My macbook pro 2011 charging indicator is acting weird. Help please?

Question

A few weeks ago my on screen charging indicator started acting funny.  Normally it takes my macbook around 2 hours to charge fully.  However, sometimes the indicator says anywhere upwards of 4 hours.  Furthermore, sometimes the indicator keeps switching back from the charging symbol to not charging.  Why is this happening?  Here is my power info:
Battery Information:
  Model Information:
  Serial Number:          D86122200J4DGDLAE
  Manufacturer:          SMP
  Device Name:          bq20z451
  Pack Lot Code:          0
  PCB Lot Code:          0
  Firmware Version:          406
  Hardware Revision:          2
  Cell Revision:          158
  Charge Information:
  Charge Remaining (mAh):          5961
  Fully Charged:          No
  Charging:          Yes
  Full Charge Capacity (mAh):          6430
  Health Information:
  Cycle Count:          341
  Condition:          Normal
  Battery Installed:          Yes
  Amperage (mA):          1382
  Voltage (mV):          12534
System Power Settings:
  AC Power:
  System Sleep Timer (Minutes):          25
  Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
  Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          15
  Wake on AC Change:          No
  Wake on Clamshell Open:          Yes
  Wake on LAN:          Yes
  Current Power Source:          Yes
  Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
  GPUSwitch:          2
  PrioritizeNetworkReachabilityOverSleep:          0
  RestartAfterKernelPanic:          157680000
  Standby Delay:          4200
  Standby Enabled:          0
  Battery Power:
  System Sleep Timer (Minutes):          20
  Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          0
  Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          15
  Wake on AC Change:          No
  Wake on Clamshell Open:          Yes
  Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
  GPUSwitch:          2
  Reduce Brightness:          Yes
  RestartAfterKernelPanic:          157680000
  Standby Delay:          4200
  Standby Enabled:          0
Hardware Configuration:
  UPS Installed:          No
AC Charger Information:
  Connected:          Yes
  ID:          0x0100
  Wattage (W):          85
  Revision:          0x0000
  Family:          0x0085
  Serial Number:          0x001f9c6e
  Charging:          Yes
How does it look?  Could the problem be in the mag safe charger or the computer itself?
Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

Carolyn Samit wrote:
Try Troubleshooting the MagSafe adapter
Thanks for that link.  It did provide some diagnostic tools to see if the adapter is the culprit.  I don't believe mine is.  My situation, MacBook Pro 8,2 - early 2011, 2.3 GHz i7.  I'm experiencing, while on the adapter, after the battery charges to 100% a slow drop (while connected to the power adapter) to 98%, 97%, etc.  Unplugging the adapter for a bit will again bring it back up to 100% but it again starts to drop.  I don't think it's the battery - have good on battery performance (in bare bones boot - a special user with no StartUp items) I can get 5-7 hours.  I suspect the power adapter - one glaring issue: I have a CAT who thought it cute to chew on the cable but I couldn't tell if it was superficial or had actually damaged the wires inside past the protective sheath.  I suspect this could be the issue and have ordered a new adapter.  My wife suggested coating the cable with lemon juice to make it less tempting for the cat to bite on.  This isn't the first cable this cat (never caught "red handed") has chose to chew on.  My Jawbone charge cable was completely severed.  I took measures to make the cables less accessible but the damage had already been done to the Mag Safe Power Adapter.  As I said, my monthly "battery exercise" fully charges the battery - it is this mysterious battery percentage drop that has me wondering.  I read somewhere that some are blaming Mountain Lion, I'm not so quick to do so until I get the new adapter.
This post may have been better off in a new topic, but since we're talking about the Mag Safe Power Adapter I thought it would be okay here, especially since the link to the KB article gave me ideas on what to look for.  The pins in the cable were all up, I presume the middle pin is different and will look different as to its height compared to the two outboard/inboard pins, yes?  There was no issue with the laptop end of the connector.  I did not switch out the "duck head" with the long cord though.  With the cable damage issue I thought I'd wait and see.  Now that I think of it I could have borrowed my wife's adapter - same MBP, almost, but should both have the 85w adapter.  We'll see...
Tom