is there any program to force a linux based OS or a mac to only use outlet power and not battery power, even if I cannot physically remove the battery?
more questions about the MacBook Pro, Core i5, 2.8 GHz (I5-4308U), model A1502 (EMC 2875), a model where I cannot disconnect the battery, because the whole case is closed, a model Im going to use to experiment with mac and create a partition to install a linux distro alongside the mac os.
My favorite notebook is a one that lets me take the battery off if I don't need it. This way I've been able to need just one battery in the last 8 years. Regarding the mac, I'm going to need a new battery (it lasts 5 hours the most) and don't want to waste charging cycles.
My question is twofold:
Is there any linux program that lets me manage the battery so I can choose to rely solely on outlet power, even if I cannot physically remove the battery?
I’m a MacBook user and I’ve been very happy with AlDente. It took some reading to understand all the features but I really believe it’s made a difference in the health of my battery.
It will still run through the converters and boards inside the laptop since it runs on DC and the power from the outlet is AC. Depending on how it’s setup, the current very well could go through the battery instead of bypassing it before it reaches the laptop from the converters.
Basically you don’t know unless you try. Some laptops work when you remove the battery and some don’t. Just like phones or any other electronic.
Some laptops allow for controlling level kf charge. For example I keep my battery at 65% to prolong its life. If its supported, you should be able to set it through /sys/class/power_supply/bat0/charge_level
i dont rember file name and path exactly but shouldnlook like this
Edit: Correct filename is /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_end_threshold
Uhhhh not really? If your battery is not charged, it's typically going to charge it up to 100% and keep it there, which is not ideal for longevity. Some devices come with a "kiosk mode" that will keep the battery at 50% or so.
You are not wasting charge cycles by leaving the battery plugged in. it is not being held at optimal charge for storage but it will last a lot longer plugged in.
It would be the worlds stupidest engineer that would design a power circuit attached to a potential class d fire hazard that had access from anything other that possibly contact pads on the controller itself. If i were a bad actor and the os has a way to access the charging circuit i would firebomb your house by telling the controller the battery is empty and have it over charge. This would be bad.
Note: I see that apple may have done the dumb and i am facepalming
The bottom is quite easy to take off, just some screws around the perimeter and you’re in. You can unplug the battery pretty easily but it’s harder to remove as it’s glued down. Also I’m pretty sure MacBooks severely underclock the processor if there’s no battery so your performance may suffer. Been through the same thing with my 2013 MacBook Pro. It’s a Linux mint server now.
I’m not 100% sure but which power source you are using, and whether or not the battery seems more like a BIOS or SMC thing, so I’m not sure if even Linux would be able to access it. I could also be totally wrong
The case may be closed but you could open it and disconnect the battery. That model is a pain to replace the battery but easy to open and disconnect. Not sure if this would cause any issues if plugged in or if the machine would boot.
I think tlp-ui can do this, but only on specific devices. IIRC, you set the charging thresholds in such a way that the battery will not charge. For example, configure to prevent charging until below 40% and as long as the battery is above that threshold, no charging should take place.
However, this likely means that as soon as your device goes to sleep or powers off, the battery begins charging again.
The usual way is to disconnect the battery, hold the power button down and plug the adapter in before you release it. On the older ones the fans spin up really loud.
That battery isn’t going to get you a bunch of charging cycles, but especially for something made in the last decade, lithium ion batteries will do fine when you leave em plugged in. The computers charge controller is pretty decent and won’t let you overcharge or otherwise damage the battery.