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User profile for user: MBAmol
MBAmol Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Does keeping power adapter connected decrease battery life?

I recently bought a Macbook Air and needed some tips to keep it's battery healthy. Now I know that the battery has limited cycles before it goes down to less than 80% charge capacity. But if I keep my adapted connected as much time as possible, to reduce the number of those cycle counts, will it harm it battery? What is best way to keep the battery running healthy for long time - charging it once a day or using it with adapted connected most of the times?


Thanks in adavnce.

MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2012), Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jun 16, 2012 7:58 AM

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User profile for user: captfred
captfred
User level: Level 7
26,422 points

Posted on Jun 16, 2012 8:02 AM

I use mine with the charger attached whenever power is handy and use the battery when it's not. This reduces the cycle count considerably. I also did this with my original 2008 air and it's still going strong. The battery should be used from time to time, in other words not 100% on charger. There's no longer any battery "memory" to contend with.

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User profile for user: captfred
captfred
User level: Level 7
26,422 points

Jun 16, 2012 8:02 AM in response to MBAmol

I use mine with the charger attached whenever power is handy and use the battery when it's not. This reduces the cycle count considerably. I also did this with my original 2008 air and it's still going strong. The battery should be used from time to time, in other words not 100% on charger. There's no longer any battery "memory" to contend with.

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User profile for user: dwb
dwb
User level: Level 7
32,920 points

Jun 16, 2012 5:14 PM in response to MBAmol

Apple recommends that you use the battery occasionally. During the school year that's no problem for me, the battery gets used almost daily, but during the summer I might go for weeks without ever needing to unplug it. When I got my first unibody MBP several years back I set a repeating reminder for one Saturday a month to unplug it and let the battery 'get some exercise'. The MBP will be 2 years old in September and it still going strong. I'm treating my new MBA the same way.

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User profile for user: hawleyrw
hawleyrw
User level: Level 3
629 points

Jun 16, 2012 7:16 PM in response to MBAmol

I have an opinion on this. I work daily with laptops hundreds of laptops from multiple vendors (as a support lead) for a large corporation. I've found that leaving a device charging all the time never good on the battery. This is not limited to just laptops.


I've had SO many people come to me and ask the question "how come my battery doesn't

hold a charge, I leave it plugged in all the time, so I don't even use the battery". I tell them that IS the reason why it won't hold a charge.


Batteries are meant to discharge and charge again on a regular basis - that's what their built for. The newer battery materials don't have the memory issues that previous materiels did, BUT my experience shows a battery holds the best charge when you charge it, use it to a reasonable state of discharge (as much as is convenient for you), then charge it again. Once it's charge, unplug and use the battery again.


Especially with a device like we have here, where the battery isn't user replaceable - most important.


My 2 cents...


Cheers!

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Does keeping power adapter connected decrease battery life?

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