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

If you have a removable battery the warranted cycle number is 300 with residual capacity 80%.

If the battery is built-in the warranted cycle number is 1000 with residual capacity 80%.

If you don't make these combinations you have a potential claim for battery replacement.

Swollen batteries should always be a claim if you haven't reached these stats.

Neville

Same problem here. Battery no longuer charging after SL upgrade.
This while it was a new battery...

Battery Information:

Model Information:
Manufacturer: Sony
Device name: ASMB012
Pack Lot Code: 0001
PCB Lot Code: 0000
Firmware Version: 0110
Hardware Revision: 0500
Cell Revision: 0303
Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh): 0
Fully charged: No
Charging: No
Full charge capacity (mAh): 282
Health Information:
Cycle count: 46
Condition: Check Battery
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): 0
Voltage (mV): 11910

I am not able to boot in 64 bit mode (most likely ause of a european keyboard with numbers requiring the shift button when pressing 6+4 and also the plist modification is not possible because the file does not save after modification)

recalibrating my battery made the annoying warning go away. max charge was previously 37something, now is 4265mAh. 280 cycles... here's hoping.

I have got the same problem as you guys and I am trying to read most of the thread but its a lot to read(!). Could someone give me a re-cap of the latest solutions?

MacBook Pro 3 years old with a new battery. Same problem with both batteries (Service Battery). Did a SMC reset and NVRAM reset. How do you guys do the calibration-thing? Have noticed the fans are going crazy after update.

My first day at work tomorrow. Have been using my iPad/iPhone during my whole 6 week vacation so I noticed now when I got back about this problem. So I really need to get it solved. Dont want to send in the computer for repair.

Martin, when threads get long like this one it's a good idea to start a new thread.

For battery calibration read this Apple article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1490

The purpose of this is to enable System Profiler & other similar applications to give a more accurate reading of battery state. All batteries vary somewhat when new hence this is a good thing to do. After the initial calibration it's not really necessary to do a recalibration more often than monthly. With very heavy battery usage it might be necessary a little sooner and with low battery usage it might not need to be done even monthly.

Once you have calibrated then you are in a position to consider your battery's performance. Note that the magsafe adaptor can also be a problem so if you have charging problems with a new battery you should have this checked out.

Neville

Thanks!

My battery was bad and I got it replaced with AppleCare. Im using my MBP a lot with MagSafe plugged in. I heard this could hurt The battery. IS that true?

In general terms it's not bad to use your MBP with the power adaptor plugged in. It is helpful though to use it moderately regularly for a while not plugged in. This helps to keep the 'chemicals' active.

Note that even plugged in the computer will use the battery to supplement the power from the Magsafe. This is why the battery drops to about 95% charge then the recharging cuts in. Used on battery alone the brightness will probably be dimmed somewhat and sleep will usually cut in sooner. As well, some processes are slower on battery power alone. I'm not too familiar with all the benefits of Magsafe power as well as battery power compared with battery alone.

Personally I use my MBP mainly connected to mains. One thing this will also do is limit the cycle count increase compared with those who use theirs mainly on battery. I understand very well that many users need to use their MBP mainly on battery because they have different needs. They will of course reach their Apple-claimed cycle count much sooner and perhaps need to replace their battery much sooner too.

Neville

yes, those things apply to me, I should have warranty.
yet, when I went to the store they said my battery was a peripheral and only had 3 months of warranty!

apparently, mine currently holds 67% (the message "service battery" is displaying at the moment) but it's healthy when the message is not displayed.
It had only 224 loadcycles and even less when the message started appearing (my guess is 150ish).

Robin, the issue is Apple's claimed battery performance. The 3-mth warranty is only a guide effectively - but is also why I always recommend buying the extended Applecare warranty on portables before 12 mths is up. This extends the battery warranty as well as other issues.

Try again but with somebody more senior and go to Apple Customer Care if the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction.

Neville

Hi All

I have found this thread fascinating because my experiences of MBP battery failure seems atypical judging by the evidence contained within this thread.

My original battery developed a fault after 133 cycles (367 days) and was exchanged by a UK Apple retailer (Dabs.com) free of charge. My second battery, the one whose parameters is shown below, is getting on in battery years but still able to support my MBP for 2.5 to 3hrs with the brightness reduced. I don't know if my battery will reach or even exceed a Cycle Count of 1000 but judging by current performance it should get pretty close.

I have been running with Snow Leopard almost since the day it was released in the UK. I have not noticed any battery degradation due to this O/S. I have also not found it necessary to reset the SMC, recalibrate the battery or perform any of the other handful of maintenance activities.

I have the A1189 battery which gets pretty hot during charging but it has never displayed any tendency to swell or buckle. Am I just lucky?

I have heard rumours of a higher capacity replacement battery for my MBP but have so far failed to identify the manufacturer. Any forum member know who they are? I don't it is Sony but NuPower seems to ring a few bells with me. I recall they manufactured new high capacity batteries for my Lombard Powerbook.

Model Information:
Manufacturer: SMP
Device name: ASMB014
Pack Lot Code: 0002
PCB Lot Code: 0000
Firmware Version: 102a
Hardware Revision: 0500
Cell Revision: 0102
Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh): 5182
Fully charged: Yes
Charging: No
Full charge capacity (mAh): 5182
Health Information:
Cycle count: 501
Condition: Normal
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): 129
Voltage (mV): 12609

REGARDS

Phil

hi i've been experiencing the same problem since when i first moved from Leopard to SL back in September 2009. I've a pre unibody MBP, it started failing when it still was around 140 cycles...I don't get the shutdown without warning, but the battery perfomance dropped to 1 hour or so, now i've 300 cycles.
My battery was already replaced by Apple in the first year warranty, but when i went to an Apple Reseller last year, they said the battery is bad, and they suggested me to buy a new one, the battery was 8-10 months old at that time.

any further info?
thank you

Andrea

I have 271 cycles and 3976mAh out of 5500mAh according to *coconut battery* (72% capacity).
I have a +*service battery warning*+ when I click on the battery icon in the menu bar.
Is this something that Apple will replace for no charge?
I'd hate to have to buy a new battery. It was already replaced once because of the recall.
KB fix didn't help me either.

-Note: Windows 7 gives me no such warnings. Don't know if it would though. Snow Leopard does, however.

You will only find out by asking but my guess is that it might be difficult. Nevertheless it's worth a try on the basis of my 2nd point.

• I guess your Mac is out of warranty, even if you had Applecare extended warranty. If not, you have a better chance.

• Technically your battery has failed to reach Apple's claimed minimum performance standard, therefore they ought to replace it for free. They claim remaining capacity of at least 80% after 300 cycles.

Neville

Thank you. Yes, the battery was replaced during the 2006 recall, so it's pretty old. The MBP is mostly used in a desktop environment, so it never really gets to cycle (I don't know if that adversely effects it - some people say yes, others no).
I will give the Genius Bar a try if I can be sure I won't be wasting my time. I hate waiting in that place.
I wish there was a way to talk to them for free. I'm pretty sure I'd have to pay for a phone call. Correct me if I'm wrong.

My battery is not even 16 month and within a week capacity dropped to 25%. Took my laptop to genius bar, "The battery is defective, however since its outside our 1 year warranty you have to a buy a new one." Very disappointed it appears they might have a problem with their batteries/power management system. I am pretty reasonable and understand computer equipment might failed days after production. That said, if it happens to significant number of people, we've got a lemon on our hand.

*My solution is pretty simple, taking my biz elsewhere.*

Message was edited by: ALQ9m38f