Bad Battery Advice

[Khenmes]

Hello, I'm new to the mac forums and still a little naive to the mac itself. I have a leopard macbook pro that I bought around 3 years ago and, as ridiculous as it sounds, I was not aware of the need to calibrate my battery (which I see now is something I should have been doing all this time).

My computer is acting normally though: it's fast, reliable, but without the power cord it doesn't last long. The only thing is that I don't travel a lot so I rarely need the laptop without the charger.

As I have seen on other mac forums on bad battery information, my computer is not unlike those who have a bad battery. My computer does not last long without the charger, but I want to ask that if I do not replace this battery soon will this affect the computer and it's memory in a bad way? Will it completely shut down or do I have time left?

If I have posted this in the wrong topic, please let me know.

Here is the information down below:

Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh): 65336
Fully charged: Yes
Charging: No
Full charge capacity (mAh): 65336
Health Information:
Cycle count: 19
Condition: Good
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): -1241
Voltage (mV): 11838

 

[Kaveman]

A cycle count of 19 seems very low for a 3yr old MacBook.

I'd start with a Power Manager reset, search on Apples Support site as it's different for different model.

If you purchased extended AppleCare this could be covered, check with your local Apple Service Centre.

I would keep a close eye on the battery as any swelling could damage your computer permanently.

 

[Khenmes]

Thank you, I will look into the Power Manager reset, but what exactly do you mean by swelling? As in power fluctuations or overheating?

 

[Kaveman]

If the battery is damaged or faulty they can physically swell, bulge and change shape. They are a very tight fit in the Laptop and so this can stress the components around them, if it happens.

I'm presuming given the age of the laptop that is the older removable battery type, not the newer fully enclosed.