Ifixit battery needs replacement after only 237 cycles

Question

MacBook Air 13" Mid 2012

1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache

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Egbert Kappert @egbertkappert

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Kho 9, 2024

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Ifixit battery needs replacement after only 237 cycles

2 years ago replaced my macbook airs battery with an ifixit one. I use the macbook daily, its generally very normal charged like I handle all my macbooks. It never runs hot and is used mainly for terminal work.

I usually replace macbook batteries for clients with an ifixit one, but this makes me wondering if I should look elsewhere, don't want clients to be disappointed after just around 250 cycles.

I did the nv/pram resets stuff and a reinstall of the OS to no effect.. It's sad.

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Dan @danj

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Self employed contract worker

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Kho 9, 2024

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Well clearly the battery is not good, but we also need to understand COVID effected the battery makers quite substantially! Between poor quality chemicals and components battery produced during COVID have not done well no matter where you bought it.

I would recommend you submit a request to the store to see what they can do to help you out. I’ve had to replace a few batteries do the quality issues and as I can get the batteries locally from a trusted supplier I can tell you they too have been effected.

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Thanks Dan, did what your recommended.

crwdns2934271:0Mha 2, 2024crwdnd2934271:0 Egbert Kappert crwdne2934271:0

Old thread but I didn't answer you. So I contacted the store and got this as a response:

"Our products are only covered by a warranty (see relevant product page) which ensures that you will be supported in the event of any performance issues. Unfortunately, tin your case the warranty expired."

So I will stop buying/using these ifixit batteries because it gives me a bad reputation with my clients.

crwdns2934271:0Nhl 18, 2024crwdnd2934271:0 Egbert Kappert crwdne2934271:0

@egbertkappert - Review your country’s warranty requirements, some are two years. Most battery sellers on the internet have a much shorter warranty, I wouldn’t bad mouth any seller because you (client) ran the battery too hard.

Look at it this way for two years this battery has had to burn a cycle every three days. Even I don’t go that far with my systems at best every week is about what I do, again, the idea is not to discharge the Lithium Ion battery so deep. As a rule of thumb no deeper than 2/3rds and hopefully let’s than a half. If this person is just not able to plug in then they need to get an external power bank.

crwdns2934271:0Nhl 19, 2024crwdnd2934271:0 Dan crwdne2934271:0

Did I bad mouth the seller? Or is that a warning..

crwdns2934271:0Nhl 19, 2024crwdnd2934271:0 Egbert Kappert crwdne2934271:0

@egbertkappert - Neither! Just making sure the limits of what’s possible, your expectations I think are out of step. As I explained I hit some bad batteries due to COVID. It was worth the try to see if iFixit was willing. If not then you need to accept the limitation. Running the battery hard is not a warranty issue.

crwdns2934271:0Nhl 19, 2024crwdnd2934271:0 Dan crwdne2934271:0

crwdns2934285:0crwdne2934285:0

Old thread but I didn't answer you. So I contacted the store and got this as a response:

"Our products are only covered by a warranty (see relevant product page) which ensures that you will be supported in the event of any performance issues. Unfortunately, tin your case the warranty expired."

So I will stop buying/using these ifixit batteries because it gives me a bad reputation with my clients. — Egbert Kappert
@egbertkappert - Review your country’s warranty requirements, some are two years. Most battery sellers on the internet have a much shorter warranty, I wouldn’t bad mouth any seller because you (client) ran the battery too hard.

Look at it this way for two years this battery has had to burn a cycle every three days. Even I don’t go that far with my systems at best every week is about what I do, again, the idea is not to discharge the Lithium Ion battery so deep. As a rule of thumb no deeper than 2/3rds and hopefully let’s than a half. If this person is just not able to plug in then they need to get an external power bank. — Dan
@egbertkappert - Neither! Just making sure the limits of what’s possible, your expectations I think are out of step. As I explained I hit some bad batteries due to COVID. It was worth the try to see if iFixit was willing. If not then you need to accept the limitation. Running the battery hard is not a warranty issue. — Dan

score 0 · Answer 1 · 2024-06-10T02:27:04-07:00

livfe @livfe

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Kho 10, 2024

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I have 2 batteries here for A1466 MB Airs, 109 cycles and 349 cycles and both are original apple made batteries and both are finished, and one from a MB Pro 2015 on just 55 cycles. They no longer want to hold a charge and once the power is disconnected the units immediately shut down. I always look at batteries like lungs, they need to breathe, meaning always charging to 90-100% and running low to 5% at least once every 1-2 weeks.... this way the cells don't get to stick together for longer periods which kills the batteries performance, also charging non stop and or charging for just a few % on a regular basis can also hurt their performance. I never had any problems in doing this way and have gotten well over 1000 cycles on 2-3 batteries. Bi-Monthly re-calibration also definitely helps to keep batteries fit and healthy. Hope that helps!

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I treat my batteries very well is all I can say and have no problems with my other macbooks..

crwdns2934271:0Mha 2, 2024crwdnd2934271:0 Egbert Kappert crwdne2934271:0

Understanding how rechargeable batteries work can explain why some batteries seem to fail quicker than others.

IF the battery is always connected to a power supply it will not allow the charged cells to release their energy making them stick together in such a way that they become solid and therefore reducing it's capacity. Part charging them also gives the same effect or at least helps to. Charging to say 85-95% and then letting them drain until the low battery notification appears and then charging up again, in out, in out, in out really works well for me, my batteries last years and hit high cycles. I get a lot of used macs in, and the vast majority have poor batteries in them because the users admit it is mostly on charge all the time and rarely if ever run low..... hope that makes any sense.

crwdns2934271:0Mha 2, 2024crwdnd2934271:0 livfe crwdne2934271:0

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MacBook Air 13" Mid 2012

Ifixit battery needs replacement after only 237 cycles

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