0

I see how the cycles on my MacBook increase every week but I use my Mac from a power adapter about 80% time. And my battery doesn't discharge lower than 70%.

How I can fix it? I tried using a power bank, but all of them stop power after 100% and shut down automatically, without supporting low power like a wall charger.

1
  • Welcome to Ask Different. Hardware shopping is generally off topic here. Could you edit this so it’s a little clearer what you are seeking to do? You can fix a Mac that won’t charge by seeking hardware service - is that what you want to pursue?
    – bmike
    Commented Jul 4, 2022 at 4:01

3 Answers 3

2

One cycle represents a cumulative discharge of 100%. This could be 10 discharges of 10% each.

It is therefore entirely normal that cycles will increase with usage, and there is nothing to fix.

Also, the cycle count is not a fixed mortality clock, with the battery dying on the count of 1000. It's just an indication of the usage. Some batteries may hold their charge for longer; some may fail earlier.

1

Can you try AlDente? It prevents your Macbook from charging above or below a certain level. While it might not work, since you appear to be having an issue where your power back shuts off when "power source: power adapter; battery not charging". But maybe, give it a try. And if you do get the hardware issue fixed & you can keep that state, then AlDente will mean you get 0 cycles on your battery unless you take it off the charger (My macbook ive had for a month has 3 cycles, the exact amount it came with from the store since I use this app).

2
  • How does this software help if the power bank can’t power the Mac once it’s charged to 100%?. This answer might be to a different question unless I’m missing a feature from the website of this app.
    – bmike
    Commented Jul 11, 2022 at 2:09
  • @bmike I stated that it might not work, since it does not adress the issue he/she is having, but that it MIGHT (slight chance) fix his/her issue. If he/she comments that this did not work, I will be happy to delete my answer or edit it to say that it did not work. Commented Jul 11, 2022 at 3:21
0

Not sure if this is exactly what you're asking, but I've successfully used both a Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 Pro (20,000 mAh) and a Baseus mini JA (30,000 mAh) power bank. The first one has a 45 W USB-C output and would deplete quite quickly if used from USB-C; but note that using the USB-A output with a USB-A to USB-C cable also works, and limits charging current to about 10 or 12 W -- indeed this is how I used the Xiaomi power bank, and in my usage, it didn't actually charge my MacBook Pro, but rather just slowed down (considerably) the rate of discharge. In addition, it took much longer to deplete, as one would expect due to the slower charging rate.

The Baseus one has a 15 W USB-C output, a 10 or 12 W USB-A output and a 5 W USB-A output. I currently use it from the 15 W USB-C output, and again it doesn't charge my MBP but merely keeps it from discharging, or slows the rate of discharge to a crawl. It also lasts very long.

Do note, however, this is all speaking from the perspective of an Intel 15" MacBook Pro, which consumes much more energy than, say, a MacBook Air M1. If that's what you have, then the Baseus power bank should be an excellent choice -- the 5 W output should more or less balance the charge and discharge rates, depending on your actual usage patterns, whereas it would take some heavy load to balance a 15 W USB-C output.

Note that if your goal is to maximize your battery lifespan, you should (as suggested in another answer) use an app like AlDente and limit charging. Batteries age more quickly if they're at high state of charges all the time. Limiting the charge to anything below 100% is better than 100%, even 90% should extend the lifespan, and 80% should have excellent results. 60% extends lifespan the most and is what I personally use -- and note you can temporarily increase it any time if you'll be away from a wall socket for long and need the extra battery life. Anything below 60% makes no sense and will actually start to reduce lifespan again, albeit by a different chemical process than the one that acts on a near-100% charged battery.

2
  • This has some very good details. Doesn’t the person just want a battery that can let the Mac run once charged to 100% as if it were on mains power the whole time?
    – bmike
    Commented Jul 11, 2022 at 2:07
  • Unfortunately the question is badly written and appears to have some conceptual flaws. It seems like the OP mistankenly believes that as long as the battery isn't fully discharged, then it shouldn't count as a cycle. I wrote the answer from the assumption that his ultimate goal is to extend battery lifespan, so I mentioned what I personally do to ensure that.
    – swineone
    Commented Jul 11, 2022 at 23:50

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .