I've a MacBook Pro, early 2008, running OS 10.6.8.

It has started to shut down without warning after about 20 minutes of battery use. It tells me I should have about 1 hour use. I know I need to replace the battery as it is telling me, but is there more hardware at fault here? I would have expected the battery life to simply become shorter over time, and not just cut out unexpectedly. I've tried resetting the SMC but to no avail. Here is the battery info...

Model Information:
Manufacturer: SMP
Device name: ASMB014
Pack Lot Code: 0002
PCB Lot Code: 0000
Firmware Version: 0110
Hardware Revision: 0500
Cell Revision: 0102
Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh): 1484
Fully charged: Yes
Charging: No
Full charge capacity (mAh): 1512

Health Information:
Cycle count: 625
Condition: Replace Now
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): -1221
Voltage (mV): 12282

Any thoughts?
Dan

Does it only do it on battery?.. I assume plugging in the PSU keeps it alive?..
Looks like the battery has coughed it's last anyway. You've had 625 charge cycles out of it apparently which is probably about right.
The battery capacity will drop off fairly sharply once it has reached a certain point until it doesn't respond at all. Best to replace it



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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

Yes, It's fine when it's plugged in. Just cuts out without warning when using the battery. I know I have to replace the battery, it's just the unexpected, sudden shutdown that concerns me. Is it cutting out purely because it needs a new battery, or is there an additional reason it would die without warning?

Thanks for your help.
Dan

It's quite normal, the battery life does not follow a linear response and you can expect a sharp drop off towards the end of it's life.
Just a word of warning, certain Macbook PSUs are only rated to CHARGE the battery.. when the battery dies completely, the MBP will sometimes draw more power than the PSU is happy with which can lead to premature PSU failure.



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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

Thanks for the PSU heads-up. I've just ordered a new battery. The tech support confirmed the slump in performance towards the end of a battery's life, which would explain the sudden cutting out.

Thanks again for your help, Chevy. Although Apple support usually seems very good, I always find it a help to cross-refer on this forum.

Dan

Unfortunately Apple considers this normal behavior for a battery that's end of life... In both our Macbook Pro's I had this problem and both of them are already using their 3rd battery! Lucky for me, the first 3 years battery problems are covered by AppleCare. However that doesn't help me any more...

What I hate about this is that Apple forces you to buy a new battery because the mag-safe connector easily gets disconnected when you're not working at a desk and then the Mac suddenly dies and all unsaved work is lost..... If only you would get a warning or the Mac goes to sleep mode...

To be fair even Nasa consider batteries to be a "dark science". Nobody can predict or guarantee how long a battery will last. Too many variables in how they are charged/discharged. I worked for a hospital for a couple of years maintaing the electronic medical equipment. Most of the bedside equipment has battery back-up in case of power failure or if the bed needs to be moved with the patient still "connected". Now as it happens the battery is rarely used in everyday use and it just sits there charged. Trouble is some batteries don't like this and die without anyone one knowing - until your being moved to another hospital and the battery dies on route....

To be fair to the nhs someone did realise could happen and asked us to devise a system so the batteries could be changed before they could fail.... yes, nobody wanted to put their name on that system - it was passed down the chain until it got to me, I had nobody beneath me. After calling the battery manufactures I gave up. Ended up telling them to change all batteries once every two years regardless, a time span I just pulled out the air. Well, it was better than no system! Thing is the batteries were expensive and for the most part ok, and it is very difficult to actually test them on the wards. That was at St Mary's hospital in 1999 and I left just after - hope it worked out!

So I have total sympathy for any manufacturer dealing with batteries and trying to give some kind of guarantee to the customer. It's just the way batteries are.

Yep, I've had the same issue on my last two Apple laptops. New battery sorted it both times.

I have the same issue just went to the apple store, I have the applecare. They told me that as my battery had more than 300 (409) charge cycle it was not taken under warranty.
I would like to know of you who had their replaced what were the cycles number, cause I might try to get another appointment to try my luck again.

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TSL PPM meter for sale PM if interested.

Apple Premium Reseller iCentre in Uitgeest, The Netherlands gave me 2 new batteries for both of our MacBook Pro's. They checked the batteries with a special test device, but did not mention cycle count...

I don't know how their service is nowadays (they changed of owner), but for the last 20 years they provided outstanding service!

Nevertheless, that's over here in Holland ...