Crazy MacBook Air charge times?

I've gone through around 6 cycles so far and I've tried COPS (resetting SMC) and it still takes a ridiculously long time to charge. Does this thing have to go bacK? Thanks!

Edit: By long, I mean 7 hours +. Sorry for not mentioning this originally. 7 hrs is far too long, obviously.

 

How long is ridiculous, queshy?

 

I read the problem is that the Macbook Air charger is a 45W (Macbook's is 60W and MBP, 85W). So, basically, the battery gets barely charged in case you're using the computer and a 100% discharged battery can take up to 8 hours to get recharged. A possible solution is using a Macbook's charger, which would reduce the charging time, but for that you need to play McGyver, as the MB's MagSafe is bigger than MBA's, so you basically have to elevate your computer to plug it in.

I know Macfixit and Appleinsider wrote about it but I can't find the articles right now.

Cheers

DrPoi

 

Thanks for the reply. I edited my post to reflect it.

Also, let's try and not let this turn in to a Pros vs. cons of the macbook air. This thread is about the battery charge times (or it's supposed to be, anyway).

 

Although using the mb/mbp power adapters may be a solution, surely you shouldn't have to do this. Otherwise they would have included one in the box. What if one doesn't have such an adapter? I wish Apple would comment on this wide spread issue.

 

Sorry, I wasn't trying to do that. When you asked "Does this thing have to go back?" I thought you sounded disgusted with it; I misinterpreted your question.


Edit: Hope the first post looks a bit more agreeable to you now.

I don't think using the adapters for the other machines is a good idea. Apple probably would have made more powerful models available to MB Air owners if there were no chance of damage to the machines. Perhaps your particular adapter is faulty?

 

Well, you've noticed how small is the MBA's charger in comparison with MB or MBP's. Probably is another sacrifice of performance versus portability. Others say Apple wants to avoid batteries pumping up in the MBA, as it happened before with MBPs and that in the case of MBA could directly destroy essential components of the computer due to the lack of space. This would explain the fact that the MBA is so slow to charge. Better slow than dead!

DrPoi

 

I agree with you about the adapter. I would think it's a faulty charger but it appears that a lot of people on the net are having this problem and it seems as though it's not.

I am willing to accept a longer charging time, say 4.5 hrs maybe, but 8? That's crazy. I don't think they would have made that much of a sacrifice, and some MBA users are reporting normal charge times, too.

 

totaly crazy!!!!!my old x40 fully charges in 2.5 hours,and it has 4 year old battery!!!

 

Out of curiousity, are you under load when charging? If you are, it will take much longer to charge due to almost all the power coming from the adapter is being used to power the machine, not charge it. Of course, being a lower power adapter, that will certainly also have a major effect on the time.

They may have also implemented a different form of trickle charge, so it will make the battery last longer (as the MBP batteries are crap).

How long does it take to go from an empty battery to completely charged if the unit is not on?

 

how is this a "wide-spread" issue, or an issue at all?

if you use the laptop while charging, any laptop will take longer to charge. that little 45watter certainly cant be giving the battery much charge while the laptop is being ran.

i bet charge times are abour 4hrs with the machine off, just where they should be. Well, thats still kinda long, but decent enough.
I know some laptop batteries super charge the battery up to 80%, and then trickle it. I never liked this method. give it a slow steady charge. I bet thats why the MB/MBPs have had so many battery issues, charging procedures are killing em.

 

I would not recommend using a charger from a MB or MBP. That is a rather bad idea.

FWIW, I have seen people say that as you charge it more, the charge times get better. So the first few cycles may take painfully long, but they should improve.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure thats what Apple does though. They trickle it through the whole cycle AFAIK. Not really sure though.

I know when my old rescue squad moved into using trickle chargers, the batteries lated MUCH longer.

But yeah, I'd be curious to find out why Apples batteries are so bad.