Apple Laptop Batteries
June 18, 2008 | Doug, Tips & Tech
Disclaimer
We are not chemists, electrical engineers, or any other form of battery experts. This post is a direct response to requests for information. We’ve researched the questions we most commonly receive about Apple Laptop Batteries and condensed the results into a short post. With that in mind, we lead with our sources, to encourage further research. This information is only applicable to Lithium Ion batteries used in all current and recent Apple laptops.
Sources
- Battery Universe Guide, by Cadex, a manufacturer of batteries & chargers
- Apple’s official recommendations
- Wikipedia’s Li-Ion article
- Coconut Battery Program for Analyzing your Batteries
- How Stuff Works Article on Li-Ion
- SMC Fan Control 1.2 (we’ve tested this version on our 17″ MacBookPro running Tiger and Leopard)
- SMC Fan Control 2.1 (newer version we have not tested)
Conclusions
Go through at least one discharge cycle per month.
It does not matter if this is one full cycle at one time, or multiple partial cycles spread out throughout the month.
Calibrate the battery once a month.
This will improve the accuracy of the power meter in the menu bar, not the capacity of the battery. Calibration instructions.
Avoid storing batteries that are fully discharged.
If at all possible change to another battery before it is fully discharged.
Avoid storing fully-charged batteries in a hot place.
Leaving a fully charged battery in a hot car will reduce its capacity. This includes a fully charged battery in your computer. Removing the battery from a plugged-in computer is one option, but has severe drawbacks (imagine working on an important file when your mag-safe power adapter is pulled loose). Though not found in the sources, we note that a less extreme option is to raise the minimum speed of your internal fan using SMC Fan Control (Intel-Based Laptops only). This will keep your laptop cooler and should reduce the effect of heat on the maximum capacity of the battery. The effect of this program on the longevity of the internal fan is not known, but it has been running on one of our 17″ MacBookPros for two years.
For long term storage charge the battery to about half charge.
Apple recommends 50%, Cadex recommends 40%. The universal agreement is that storing batteries fully charged or fully depleted is a bad idea. Storage temperatures between room temperature and refrigerator temperature are acceptable. Freezing is not recommended.
Your battery should hold 80% of its original capacity for 300 charge cycles, but will drop quickly thereafter.
The drop in capacity is much faster after 300 cycles than before (capacity vs time is a downward curve). You can find the number of cycles by Apple > About-This-Mac > Power. You can also use Coconut Battery for a more user-friendly readout.
If your battery is dying prematurely Apple may replace it under warranty.
If your capacity is shot and you are not yet to 300 cycles take your computer to the Apple Store and ask if they can replace your battery. According to forum discussions the resulting compensation will vary from nothing to a free on-the-spot replacement.
Li-Ion Batteries have a shelf life regardless of storage method.
Cadex references 3 years as a normal shelf life but confirmation could not be found in other sources.
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June 26, 2008 | Charleston
June 13, 2008 | Landing pages
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Infrared Modified P45 plus
Capture Integration is pleased to announce immediate availability of a P45+ Infrared digital back for demonstration during the months of July and August. At the end of August we’ll be selling it at a discount (because it will have been used for demos), so if you’d like to try the best infrared digital back made, don’t delay.
At 39 megapixels this digital back is the highest resolution infrared camera on the market and creates absolutely stunning IR images. Our technician Doug Peterson, a long time fan of infrared films such as Macophot 820IR and SFX200, has been putting the camera through its paces. Below is a low resolution version of a shot taken by Doug this past weekend. You can also download a watermarked full-resolution JPG.
Update: Here are tests with various filters can be found.
Tech info on the shot after the jump.
Further discussion can be found on the GetDPI forum.
Continue reading Infrared Modified P45 plus…
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License Key Activation
June 5, 2008 | Doug, Tips & Tech
Owning a copy of Capture One Pro entitles you to using C1 on two computers. With the release of Capture One 4.1, Phase One has simplified the system that tracks and manages your use of Capture One installations. You can deactivate a particular installation from within Capture One or manage the keys remotely using your Phase One Profile at phaseone.com.
See this Activation Management article in the Phase One knowledge base for details.
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July 29, 2008 | South Beach
June 1, 2008 | upcoming seminars
Learn about the P65+ and the Phase One Tilt-Shift Lens
Have a Few Drinks. Meet Your Fellow Photographers.
RSVP Below for our Miami Beach Photo Get Together on July 29, 2008 at 6:30pm above The Color House.
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