Macbook Question

[Danny99]

To all the tech-savvy members of TrekBBS!

I have a 13" Macbook I bought in February of 2009. Recently, it began to shut off with 15-20% left in the battery. It wouldn't restart unless I plugged it into the charger.

I e-mailed a local store, who said it might be a logic board issue. I took it to another local store, which said it was only the battery. Both are approved Mac technicians according to the Apple websites.

However, I am looking for more advice. Possibly it's a simpler problem that can be easily fixed.

Thoughts? Comments?

PS: I have run all the Software Updates it has asked me to.

 

[Small White Car]

Go here and click the big purple download button.

That'll download a widget. Run it in Dashboard and click the little 'i' to flip it over. In the settings, find the 'sections' tab and make sure you have the 'battery' turned on. Then click done to flip it back over.

Now, under the battery section, what does 'Health' say? If it's over 90% then your problem is probably not the battery. The lower that percentage is, the better the chance the problem IS the battery.

 

[Danny99]

So 52% isn't good I take it.

 

[Small White Car]

So 52% isn't good I take it.

Well, it's not good for the battery but that's excellent news for you since batteries are FAR cheaper than logic boards!

 

[spinnerlys]

Can you also post the cycle count?

52% is kinda bad, my almost two year old MB still has 93% health.

Do you still have warranty?

If so, inform yourself about getting the battery replaced, as Apple has a policy of exchanging batteries with less than 80% health in under 300 cycles, but I don't really know if it applies to the second year of ownership, even if you have warranty.

You can also use http://mroogle.edesignuk.com/ to search a Mac related forum called forums.macrumors.com .

 

[the Dagman]

It does sound like a battery issue. As your own work around, plugging it into the charger, helps to confirm. When you plug in the charger the Macbook's default power switches from the battery to the wall plug. Basically, disconnecting the battery while it is charging. So you have fixed the problem by swapping out your power sources, thus tracing the problem to the battery. Your battery test confirmed this.

Stay away from the tech who said it was the logic board. That sounds like a problematic shop. Either incompetence or unsavory sales and diagnostic techniques or a combination of the two is what they sound like to me. It's an old school PC tech trick to always quote a logic board for a problem you really don't know how to fix. Mainly because it is such a big repair that in disassembling and reassembling the computer they stand a fair chance of catching the real problem which they fix along the way, selling you a extra part or three, and substantiating their original inspection and diagnosis by having a working computer when they finish. That you had to buy extra parts and pay for five times the amount of labor it should have taken to fix it is beside the point. Not a big deal if you are still covered by AppleCare. You'll eventually get it fixed. But if you're out of warranty, stay away from such places. They are money pits.

 

[Warp Coil]

I agree that it's likely a battery issue. Sounds like your one-year manufacturer's warranty just ran out. Did you buy Applecare? At least you wouldn't have to pay for it.

 

[Danny99]

Per request:

Model Information:
Serial Number: SMP-bq20z951-3997-e2f
Manufacturer: SMP
Device name: bq20z951
Pack Lot Code: 0000
PCB Lot Code: 0000
Firmware Version: 002a
Hardware Revision: 000a
Cell Revision: 0100
Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh): 1001
Fully charged: No
Charging: No
Full charge capacity (mAh): 1814
Health Information:
Cycle count: 453
Condition: Poor
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): -1076
Voltage (mV): 11406

I did get Applecare, but was told the battery warranty is limited to one year or 300 cycles, depending on what comes first. I do have Applecare through February 2012, so if it turns out being more, I can deal with it.

I was surprised yet relieved to hear about the logic board "fraud." I am not tech savvy as I said earlier and the only reason I was considering going to see that tech was that the computer turns off at 20% battery. I have gone to the other tech in the area and am getting a new battery on May 17th, the earliest he can get them in.