As with all laptop computers, the battery is one of the most critical and expensive components, and it is also a component that essentially cannot be serviced, which is ironic given the wording of the alert itself suggesting that the user “service” the battery.
When a lithium-ion battery is done, it’s done, and when that happens you either need to replace the battery or you need to keep your MacBook plugged in at all times, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a laptop in the first place.
MacBook Service Battery Warning – What to Do Now? and what are the options to fix the problem? In this article, I will explain how the lithium-ion batteries in your MacBook work, how to get the best performance and longest life out of your battery, and I will give you some suggestions on ways to resolve the Service Battery alert that does not require you to pay a lot of money for a new battery pack.
Recalibrate the Battery
This method will take you hours. However, if you really want to get rid of the warning, follow the steps below. Apple also suggests users do this as a way to take care of the battery performance every few months. However, the intervals are dependent on how often the computer is used.
1. Charge your battery up to 100% and make sure that the MagSafe light ring charging jack shows the green light, which indicates a full charge.
2. Once it is fully charged, continue using the computer while the MagSafe is still plugged into the power source; do this for two hours. Afterward, unplug the cord and use it until it runs out of battery power, and you’ll see the low battery warning on the battery status menu. The Mac will sleep automatically without any warning. Once it sleeps, simply turn it off.
3. Wait for five hours or more, and then connect the Mac to the power adapter or MagSafe and charge it. This will calibrate your battery.
How lithium-ion Battery works?
An American chemist named Gilbert Lewis, way back in 1812 Discover the basic chemistry of the lithium-ion battery. The positive electrode (connected to the battery’s positive or + terminal(Cathode)), a negative electrode (connected to the negative or − terminal(Anode)), and a chemical called an electrolyte.
When we connect the battery to an electrical circuit that draws power. The electrons flow from the anode to the cathode, creating a current.
If a battery is rechargeable, then this flow can be reversed. When a current is passing through the battery, electrons flow from the positive to the negative electrode, recharging the battery and adding power to it.
In a lithium-ion battery, the positive electrode is usually made out of lithium-cobalt oxide (LiCoO2). Newer batteries use lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) instead. You ever hear news stories about lithium batteries exploding or catching fire. Those stories are true; this type of battery is subject to overheating and exploding. And If they are not carefully monitored. As battery technology has developed.
There are many variations in this basic battery design. And with different designs producing different power outputs, reliability levels, and so on. The main factor we are looking at today is the charging life cycle of the battery. That is, how many times can the battery be discharged and then recharged before it no longer functions at full capacity.
For lithium-ion batteries. The number of cycles before this happens varies widely. It depends on the quality of the battery build and the level of discharge that the battery supports.