Q: MacBook Pro 2011 Battery Re-Charging Issue

I added Facetime to the mix, no issues.

Now, the reason I stumbled across this forum was that earlier today, not doing anything particularly cumbersome, my battery change got down to 97% and the magsafe light went orange.

So, perhaps there are times when the battery is used to supplement power.

BTW, flash causes problems for lots of browsers and computers. It's awful software that is pure spaghetti code. HTML5 is the solution.

15", hires anti glare (1680x1050).

Also, an external DVI-D monitor running at 1920x1200

900 pounds, Thats a REALLY heavy display.

Varoudis wrote:

 

I think the problem is even bigger when Im using the Apple Thunderbult display... which is stupid for a 900 pounds display...

 

Anyone tested Charger VS TB Display?

I havn't noticed the issue for a while actually.

I normally got it when running several VMs at a time, The VMs arn't flat out but they are doing stuff.

Maybe it is fixed now.

I am running macbook pro 10.7.2 2.3 GH i7 with 8 GB of ram. Running external display at 3840 x 1200.

I can make the problem happen without external display.  I have even tried forcing integrated display only with no luck.

The odd thing is is not consistent.  Running apps once its fine, running them a second time and the problem pops up again. 

BTW, if this problem didn't exist, given the wattage of the magsafe, the alternative would be for the macbook to turn off under very heavy load. Or, like older Unix systems, start indiscriminately killing processes.

It's pretty amazing that they designed the circuitry to pull in power from the battery even when on AC.

Whether the discrete GPU option is checked or not I found that chatting with someone on Skype using the iSight HD camera will throw it into not charging relitively quickly.  Not only will it throw it into that status, it will drain the battery as well.  I have to quit the "Video Call." With quitting it, I don't have to cancel the current call (I just have to cut what is being projected through the iSight), then battery will begin to charge.  Only after I quit the video feed on my end.

I've also had the problem using Parallels Desktop 7, although it is much more difficult to replicate.

The Skype Video Call test is a surefire way for me to replicate this issue.

I am running the same firmware as you jerrythea:

Model Identifier:            MacBookPro8,2

Processor Name:            Intel Core i7

Processor Speed:           2.5 GHz

Boot ROM Version:        MBP81.0047.B24

SMC Version (system):   1.69f3

Software:                      10.7.2 (11C74)

jerrythea wrote:

 

BTW, if this problem didn't exist, given the wattage of the magsafe, the alternative would be for the macbook to turn off under very heavy load. Or, like older Unix systems, start indiscriminately killing processes.

 

It's pretty amazing that they designed the circuitry to pull in power from the battery even when on AC.

Even more amazing that it still happens in the late 2011 models.

Has anyone reported this as a bug to apple using the online form?

I've reported a few issues or things that annoy me and some have been changed or fixed, What luck :-)

just because this is an apple form doesn't mean apple are reading it.

I don't think i've recorded a bug because my laptop has never drained completly and powered off.

I had facetime running during my test, and it starts a live video feed using the Facetime HD camera.

Apple is more and more moving towards a model whereby issues that occur using non-Apple software and hardware take much less precendence. So, Skype, Firefox, etc, they can say that they don't stress test their machines with that software, but with Safari and Facetime.

I know, it's a closed system, but that is what has made Apple so successful. When they control the ecosystem, they can make it 'just work'.

Again, the  alternative would be to turn the macbook off. That seems a lot more extreme then using up battery or indiscrimantely killing processes.

If your software is so stressing the machine, that the provided power is not enough to run it, what would you have it do?

I was quite alarmed when this happened to me earlier today, but based on this recent discussion, I feel that Apple is doing just the right thing given their other alternatives:

1. Provide higher wattage magsafe - This gives everyone more power and heat, despite the fact that many users are not like 'us'.
2. Kill processes that are using too much power (i.e. CPU/GPU)
3. Run out of power and die.

jerrythea wrote:

 

Apple is more and more moving towards a model whereby issues that occur using non-Apple software and hardware take much less precendence. So, Skype, Firefox, etc, they can say that they don't stress test their machines with that software, but with Safari and Facetime.

 

I know, it's a closed system, but that is what has made Apple so successful. When they control the ecosystem, they can make it 'just work'.

 

Again, the  alternative would be to turn the macbook off. That seems a lot more extreme then using up battery or indiscrimantely killing processes.

 

If your software is so stressing the machine, that the provided power is not enough to run it, what would you have it do?

 

Thats just so wrong. These machines should be able to run at 100% for as long as they need to. There is no "duty cycle" with computers, there never has been and there never should be.

If it needed more power to run they should have hardened the F up and given it more power, these machines are high end workhorse laptops aimed specificilly at the demanding professional.

They are not lollypop MSN or facebook clients. (unless your a teenager and your parents spoil you with things you clearly don't match what you use it for)

Agreed, I just want to bring this issue to light and hopefully if enough people are having it, Apple will act.  I totally understand Apple being "a closed system," but that doesn't mean the MBP can act like this under normal use.  Besides Skype is used by many corporations, including Apple.

It's all about trade-offs and making as much of your customer base as happy as you can, while also keeping costs down.

If they designed the machines to run at 100% usage while on AC, then all their customers would have to live with the larger power brick and heat.

They still have a desktop, Mac Pro. So, as long as they don't kill that (which they might) there is always a solution for those who need 100% power and 100% uptime at the same time. This is designed for a permanent setting, like a studio, etc.

I am glad I got a laptop. I have this discussion with my son all the time. Laptops can only have 1 hard drive (although I plan on adding a second). The CPU's get much hotter. The ventilation isn't as good. The fan is much noisier. They are not as customizable. I could go on and on about the compromises one makes with a laptop.

But, they are portable and can run on battery when I travel. That's the key.

jerrythea wrote:

 

It's all about trade-offs and making as much of your customer base as happy as you can, while also keeping costs down.

 

If they designed the machines to run at 100% usage while on AC, then all their customers would have to live with the larger power brick and heat.

 

The 17" macbook already has a bigger power supply than the 13"

If the users isn't taxing their laptop much then i don't see how they'd get more head by having more capacity, if anything the heat should be less.

Maybe if you had the 17" macbook you'd have more power troubles like the rest of us have had.

I think they just didn't want to change the power supply because i could certainly live with something 1cm or so bigger, it wouldn't take much to give it a few more watts.

I've got a 15" MacBook pro.

Is there a difference in the power supply between 15" and 17" ?

jerrythea wrote:

 

I've got a 15" MacBook pro.

 

Is there a difference in the power supply between 15" and 17" ?

I'm not sure, I think 15" is also an 85W, it sais it on the side of the power supply.