iBook battery strength

I've got it connected to an AC outlet and the battery strength dealie on the menu bar is showing 95%. Last night is said 96%. A couple days ago it was 97%
Melba’s Jammin' wrote on :

iBook 14" G4, OS 10.4.5. Right now I've got it connected to an AC outlet and the battery strength dealie on the menu bar is showing 95%. Last night is said 96%. A couple days ago it was 97% and it used to read 99%. I leave it on for extended periods of time (usually 2-3 days before I have reason to shut it down).

Can anyone tell me why the number is decreasing? And should I care?

Thanks.

Tom Stiller replied on :

In article barbs.challer-5FEC76.15051108032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

iBook 14" G4, OS 10.4.5. Right now I've got it connected to an AC outlet and the battery strength dealie on the menu bar is showing 95%. Last night is said 96%. A couple days ago it was 97% and it used to read 99%. I leave it on for extended periods of time (usually 2-3 days before I have reason to shut it down).

Can anyone tell me why the number is decreasing? And should I care?

Maybe not related but I have a ClamShell iBook in which I installed a replacement battery from BTI. After a few weeks of operation it began to stop accepting a charge (green ring) even though the battery indicator showed less than 100% (e.g. 85%). If the battery were physically removed and replaces, it would charge (orange ring) for about 5 minutes and then stop charging (green ring), regardless of the actual state of charge. The battery was guaranteed for a year, and was replaced or repaired by the manufacturer 6 times before the year was up.
It still won't charge unless it is removed and reinserted, and then for only 5 minutes at a time.

Gregory Weston replied on :

In article barbs.challer-5FEC76.15051108032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

iBook 14" G4, OS 10.4.5. Right now I've got it connected to an AC outlet and the battery strength dealie on the menu bar is showing 95%. Last night is said 96%. A couple days ago it was 97% and it used to read 99%. I leave it on for extended periods of time (usually 2-3 days before I have reason to shut it down).

Can anyone tell me why the number is decreasing? And should I care?

When's the last time you let the battery run all the way down? (Really all the way, btw.) Apple recommends doing that a couple of times a year to keep the estimate calibrated.

G

Melba’s Jammin' replied on :

In article uce-22B7CC.20072908032006@redacted.invalid, Gregory Weston uce@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-5FEC76.15051108032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

iBook 14" G4, OS 10.4.5. Right now I've got it connected to an AC outlet and the battery strength dealie on the menu bar is showing 95%. Last night is said 96%. A couple days ago it was 97% and it used to read 99%. I leave it on for extended periods of time (usually 2-3 days before I have reason to shut it down).

Can anyone tell me why the number is decreasing? And should I care?

When's the last time you let the battery run all the way down? (Really all the way, btw.) Apple recommends doing that a couple of times a year to keep the estimate calibrated.

G

I've run it down to about 30 minutes a couple times in the last couple weeks.

Pat replied on :

In article barbs.challer-1CC5CE.20301808032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

I've run it down to about 30 minutes a couple times in the last couple weeks.

Not enough. Run it all the way down. Disable sleep in the energy saver control panel and run the computer on battery until it shuts down, then connect it to power until the battery is fully charged. Now you've calibrated the battery and the charge level should go to 99 or 100%.

Melba’s Jammin' replied on :

In article not-C7013A.23202008032006@redacted.invalid, Pat not@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-1CC5CE.20301808032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

I've run it down to about 30 minutes a couple times in the last couple weeks.

Not enough. Run it all the way down. Disable sleep in the energy saver control panel and run the computer on battery until it shuts down, then connect it to power until the battery is fully charged. Now you've calibrated the battery and the charge level should go to 99 or 100%.

Thanks.

Melba’s Jammin' replied on :

In article barbs.challer-8AE49B.08320409032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article not-C7013A.23202008032006@redacted.invalid, Pat not@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-1CC5CE.20301808032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

I've run it down to about 30 minutes a couple times in the last couple weeks.

Not enough. Run it all the way down. Disable sleep in the energy saver control panel and run the computer on battery until it shuts down, then connect it to power until the battery is fully charged. Now you've calibrated the battery and the charge level should go to 99 or 100%.

Thanks.

Running to dead did the trick. I'm now seeing 99% again. Thanks again, Greg and Pat.

Gregory Weston replied on :

In article barbs.challer-BE9804.18214909032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-8AE49B.08320409032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article not-C7013A.23202008032006@redacted.invalid, Pat not@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-1CC5CE.20301808032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

I've run it down to about 30 minutes a couple times in the last couple weeks.

Not enough. Run it all the way down. Disable sleep in the energy saver control panel and run the computer on battery until it shuts down, then connect it to power until the battery is fully charged. Now you've calibrated the battery and the charge level should go to 99 or 100%.

Thanks.

Running to dead did the trick. I'm now seeing 99% again. Thanks again, Greg and Pat.

Happy to help. It's not one of the more obvious or widely publicized quirks.

DCapple replied on :

Not enough. Run it all the way down. Disable sleep in the energy saver control panel and run the computer on battery until it shuts down, then connect it to power until the battery is fully charged. Now you've calibrated the battery and the charge level should go to 99 or 100%.

i read in the other forum that his MacBook's is overheating on the battery side...is this normal?

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Gregory Weston replied on :

In article u1141983498@redacted.invalid, epalqueen@redacted.invalid (DCapple) wrote:

Not enough. Run it all the way down. Disable sleep in the energy saver control panel and run the computer on battery until it shuts down, then connect it to power until the battery is fully charged. Now you've calibrated the battery and the charge level should go to 99 or 100%.

i read in the other forum that his MacBook's is overheating on the battery side...is this normal?

If it's "over"heating it's not normal. Whether what the person you saw is seeing is normal or not depends, though, on what they mean when they describe it as overheating.

David C. replied on :

epalqueen@redacted.invalid (DCapple) writes:

i read in the other forum that his MacBook's is overheating on the battery side...is this normal?

Actual overheating - meaning the system spontaneously shuts off to prevent hardware damage - is never normal.

Some people, howeevr, call it "overheating" whenever the fans rev up to full speed. This is not overheating, but simply a sign that it is hotter than normal. This can happen if the computer is doing some heavy processing or if the ambient temperature is high, or if the ventillation is blocked. It is not a sign of anything terrible.

-- David

Melba’s Jammin' replied on :

In article barbs.challer-BE9804.18214909032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-8AE49B.08320409032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article not-C7013A.23202008032006@redacted.invalid, Pat not@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-1CC5CE.20301808032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

I've run it down to about 30 minutes a couple times in the last couple weeks.

Not enough. Run it all the way down. Disable sleep in the energy saver control panel and run the computer on battery until it shuts down, then connect it to power until the battery is fully charged. Now you've calibrated the battery and the charge level should go to 99 or 100%.

Thanks.

Running to dead did the trick. I'm now seeing 99% again. Thanks again, Greg and Pat.

And since yesterday afternoon (about 24 hours after I was back up to 99%), I'm back at 97%. :-(

Gregory Weston replied on :

In article barbs.challer-3B2468.07462511032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

Running to dead did the trick. I'm now seeing 99% again. ...

And since yesterday afternoon (about 24 hours after I was back up to 99%), I'm back at 97%. :-(

Out of curiosity, how old is the battery?

Melba’s Jammin' replied on :

In article uce-D7798C.09325011032006@redacted.invalid, Gregory Weston uce@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-3B2468.07462511032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

Running to dead did the trick. I'm now seeing 99% again. ...

And since yesterday afternoon (about 24 hours after I was back up to 99%), I'm back at 97%. :-(

Out of curiosity, how old is the battery?

Five months. iBook purchased early October.

Gregory Weston replied on :

In article barbs.challer-08E003.08342711032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article uce-D7798C.09325011032006@redacted.invalid, Gregory Weston uce@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-3B2468.07462511032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

Running to dead did the trick. I'm now seeing 99% again. ...

And since yesterday afternoon (about 24 hours after I was back up to 99%), I'm back at 97%. :-(

Out of curiosity, how old is the battery?

Five months. iBook purchased early October.

Since you've done the calibration thing, if a battery that new isn't reliably getting or holding a full charge I'd be looking into getting it swapped.

Melba’s Jammin' replied on :

In article uce-47FE3F.06540112032006@redacted.invalid, Gregory Weston uce@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-08E003.08342711032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article uce-D7798C.09325011032006@redacted.invalid, Gregory Weston uce@redacted.invalid wrote:

In article barbs.challer-3B2468.07462511032006@redacted.invalid, Melba's Jammin' barbs.challer@redacted.invalid wrote:

Running to dead did the trick. I'm now seeing 99% again. ...

And since yesterday afternoon (about 24 hours after I was back up to 99%), I'm back at 97%. :-(

Out of curiosity, how old is the battery?

Five months. iBook purchased early October.

Since you've done the calibration thing, if a battery that new isn't reliably getting or holding a full charge I'd be looking into getting it swapped.

Thanks, Greg. When the numbers started going downb again, (It was at 95%) a couple hours ago, I decided I would do just that. I'll take it to the Apple Store at the Mall of America this week and talk to them about it.