Did you know? Laptop Batteries
Posted February 17th, 2009 at 11:49 am.Have you ever had a laptop which, while still fairly new, does not hold a battery charge for more than 10 minutes?
While there are multiple reasons this may happen, including manufacturing problems, and trauma to the battery, the most common reason this occurs is poor battery maintenance.
While newer battery technologies (such as the Li-Ion batteries in most laptops and other consumer electronics) don’t require the same care as their predecessors, they do still need some love. When you get a new laptop, it is a good idea to first charge the battery overnight, then fully discharge and recharge it a few times over the next few days. They also require regular “exercise”. If a laptop is left plugged in all the time and the battery is not used at all, then when you try to use the battery it won’t hold a charge when you want to use it. If you use your laptop on battery power one or two times a week (even if you never move it from your desk) you will have better battery life over the life of the computer.
Older battery technologies (NiMH, NiCad) can develop a permanent battery “memory” when not completely charged and discharged over their time of use, and need continual “priming” — complete discharge and full recharge on a regular basis. In addition, you should not recharge a battery which has been partially discharged — completely discharge the battery each time you use it.
Always make sure you are using a power cord that is a correct match to your computer — third party products often do not provide identical charge capacity.
Keep in mind that over time, your battery’s usage time will naturally decrease and if you keep your laptop for a long time, the battery will eventually need to be replaced. However, with good care its life should not decrease drastically, but should provide you with good life for at least a few years.
To find out more about battery health and care:
http://is.med.ohio-state.edu/policies/battery.htm
http://www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html
http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/220
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March 5th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
very helpful information.
Thanks Amy!
April 27th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I need to know is there any harm in keeping your laptop plugged in all the time or can you over charge the battery?
May 25th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Typically, over time, the battery will suffer if the laptop is always plugged in. However, whether it overcharges or not, and how quickly it degrades is dependent on your computer’s age, model, and type of battery. You may want to check with your laptop manufacturer and follow their best practice for your model.