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Macbook Pro 13 Battery Health 2011. 97% Is this normal?

Hi.


I have a 2011 Macbook Pro 13, purchased in September 2011. Today after calibration monthly, I noticed that the battery health dropped to 97%, with 36cycles. IStat Pro and checked by the coconutBattery, and 2 identify the samesoftware. In coconutBattery gives me the following information


Currently capacity: 5600 mAh

Design capacity: 5770 mAh


It may be noted that there was a loss in capacity.


My question is: in 5 months of use with care past the site, calibrating at least 1xper month, is this normal? this loss is common in health?


I can do not to have much more loss in capacity, and most have a minimum 190 days of warranty yet!?


Thank you and waiting for clarification and help. See you soon.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 7, 2012 7:32 AM

Reply
14 replies

Mar 7, 2012 7:50 AM in response to Faabinho

That is not bad. Best way to check on the battery, though, is go to the apple menu, About This Mac, More Info, System Report, Hardware, Power and see what the Condition is (should be Normal) Caapcity, Charge Remaining, Cycles, Voltage. That will tell you a lot about your battery.


Batteries degrade over time, can't stop that from happening. You can help the battery by using it periodically, don't subject to temperature extremes, and don't deep discharge regularly. Only partial discharge and recharge.

Mar 7, 2012 8:52 AM in response to Faabinho

The status of my battery with the apple menu, is this:


everything is normal? I have to worry about this loss of 3% in 5 months of use, and only 36 cycles?



Battery Information:


Information Model:

Serial Number: 9G1280*************

Manufacturer: DP

Device Name: bq20z451

Pack Lot Code: 0

PCB Lot Code: 0

Firmware Version: 201

Hardware Revision: 2

Review of cell: 158

Information Load

Charge Remaining (mAh): 5351

Fully Loaded: No

Loading: No

Maximum Load Capacity (mAh): 5636

State Information:

Cycle Count: 36

Condition: Normal

Battery Installed: Yes

Amperage (mA): -749

Voltage (mV): 12240


System Power Settings:


AC:

System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 0

Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10

Monitor Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10

Waking up to Change Power Supply: No

Awakening to Open Laptop: Yes

Waking up to connect to the LAN: Yes

Home Dimming Monitor Uses: No

PrioritizeNetworkReachabilityOverSleep: 0

RestartAfterKernelPanic: 157680000

Delay Standby: 4200

Standby Enabled: 0

Battery Charge:

System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10

Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10

Monitor Sleep Timer (Minutes): 2

Waking up to Change Power Supply: No

Awakening to Open Laptop: Yes

Supply Current: Yes

Home Monitor uses Darkening: Yes

Reduce Brightness: Yes

RestartAfterKernelPanic: 157680000

Delay Standby: 4200

Standby Enabled: 0


Hardware Configuration:


Sist. Nobreak Installed: No


AC Charger Information:


Connected: No

Loading: No

Aug 26, 2012 11:15 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

Ralph Landry1 wrote:


That is not bad. Best way to check on the battery, though, is go to the apple menu, About This Mac, More Info, System Report, Hardware, Power and see what the Condition is (should be Normal) Caapcity, Charge Remaining, Cycles, Voltage. That will tell you a lot about your battery.


Batteries degrade over time, can't stop that from happening. You can help the battery by using it periodically, don't subject to temperature extremes, and don't deep discharge regularly. Only partial discharge and recharge.

I thought part of the "battery health maintenance" recommendation was to completely discharge the battery at least once a month if the laptop was mainly on the power adapter - to keep the battery active (however they described the electrons, etc.). Are you saying that completely discharge can be detrimental to the battery (life/capacity/etc.)? And that partial discharges/recharges are better for them?


Tom

Aug 26, 2012 11:32 AM in response to Golf25Radioman

One reason I did the search on this topic was I did a regular monthly discharge to go to sleep process yesterday, the little app I have showed 98.2% battery capacity from original before, after it is at 93.65%. Big drop. But, after reading other posts here about using System Profiler to guage battery/charging/etc., I will check there for numbers. One thing I did recently was replace my battery charger/adapter, my MBPro came with the "L" type, I ordered another but it came with the "T" type connector. Both are 85 watt, so I thought all would be okay. But, before this recent discharge ritual, I had ordered the proper "L" type with a gift certificate for Amazon from mother-in-law (has not arrived yet). So whether or not this is related to this is to be seen. As also noted, the capacity can vary often, and that Apple doesn't get concerned until it drops below 80% - still have two years on AppleCare so not worried if this is sign of upcoming problem.


Need to reread Apple Support Battery recommendations to double check on this discharge thing.


Tom

Aug 26, 2012 11:35 AM in response to Golf25Radioman

standard procedure for Macbook with built in battery is to keep it plugged in when your close to a power outlet.


use under it's own power once in a while and charge it back up to full when it's down to 75% to keep the battery in optimal condition.


optional (once a month) - use it under it's own power until it's down to 30% and charge it back to full.


never let your battery get fully discharged - not good for your battery.


on macbooks with removable batteries - then battery calibration procedure applies.

Aug 26, 2012 4:11 PM in response to Golf25Radioman

Tom, et al,


If you read some of the studies that have been performed by an independent group called the Battery University, you will note that the recommendation to deep-discharge a Lithium-Ion battery is detrimental to the health of the battery. The optimum balance between usage/discharge/battery life seems to be discharging to about 50% then recharge fully. A discharge to less than 10% regularly significantly degrades the life of the battery.


Irrrespective of some advice you might read, that group has no vested interest in batteries, such as selling them...so I tend to look at their data and trust it. The goal in a portable device is to use the device and get the longest life out of those components that are consumable items, that is the batteries.

Aug 31, 2012 2:04 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

Thanks to the additional advice on the discharging for battery health. I may have had left over thinking from the old removable batteries (if the discharge to sleep was part if that routine). Makes sense why the capacity dropped when it was discharged completely (to sleep); won't do that again. I have read and read the Apple Knowledge Base article on batteries, the suggestion to occasionally discharge the battery if it is on power a lot. But I'm sure they don't recommend the discharge to sleep there, now. My first MBPro with the non removable battery was an adjustment from the start. I used to have multiple batteries on my older MBPro and would switch them out as they depleated. But the seven or so hours on the current type battery is quite sufficient. If one were to be "out in the boondocks" like some researchers, I am sure there still are battery packs available (probably still not cheap.


The 10% rule is probably why Apple's OS starts reminding you about the low battery at 20%.


I'll also change my battery maintenance routine on my other devices (iPhone, iPad, etc.)


Thanks again for the enlightenment. There's no getting back the lost life I cut, but from now on...


Tom

Aug 31, 2012 5:36 PM in response to Golf25Radioman

Deep discharge used to be recommended for NiCad batteries to reduce memory effects. It's a disastrous practice for Li-Ion batteries. Don't let capacity drop below 10%, preferably not below 20% before recharging.


I have twice inadvertently run a Li-ion battery to the point where the computer shut down. Each time, after it was fully recharged again, it had lost about 4% of its capacity. The first time it dropped from 92% to 88%, and the second time from ~86% to 82%. After three years of use, it's capacity is now 80%, but would probably be 5-10% higher had I not twice discharged it fully.

Sep 1, 2012 11:23 AM in response to S_Deemer

S_Deemer wrote:


Deep discharge used to be recommended for NiCad batteries to reduce memory effects. It's a disastrous practice for Li-Ion batteries. Don't let capacity drop below 10%, preferably not below 20% before recharging.


I have twice inadvertently run a Li-ion battery to the point where the computer shut down. Each time, after it was fully recharged again, it had lost about 4% of its capacity. The first time it dropped from 92% to 88%, and the second time from ~86% to 82%. After three years of use, it's capacity is now 80%, but would probably be 5-10% higher had I not twice discharged it fully.

And I presume that once lost due to this it is gone? Correct? I am really upset with myself. 😟 I preach battery health to my wife who tends to run hers on battery a lot, compared to me. I have been a bit obsessed at the charge cycles, since there are only so many (as they say). But now that I've found this out I've unintentionally cut my battery's life short with this deep discharging. Live and learn I guess. I'm at 96%+ now, down from 98%+ with the most recent deep discharge. A lesson I'd have rather not learned this way, but it is a well learned lesson. Are the batteries in the iPhone & iPad of the same type with the same no discharge recommendation?


Tom

Sep 1, 2012 11:42 AM in response to Golf25Radioman

That is my understanding, and applies to all forms of Li-ion batteries. In theory, the batteries have management circuitry that prevents damage from over-charge/discharge, by shutting it down before any harm is done. I wouldn't worry too much about number of charging cycles, as this is an area where the technology has been improving.


Here's a pretty comprehensive overview of Li-ion battery technology: http://www.micro-power.com/userfiles/file/wp_polymer_final-1274743697.pdf

Macbook Pro 13 Battery Health 2011. 97% Is this normal?

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