kill my own battery.

Anyway, my MacBook battery has been fine – I’ve had it since last August. My iBook had issues though – the battery that it shipped with was dead, and the replacement battery that AppleCare gave me was only able to hold a 20 minute charge after I’d had it for about a year and a half.
     
zerock
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Jul 28, 2007, 11:54 PM
 
i had one since they MB's first came out, and no problem so far.
     
m_young
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Jul 29, 2007, 03:20 PM
 
I have a release day C2D, 219 cycles, and 99% battery health, with the original battery.

Conversely, my GF's cousin had this issue crop up after about 7 months with an identical unit. I don't know about her usage habits.
     
Eug  (op)
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Jul 29, 2007, 04:14 PM
 
Originally Posted by Sage View Post
Eug: What constitutes an “extended period”? Have there been any reports of people having trouble if they leave it unpowered for 7 hours (like Apple recommends), or is it only if people leave it unpowered for more than a day, like you have? I’m just curious, because I don’t want to accidentally kill my own battery.
I dunno.

I've left iBooks for days with no problems. Same goes for my GF and her iBook. Not so with the MacBook.

P.S. My local Apple dealer says they can't replace it, even though the (replacement) battery is only 5-6 months old. I'll call Apple this week and see what they say, as my MacBook is only a couple of months out of warranty.
     
Simon
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Jul 29, 2007, 04:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
P.S. My local Apple dealer says they can't replace it, even though the (replacement) battery is only 5-6 months old. I'll call Apple this week and see what they say, as my MacBook is only a couple of months out of warranty.
If the battery's only 5-6 months old and your capacity has already gone bad (give them the number of cycles and the capacity in mAh as reported by System Profiler), you might try reminding them of their own words:

..."Battery Lifespan: A properly maintained Apple notebook battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 300 full charge and discharge cycles."...

My numbers:
280 cycles, 4.8Ah -> still going string after 13 months
125 cycles, 1.9Ah -> after 13 months; replaced by AppleCare (no questions asked once I gave them the numbers)
3 cycles, 5.0Ah replacement battery
     
Eug  (op)
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Jul 30, 2007, 12:14 PM
 
My MacBook no longer sees the battery. It says that no battery is installed. I'm going to the Apple Store tonight to see what they say.

P.S. I think analogue sprinkles is already on his 3rd MacBook battery, but I'm not sure.
     
analogue SPRINKLES
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Jul 30, 2007, 12:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
My MacBook no longer sees the battery. It says that no battery is installed. I'm going to the Apple Store tonight to see what they say.

P.S. I think analogue sprinkles is already on his 3rd MacBook battery, but I'm not sure.
Yup I am. The first one died. I took it to apple 1 week before the ROM update announcement, the new one they gave me lasted 5 days. The third one is still kicking though but I don't have much hope.

The Applestore dude it is not uncommon to have people go through 3.
     
Eug  (op)
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Jul 31, 2007, 12:29 AM
 
Well, that was strange. I went to the Apple Store and they said they couldn't help me, but Apple Care could.
So, they had me call Apple Care, from the Genius Bar at the Apple Store.

The good news is that Apple Care is shipping me a new battery.

The rep said he gets this type of call not infrequently, although not as frequently as calls for other various other problems with various products. He also states that it's relatively unusual for customers to go through multiple batteries for this problem, but it does occur from time to time.

Here's hoping 3rd time's a charm...
     
Nivag
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Jul 31, 2007, 05:47 AM
 
same battery for 13 months, still fine.

Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 4337
Remaining Capacity (mAh): 3149
Amperage (mA): -1665
Voltage (mV): 11533
Cycle Count: 407
     
Eug  (op)
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Aug 2, 2007, 02:07 PM
 
Just got my new battery from Apple Care installed. Everything working great again.

Battery Installed: Yes
First low level warning: No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 5186
Remaining Capacity (mAh): 2205
Amperage (mA): -1859
Voltage (mV): 11138
Cycle Count: 1

I note that Nivag's Full Charge Capacity is only 4337. Is that due to the age of the battery? That's approximately 84% of mine. Assuming mine's around 98-100%, then that means his battery is well within Apple's 80%-after-1-year spec.
     
Simon
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Aug 2, 2007, 03:41 PM
 
Actually it's 80% within the first 300 cycles. Nivag's battery is well within that.
     
TheoCryst
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Aug 3, 2007, 12:00 PM
 
My first battery went after 11 months, and my second has been fine so far. The AppleCare lady was really cool about replacing it... it seemed like she had been through her fair share of bad MacBook batteries.

Any ramblings are entirely my own, and do not represent those of my employers, coworkers, friends, or species
     
AC Rempt
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Aug 16, 2007, 01:33 AM
 
Sorry to drag this out of the depths, but I hope my experience will be of some help.

I just had to have my MacBook battery replaced. I had been having sleep issues, and then one day, the dreaded X appeared, and suddenly, the battery was dead. I took it to my local store Apple Store, and even though the MB was out of warranty, the Genius still replaced my battery for free since, in his words, it was a "known issue." I've had my MB since last May, and it's a black model.

Thankfully, Apple did the right thing.
     
dn15
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Aug 19, 2007, 03:27 AM
 
I am on my second battery now. However, strictly speaking my first one did not die. It just had a shortened lifespan so I got it replaced while my first year of warranty is still in effect.
     
Railroader
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Aug 19, 2007, 09:20 PM
 
Bought my MB last June and the battery is still going strong.
     
Drew
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Aug 21, 2007, 08:37 PM
 
I'm about to get a new macbook, should I order a second battery? Or should I be good with one?
     
Simon
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Aug 22, 2007, 03:00 AM
 
Originally Posted by Drew View Post
I'm about to get a new macbook, should I order a second battery? Or should I be good with one?
Unless you need a second battery (for long flights or something like that) there's no special reason to get one. Even if your battery does eventually go bad, Apple will send you a replacement and you can turn in the bad one after you receive the replacement.
     
   
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