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Q: Battery is not charging Power source: power adapter

I am very confused by my MagSafe power adaptor.

 

Often I get : "Battery is not charging Power source: power adapter" with an orange LED on the adapter, Last time this happened the battery was 65% charged

 

Right now I have NO led on "1:33 until full. Power Source: Power adapter"

 

Sometimes, I get a dim green LED

 

Each of these becomes normal on removing and reseating the adapter.

 

The spring loaded pins are perfectly sprung and are clean. The receiving bit of the laptop is clean. The adapter clicks in perfectly. The battery is new enough (and this happened when the battery was replaced anyway, and beforehand).

 

This happened since I got a new style adapter, the one where the cable is parallel to the Macbook, not the one where it sticks out at 90 degrees. I have two of these, and it happens with both.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2009), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Feb 28, 2015 1:36 PM

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Q: Battery is not charging Power source: power adapter

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  • by John Galt,Helpful

    John Galt John Galt Feb 28, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Lurkums
    Level 8 (49,591 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 28, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Lurkums

    Power or other problems related to unexpected system sleep, shutdown, lights or fans call for an SMC reset. Read all the steps.


    • If that doesn't resolve the problem, try another wall power outlet, preferably one that you know is on another circuit.
    • If that still doesn't resolve the problem, have Apple evaluate the MacBook: Genius Bar Reservations.


    Before Resetting the SMC

     

    Try each of the following steps in this order before you reset the SMC. Test the issue after completing each troubleshooting step to determine if the issue still occurs.

     

    1. Press Command + Option + Escape to force quit any application that is not responding.
    2. Put your Mac to sleep by choosing the Apple () menu from the upper-left menu bar and then choosing Sleep. Wake the computer after it has gone to sleep.
    3. Restart your Mac by choosing the Apple () menu from the upper-left menu bar and then choosing Restart.
    4. Shut down your Mac by choosing the Apple () menu from the upper-left menu bar and then choosing Shut Down.

     

    Resetting the SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own

     

    1. Shut down the computer.
    2. Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if it's not already connected.
    3. On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time. The power adapter indicator light may cycle off / on once.
    4. Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.
    5. Press the power button to turn on the computer.
  • by Lurkums,

    Lurkums Lurkums Feb 28, 2015 4:56 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Feb 28, 2015 4:56 PM in response to John Galt

    Done all of those steps. Am currently 100% charged, LED was bright and green after reboot and is now out. Removal for the machine and reconnecting goes bright green

     

    Lightning Flash on menu bar is black on black when connected, when disconnected the battery is fully black

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Feb 28, 2015 4:52 PM in response to Lurkums
    Level 8 (49,591 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 28, 2015 4:52 PM in response to Lurkums

    Good. Looks like you fixed it.

  • by Lurkums,

    Lurkums Lurkums Feb 28, 2015 4:55 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Feb 28, 2015 4:55 PM in response to John Galt

    The LED is meant to go out when fully charged?

     

    I'll know tomorrow after some discharge/recharge time if I have fixed it with this. Hope so.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Feb 28, 2015 5:00 PM in response to Lurkums
    Level 8 (49,591 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 28, 2015 5:00 PM in response to Lurkums

    Lurkums wrote:

     

    The LED is meant to go out when fully charged?

     

    No; I wasn't 100% sure what you meant by "is now out". The LED should remain green when it's finished charging. You might find some more helpful troubleshooting suggestions here:

     

    Apple Portables: Troubleshooting MagSafe adapters - Apple Support

  • by boogsrocks,

    boogsrocks boogsrocks Feb 28, 2015 10:51 PM in response to Lurkums
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 28, 2015 10:51 PM in response to Lurkums

    I have this problem too. Only now my computer won't work with out being plugged in. Today it won't even turn on. I have changed the battery and bought a new charging cord.

  • by Lurkums,

    Lurkums Lurkums Mar 1, 2015 1:51 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Mar 1, 2015 1:51 AM in response to John Galt

    I let the battery drop to 71% and connected the cable. Orange LED.

     

    Now we are at 87%, just clicked up to 88% with No LED showing.

    0:52 until full (was 0:58 when it said 87%)

    Power source: Power Adapter

     

    I have done all the checks in the link you gave me, done them to the letter. Pins look good, receptor looks good. My lead is the L shaped one. The adapter is the 60W one

     

    89% now, 0:49 until full

     

    Obviously it is 'working', but weirdly

     

    System Information:

     

    Battery Information:

     

     

      Model Information:

      Serial Number: [redacted]

      Manufacturer: SMP

      Device Name: bq20z451

      Pack Lot Code: 0

      PCB Lot Code: 0

      Firmware Version: 201

      Hardware Revision: 000a

      Cell Revision: 165

      Charge Information:

      Charge Remaining (mAh): 4820

      Fully Charged: No

      Charging: Yes

      Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 5373

      Health Information:

      Cycle Count: 106

      Condition: Normal

      Battery Installed: Yes

      Amperage (mA): 1390

      Voltage (mV): 12443

     

     

    System Power Settings:

     

     

      AC Power:

      System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 15

      Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10

      Display Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10

      Wake on AC Change: No

      Wake on Clamshell Open: Yes

      Wake on LAN: Yes

      Current Power Source: Yes

      Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes

      PrioritizeNetworkReachabilityOverSleep: 0

      Battery Power:

      System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 15

      Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10

      Display Sleep Timer (Minutes): 2

      Wake on AC Change: No

      Wake on Clamshell Open: Yes

      Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes

      Reduce Brightness: Yes

     

     

    Hardware Configuration:

     

     

      UPS Installed: No

     

     

    AC Charger Information:

     

     

      Connected: Yes

      ID: 0x0100

      Wattage (W): 60

      Revision: 0x0000

      Family: 0x0085

      Serial Number: [redacted]

      Charging: Yes

     

    By the way, the orange LED is now on (how random is that?) 91% 0:37 until full

     

    This is not a mission critical fault, just a weirdness

  • by Lurkums,

    Lurkums Lurkums Mar 1, 2015 7:12 AM in response to Lurkums
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Mar 1, 2015 7:12 AM in response to Lurkums

    More and more fascinating. I let the charge drop to 30%, connected adapter. BRIGHT green LED, faded as it finished calculating time to full power, a gentle fade, and the LED is now out.

     

    2:12 until full, Power source: Power adapter

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Mar 1, 2015 9:03 AM in response to Lurkums
    Level 8 (49,591 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 1, 2015 9:03 AM in response to Lurkums

    The only LED behavior I have ever seen on portable Macs doesn't include dim or off, as long as the Mac is connected to AC power, the battery and power adapter are both the correct type, the input power is within specified limits, and the battery is installed correctly.

     

    If Apple performed the replacement, take it back to them and tell them to do it right. The LED shouldn't fade. Something is not right. Another SMC won't hurt, but I doubt it will fix it at this point.


  • by Lurkums,

    Lurkums Lurkums Mar 1, 2015 9:09 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Mar 1, 2015 9:09 AM in response to John Galt

    Now you see why I am confused, John

     

    The battery and the adapter are both out of warranty, and both were supplied by the same bona fide Apple service centre, found through Apple.

     

    The thing is, LED behaviour apart, it works perfectly. It's charged all the way up with the LED out, and in use all the time. Indeed, I have two adapters and each behaves the same way.

     

    I must ask my other half what happens on her machine.

  • by John Galt,Helpful

    John Galt John Galt Mar 1, 2015 9:47 AM in response to Lurkums
    Level 8 (49,591 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 1, 2015 9:47 AM in response to Lurkums

    I wish I had an explanation for you. There is a device within the small barrel connector that communicates with the Mac, and controlling the LED behavior is one of its tasks. That device requires bidirectional communication with the Mac, which could be impeded by lack of contact integrity between its conductors and the ones in the Mac's power port. You already said they're bright and clean, and the Apple Support document doesn't offer much more than that.


    Since the problem is identical for two separate power adapters, the Mac's battery or DC-in board are the only likely remaining culprits. That's all I can offer.

     

    For continued troubleshooting you can substitute any Apple power adapter that will fit the Mac's power port - the adapter's power rating is not important.

  • by Lurkums,

    Lurkums Lurkums Mar 1, 2015 11:55 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Mar 1, 2015 11:55 AM in response to John Galt

    Thanks John,

     

    As soon as I know how the adapters work with our second Mac I'll add the info here for completeness. It seems to me it is likely to be one of those inexplicable weirdnesses. But other folk are now better informed if they see the same thing.

  • by Lurkums,Solvedanswer

    Lurkums Lurkums Mar 19, 2015 9:50 AM in response to Lurkums
    Level 1 (37 points)
    Applications
    Mar 19, 2015 9:50 AM in response to Lurkums

    It looks like a dual issue:

    • I have replaced my charger because the cable suddenly frayed by the L adapter
    • The location on the Mac Book seems to need attention

    Both of these together conspired, certainly on one machine, to exhibit the problems described.