Erase & Restore Low Battery Macs with Acroname Hub
We recently tested Macs that have low or dead batteries to see if this affected the erase-and-restore process with the Acroname USBHub3c.
During this testing, MacBook specifications and battery health were taken into consideration, and it was found that erasing and restoring MacBooks at a low battery percentage (< 5%) is not recommended.
How much power does the Acroname Hub provide to the devices?
The standard Acroname USBHub3c only delivers 100W of power, about 18W per device, which is just enough to maintain a charge throughout the erase and restore process if the battery level is low. The new Apple Silicon MacBook Air needs at least 20W to hold a charge. Thus, at a minimum, each Mac should have 50% battery life when erasing and restoring if not using the larger 280W Acroname power supply.
The Acroname Hub also supports an (optional) additional power supply that holds up to 280W of power. It delivers about 50W of power to each device. While 50W is not the maximum charge rate, it can still add 5-10% to the battery life during the erase and restore process.
Device Specifications & Battery Health
Every Apple Silicon Mac is different, depending on the model and battery health. On average, Apple Silicon MacBook Pros require more power than Apple Silicon MacBook Airs. Thus, a MacBook Pro generally has longer-lasting batteries and require more charging time if starting from a depleted battery.
Regardless of model, a Mac’s battery health degrades over time, leading to longer charging times and higher power consumption. The Mac system’s battery does not give a physical indication if the battery is good or bad, and a device with poor battery health can lose charge during the erase and restore process, resulting in an error.
How long should devices charge before erasing & restoring?
Depending on how long a device has been without charging, it may take longer to start up than others. Devices can be charged through the Acroname Hub or a wall outlet.
While Apple Silicon devices can be put into DFU mode and restored as soon as they appear in Apple Configurator, it is recommended to let devices with a low (or depleted) battery level charge for at least 15 minutes with a 40-60W power supply prior to starting the erase and restore process to ensure that a depleted battery does not disrupt the restore process.
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