MacOS

[Symbiotic]

I've got a TiBook 667Mhz. I just noticed today that I'm getting about 40 minutes of battery life now. I don't know what it was before - but it was much better than that. Granted the thing is a few years old, but what would cause a sudden decrease in battery life?

I do have an Airport card running, and I know that does draw more power. And running Omniweb with 6 tabs at a time is power-consuming as well...but I'm sitting here watching the percentage go down by the minute!

Any ideas?

[Boogs]

get a new one. you were probably just going to use that $150 for food anyway.

seriously, it seems to me that when they go, they go.

[edeye]

if you keep it plugged in constantly your battery will go quicker.

Buy a new battery. My mom bought one for her iBook and it now lasts longer than the old original battery.

[Symbiotic]

That's gotta be it, then. I have it plugged in about 90% of the time...

Well, since I'm not traveling with it much at present, I'll hold off on getting a new battery for awhile. But when I'm ready to sell it or if I decide to keep it as a Logic "node" or a web server I'll likely replace the battery. Thanks for the info.

[cybermooks]

Apple batteries really suck. I've had two pb fail completely after awhile; fortunately one is still under warranty. It is a real nuisance getting tangled up in a power cord though and when the battery is shot you have the danger of just getting shut down if you yank the cord the wrong way.

Anyone know any generic subs?

[Symbiotic]

www.macsales.com has some good ones from NewerTech. But they are $150 or so.

[Flaat]

Originally posted by edeye
if you keep it plugged in constantly your battery will go quicker.

Buy a new battery. My mom bought one for her iBook and it now lasts longer than the old original battery.

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread, but I think this is still on topic..;

does this mean it is better to charge your portable and use it with your battery than to actually plug it in and run it from the mains?

[Boogs]

Originally posted by 3DMC
www.macsales.com has some good ones from NewerTech. But they are $150 or so.

yeah, those ones look great.

[Boogs]

Originally posted by Explorer


Sorry for hi-jacking the thread, but I think this is still on topic..;

does this mean it is better to charge your portable and use it with your battery than to actually plug it in and run it from the mains?

well, it's better for the battery if you leave the laptop plugged in, but take the battery out so it's not constantly being charged... that's what really smokes'em. what happens is that batteries lose their charge even when they are not being used, so when you have your battery in the laptop every time the machine senses it's charge dip below "full", it charges it back up. these fractional charges wear out the battery.

yep, batteries pretty much suck.

[Flaat]

Originally posted by Boogs


well, it's better for the battery if you leave the laptop plugged in, but take the battery out so it's not constantly being charged... that's what really smokes'em. what happens is that batteries lose their charge even when they are not being used, so when you have your battery in the laptop every time the machine senses it's charge dip below "full", it charges it back up. these fractional charges wear out the battery.

yep, batteries pretty much suck.

I see.. well, as long as you can keep it plugged in with the battery out, everythings jolly good!

[K-Chuck]

3DMC, did you try to recalibrate your battery power settings?

Let the battery run all the way down so that the computer shuts off. Then, let the battery charge fully.

It seems I've read about this on the internet, but it may just be a bogus myth. I haven't had the need to try it myself.

[Symbiotic]

Yes - I actually calibrate it that way every few months. But in the interim I just leave it plugged in. I think I just wore the battery out as described above by the repeated "topping off" charges.

I'm not really going to worry about it until - and if - I decide to sell it. It is too late to save it by taking it out of the 'book, so I'm not going to worry about taking it out now.