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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Is there any way to forcibly revive a dead battery?

Is there any way to forcibly revive a dead battery?
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shifuimam
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May 6, 2021, 10:57 AM
 
I have two different Mac laptops with batteries that are practically brand new in terms of usage but are completely dead and don't even try to charge. One only has nine charge cycles on it.

Is there any way to forcibly reset batteries so they can charge normally? One's an old blackbook, the other is a mid-2012 15" MBP.
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andi*pandi
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May 6, 2021, 12:25 PM
 
     
shifuimam  (op)
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May 6, 2021, 12:35 PM
 
Originally Posted by andi*pandi View Post
Thanks for the tip!! I will try that today. I went ahead and ordered a replacement on Amazon with decent reviews (I know OWC has a NewerTech one but it's almost $100 and we don't have as much disposable income as we used to) but hopefully I can resurrect this guy. If I find my old blackbook battery hopefully it'll fix that one too.
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reader50
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May 6, 2021, 12:47 PM
 
Try running them through full charge/discharge cycles. If they will work, even briefly, the cycle may lengthen after each charge. Until they approach normal capacity.

Are these lithium? Supposedly, if lithium batteries are allowed to go flat, chemical changes prevent them from charging again. For this reason, lithium packs always contain circuitry that holds back a reserve. But if the pack sits on a shelf long enough, the reserve charge will self-discharge.

With other cell types, opening up the pack (if possible) allows jumping the cells. Apply a battery (or other DC source) with a higher voltage than your pack. Momentarily apply current to your pack, forcing a rapid charging current. Bypassing the control circuitry. Then reassemble and promptly put on a normal charger. It might work, or it might blow.
     
shifuimam  (op)
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May 6, 2021, 01:27 PM
 
Both are lithium. Neither charge *at all* - doesn't matter how long they're on a charger.

I have a dead clamshell battery too...and I'm interested in that one now because those batteries are no longer manufactured by anyone.
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andi*pandi
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May 6, 2021, 01:58 PM
 
We have a white macbook that we recently tried to boot up. I had recalled it had bulging battery and a bad screen. Magically it booted, charged, and the screen was fine. Still dog slow to play minecraft though.

Maybe elves fixed it in the last 5 years?
     
BLAZE_MkIV
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May 10, 2021, 10:20 AM
 
Don't lithium batteries have a half-life based on time not just charge cycles?
     
shifuimam  (op)
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May 10, 2021, 11:35 AM
 
I don't think so.

Only reason I say this is because I found a seller on eBay awhile back with a pile of old new stock 12" PB G4 batteries, and I bought several. I was very surprised when they appeared to be healthy.

I think leaving on the charger or complete discharging too frequently are probably the two biggest culprits.

In my case, the two laptops in question lived on chargers.
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BLAZE_MkIV
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May 11, 2021, 08:08 AM
 
Tesla's have a keep the battery at x % option. Laptops totally need that/
     
shifuimam  (op)
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May 12, 2021, 07:09 PM
 
I am sad to report that freezing my MBP battery did not resurrect it. At first it seemed slightly hopeful, but once the machine finally booted, the battery showed up as "replace immediately".

Oh well...it was worth a shot!
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andi*pandi
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May 12, 2021, 07:33 PM
 
darn!
     
   
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