recyclemac

By Lorin Evans
MacRecycleClinic

Most of the portable computers donated to the MacRecycleClinic contain a main battery with some life left in it. We wish each had more, but that is not always the case. You want to manage the life of your battery so that it has as long a usable life as possible.

Here are some tips to help you gain the most life from your MacBook battery:

• Your Macintosh laptop uses a lithium-ion battery. It works best when you discharge it for a little bit, then charge it back to slightly less than full. Disconnect the MagSafe connector when fully charged.

• The battery has a finite number of charge cycles, after which its efficiency is sorely depleted. IF you let that happen, you may not be able to recharge it. The battery will last longer if you keep the battery above a 50 percent charge. Do not completely run down the battery. Do not let the battery die completely. If the battery is fully discharged, the battery can fall into a deep discharge state, and you will not be able to recharge it.

• Whenever possible, use the power adapter with your MacBook. That way you will always have full power when using your computer. Look at the MagSafe connector: the light is green when it is supplying power to a fully charged battery and orange when charging the battery. No light: no power!

• Always use the power adapter if you connect an external device that draws power from the computer. Otherwise those devices may drain the battery in your MacBook faster than normal.

• Your Macintosh gives you clues to the health of the battery in two locations. You can tell the percentage of remaining power by looking at the battery icon in the top right of your screen. Click on the battery icon and it will tell you how the battery feels. Another place to go for more detailed information about your the health of your battery is in the System Profiler. You can open the System Profiler by putting your mouse arrow on the black Apple at the top left of the screen. Scroll down to “About this Mac” and click on “System Report”. Go down to the “Power” section. Here you will see the battery’s health and cycle count.

It can happen that the power manager inside your computer – called the System Management Controller (SMC) – becomes confused. Among the symptoms are:

• the battery does not charge properly; or,
• the MagSafe green/orange status light does not reflect what the charger is doing.

Sometimes resetting the SMC will correct these problems. Apple has instructions on how to do that here.

Be sure to read the entire article so as to identify the instructions that pertain to your model MacBook.

When the battery finally fails to hold a charge, don’t throw it in the trash. Cover the terminals of the battery with tape to keep them from touching other metal objects. If they touch, the lithium-ion in the battery cells can begin to heat up resulting in a fire hazard. Dispose of it with the recycling services in your community.

You are now looking to replace the main battery. Here are some options:

• look on eBay, Amazon, or Craigslist for a used or third-party (house brand) battery for your MacBook. Those should not cost much; but you may not have as long a life with that battery.
• batteries sold under the name “NewerTech” by Other World Computing are an excellent value.
• buy a new genuine Apple replacement. It is the most expensive option, but you should get years of use from it if you manage the life of the battery carefully.