Q: MacBook Pro Battery 'Service Battery' after Snow Upgrade

So.....

It seems like my battery id shot, even though it only has 50 cycles on it or so.....

I probably should have used it more, especially on battery, but I did not...

My MacBook is basically pristine. You would never even know it was 2 years old based on its appearance and actual use....

Very frustrating to have to purchase a new battery now

Anyway,

Ive tried all of the steps indicated, with no luck.

I need a new battery, and...

I need advice as to where I can get a decent deal on a hopefully new battery.

Any way to know if I'm getting the most current model off the assembly line, and not an old one I'll be saddled with problems again?

Any help will be appreciated......

In Australia , at least, the "freshest" Apple batteries seem to come out of the Apple online store, though the turnover in these things in most places has been so great in recent times that I've noticed quite a few Apple parts dealers have had trouble keeping them in stock, so maybe it doesn't matter too much where you shop at present.

For third party batteries I'd be inclined to go to a major mac dealer like OWC that deal in large enough volumes to ensure that stock doesn't get left on the shelf too long.


I'd be wary of smaller internet based operations etc.. I noticed , for example, that "Ultralast" batteries suggested by someone else in this thread, from the figures which he presented, were actually already down to 92% of original capacity when purchased!!!

Cheers

Rod

Ok - 25 days later, so far so good. iStat now indeed reads the battery at 100% (Rod predicted this), though system profiler already shows a slight degradation:

Battery Information:

Model Information:
Serial Number:

Manufacturer: NewerTech
Device name: ASMB012
Pack Lot Code: 8641
PCB Lot Code: 1a20
Firmware Version: ff14
Hardware Revision: 0011
Cell Revision: 00c8
Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh): 5819
Fully charged: Yes
Charging: No
Full charge capacity (mAh): 5826
Health Information:
Cycle count: 11
Condition: Normal
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): 0
Voltage (mV): 12525

And most importantly, no Check or Service Battery message. I continue to monitor it, however.

Notice too that I went with a third party supplier - NewerTech. I did not want to take the chance of getting a Sony battery.

- remraf

I did not want to take the chance of getting a Sony battery.

As far I know, Apple is no longer using Sony batteries for the original Macbook Pros. They have started using SMP batteries which are longer lasting.

I have just bitten the bullet and after months of waiting bought a new battery direct from Apple here in Europe. I can confirm that it is indeed an SMP not a Sony battery, so let's hope it works!

I brought my son's MB to the Apple store for a boot into Tiger and to update the Battery S/W, he says it didn't work but now, in Snow Leopard on my son's MB where I would see the APPLE on start-up I see the "Globe". Did he do something wrong.

I am peeved because, this worked perfectly, the Battery is only one year old, Replaced by Apple (13 months) and the moment we upgraded to Snow Leopard this happened.

Any advice please?
Thank you.

I see the "Globe". Did he do something wrong.

No. The "Globe" is the network disk. System Preferences/Startup Disk-select Machintosh HD, lock the window and restart your computer.

CMCSK, thank you, I'll do that.

I went back today, had a different Genius and within the first moment he told me, told problem, is getting you a new battery ok?

Some of the Apple guys are really amazingly helpful. Well actually, most of them are. But then again, some are I guess, customer services handicapped.

I'm happier now.
Thax again.
Tom

Any info about batteries available in the USA? Sony, or other?

Any way to tell, by the outside packaging, or model #?

I'm probably to the point of buying a new battery now.

If I go into an Apple store, and tell them my sad story, any advice to give?

Do you think if I tell them that my MBP has been in storage for a couple of years, do you think it will matter to them??

Do you think if I tell them that my MBP has been in storage for a couple of years, do you think it will matter to them??

Yes because your battery is probably useless due to non use for those +couple of years.+


If you get a new battery from Apple make sure it's SMP manufactured. From my understanding Apple is now using SMP batteries because it is longer lasting than Sonys.

If you tell them that it has been in storage for a couple of years, pdxappleguy, I'm afraid I suspect they will say something along the lines of "We're sorry, but that is just about the worst thing you can do to a Lithium battery".

They may cite you something along the lines of the information in Buchmann's guide to batteries:

+The Li-ion does not like prolonged storage. Irreversible capacity loss occurs after 6 to 12 months, especially if the battery is stored at full charge and at warm temperatures. +

Then they may ask whether you stored it at the recommended temperature of 15ºC (59ºF) at the recommended 40% capacity. (see http://www.buchmann.ca/Chap15-page2.asp).

They'll probably also point out that Lithium batteries tend to die more because of age and under-use rather than overuse, and that two years is unfortunately about par for the course.

Cheers

Rod

Hi Guys!

I have the unibody MBP, but I'm not sure if more than one version of that was released. I bought mine off the Apple store at sometime around September 2009. Anyway, I randomly clicked on my battery icon and it showed "Service Battery". Panicked for a bit and then read the post in this thread. Rebooted my MBP and the warning disappeared.

Model Information:
...
Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh): 1465
Fully charged: No
Charging: No
Full charge capacity (mAh): 4185
Health Information:
Cycle count: 407
Condition: Normal
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): -1304
Voltage (mV): 11108

Is everything fine now? Many of you were disagreeing if it was hardware or software issue. Also, how do I know if my battery is 'dead' and how long it will last?

Thanks

Message was edited by: NT8

Assuming you are talking about one of the late 2008 15" unibody model with a removeable battery the figures you present look pretty good, considering the cycle count, NT8. The battery in those computers had an original "full charge" capacity of about 4630mAh, so yours is currently still sitting on 90% health, despite the fact that it has completed over 400 cycles. With luck it should continue to function well until it gets down to the 80% of original full capacity or below.

If , however, your computer is one of the later ones with a non-removable battery (sold from June 2009 onwards) then the picture is not so rosy. These computers came with a much higher capacity battery of around 6665 mAh, and the "health" of your battery would be way down close to 60% of original. In such a case, as these computers are still under warranty and were rated to 1000 cycles at 80% (far more cycles than with the removable batteries) , you would be able to obtain a replacement under warranty.

Don't panic about a single "service battery" message. It may be due to you using the computer on battery under a particularly heavy load situation. If it doesn't recur then probably all is well. You might want to recalibrate the battery (you should do this every couple of months anyway - see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1490 ) and, if it recurs, try an SMC reset (see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964 )

If it still occurs regularly after that, or you experience things like sudden shutdowns when the battery is getting low, but without the low battery warnings appearing, then you should take the battery in for testing at an Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider. It may be that internal resistances have built up despite the comparatively high maximum capacity.

Cheers

Rod

Assuming you are talking about one of the late 2008 15" unibody model with a removeable battery the figures you present look pretty good, considering the cycle count, NT8. The battery in those computers had an original "full charge" capacity of about 4630mAh, so yours is currently still sitting on 90% health, despite the fact that it has completed over 400 cycles. With luck it should continue to function well until it gets down to the 80% of original full capacity or below.

If , however, your computer is one of the later ones with a non-removable battery (sold from June 2009 onwards) then the picture is not so rosy. These computers came with a much higher capacity battery of around 6665 mAh, and the "health" of your battery would be way down close to 60% of original. In such a case, as these computers are still under warranty and were rated to 1000 cycles at 80% (far more cycles than with the removable batteries) , you would be able to obtain a replacement under warranty.

Don't panic about a single "service battery" message. It may be due to you using the computer on battery under a particularly heavy load situation. If it doesn't recur then probably all is well. You might want to recalibrate the battery (you should do this every couple of months anyway - see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1490 ) and, if it recurs, try an SMC reset (see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964 )

If it still occurs regularly after that, or you experience things like sudden shutdowns when the battery is getting low, but without the low battery warnings appearing, then you should take the battery in for testing at an Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider. It may be that internal resistances have built up despite the comparatively high maximum capacity.

Cheers

Rod

No, unfortunately I am talking about the new 13inch MBP with unremovable batteries.

Also, what you're saying is that since my battery is below 80% capacity and it has been under a year, Apple will change my battery free of charge? If so, do you think I should change it now or wait until my warranty is about to expire and then change it? My battery still runs at about 3 or 3.5 hours at full charge and I'm happy with it but I just don't want it die on me out of the blue while working.

Thank you Rod. Much appreciated.