About MacBook Pro Battery
The MacBook Pro has a newly designed 95 watt hour Lithium polymer battery. According to the Apple website, the battery can power 7 hours of wireless Internet browsing at a stretch, after a full recharge. Due to adaptive charging and improved internal design these batteries can last for more than 1000 discharge and recharge cycles. Apple advertises its MacBook batteries to last thrice as long as average notebook batteries. A large factor which affects the total life span of a battery is of course its usage.
The battery needs to be used frequently to maintain its efficiency. That's what battery calibration is all about. If you prefer using your notebook with power cord plugged in all the time, it is not going to do much good to the battery. Like a shoe needs to be worn to fit properly, a notebook battery must be used regularly to stay efficient. In the following section, I provide you with guidelines on MacBook Pro battery calibration which will help prevent the deterioration of the battery and lengthen its lifetime.
MacBook Pro Battery Calibration Procedure
Battery calibration is no esoteric ritual. It's a very simple procedure which you must carry out at least once a month. Here is the procedure for calibrating MacBook Pro battery. It is also applicable to PowerBook G4 and MacBook models.
Step 1: Charge Battery to Full Capacity
Using the 85W MagSafe power adapter, start charging the MacBook battery. Depending on the existing battery power level, this may take some time. Keep charging until the battery power level indicator displays full capacity. Another indicator signal of the battery being fully charged, is the LED on the adapter plug turning green.
Step 2: Use the Battery in Fully Charged State
Once its fully charged, don't remove the adapter immediately. For calibration, battery needs to stay in this charged condition for a considerable amount of time. For two hours, let the battery stay plugged in after full recharge. Meanwhile, you may continue working on it.
Step 3: Disconnect Power Plug & Continue Usage
After the stipulated two hours are over remove the power plug. Once you disconnect it, your MacBook Pro will start using its battery. Continue working on battery power.
Step 4: Let Battery Discharge Completely
After some hours, as you continue working, the battery power will eventually drain out and you will get a 'Low Power' indication. At this point save your work documents and continue usage.
Step 5: Switch Off Your MacBook For a Few Hours
At some point, the battery will exhaust its reserve power and automatically go into sleep mode. You can either let it stay that way until it switches off on its own or switch it off on your own.
Step 6: Recharge Again Till Full Capacity
Now that the battery has gone through a whole recharge and discharge cycle, you may reconnect the adapter and charge the battery back to full capacity. With that, the battery calibration is done!
If you implement the MacBook Pro battery calibration procedure regularly, you are bound to see performance improvement of the battery as it goes through a full discharging and charging cycle. Avoid using your MacBook with power plug connection all the time and use it on battery power once in a while. For more information on battery calibration, refer to the Apple website, which has detailed instructions.
0 Comments