Best way to keep my New Laptop's Battery going for years?

[homestarmy]

I just picked up a new laptop, and I want to make sure that I can make the included Lithium Ion battery functional for a long time.

Can someone point me towards a site that explains the best way to keep it working at full capacity for the longest time possible?

Or feel free to grace me with your knowledge of the subject.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: homestarmy
I just picked up a new laptop, and I want to make sure that I can make the included Lithium Ion battery functional for a long time.

Can someone point me towards a site that explains the best way to keep it working at full capacity for the longest time possible?

Or feel free to grace me with your knowledge of the subject.

just use it as normal? lith ion doesnt have memory effect.

i have 5yr old laptops w/the original bateries and they're working fine. i've had them unused for months, thus the battery discharge. but after a nite's charge, they last for ~2hrs, no prob.

 

[Reggae4k]

recharge only when close to fully discharged or completely discharged.

if you plan to store it for a while without using it, discharge halfway then store.

 

[Platypus]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Li batteries only last a certain time period regardless of whether you use them or not.

 

[Exterous]

If the current is not running through the battery (ie, the laptop is off and not plugged in) then you're fine. Whenever the battery is in the laptop and the laptop is plugged in and the laptop is drawing power you are decreasing the life of the battery

http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/usingyourlaptop/f/laptopbattery.htm

 

[Exterous]

Originally posted by: Platypus
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Li batteries only last a certain time period regardless of whether you use them or not.

You are correct, the battery itself uses power and any charging/discharging will decrease the life. The goal is to minimize the charging/discharging of the battery

 

[homestarmy]

Originally posted by: Exterous
If the current is not running through the battery (ie, the laptop is off and not plugged in) then you're fine. Whenever the battery is in the laptop and the laptop is plugged in and the laptop is drawing power you are decreasing the life of the battery

http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/usingyourlaptop/f/laptopbattery.htm

I've heard this, but is it wired this way for all laptops?

 

[Exterous]

Originally posted by: homestarmy

Originally posted by: Exterous
If the current is not running through the battery (ie, the laptop is off and not plugged in) then you're fine. Whenever the battery is in the laptop and the laptop is plugged in and the laptop is drawing power you are decreasing the life of the battery

http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/usingyourlaptop/f/laptopbattery.htm

I've heard this, but is it wired this way for all laptops?

Yes. This way if the power goes out your laptop seemlessly continues drawing power from the battery (otherwise your laptop would lose power and anything you were working on and have to restart) The downside is increase battery maininence

 

[Chadder007]

After heavy use here....our Batteries only last 2-3 years if that long.

 

[coolVariable]

2 years ... then they start to go down by a significant percentage ... 20% and more.

 

[thomsbrain]

shrug. mine is still fine after nearly 3 years, and i never did anything special with it.

 

[V00DOO]

I have gone thru 4 Dell's laptop Batteries in the last 3 years yet my IBM Thinkpad is still going strong after 5 years. I follow most of the recommended method to prolong the batteries too. I think it also depends on the battery manufacture too.

 

[Exterous]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
shrug. mine is still fine after nearly 3 years, and i never did anything special with it.

It does depend alot on usage type (and other factors like heat and humidity which can both reduce life) and, it seems like, luck. Some people can get several years out of them, but I have noticed that many people are not getting nearly the life they used to out of laptop batteries. 3+ years ago it seemed like more people were getting 2.5-3.5 years and now we have waaaaay more people in to buy new laptop batteries after 1.5-2.5 years. Possably due to value engineering, higher power draw?

 

[Chadder007]

Im sure they could make another battery that would last 5-10 years, but they make them to only last 2-3 years. Kind of like how GM makes their cars.....

 

[imported_goku]

1. When the batteries aren't in use, keep them out of the laptop.
2. Whent the batteries aren't in use for extended periods of time, discharge or charge the batteries to 40%, store in a cool/dry place, the cooler the better.
3. Don't do deep discharges as thats bad for them, small discharges and recharges are better.
4. Don't Keep battery in laptop at 100% charge unless you plan on discharging it for it's intended purpose as the li-on batteries wear out significantly faster when you have them at full charge at high temps.

 

[Kadarin]

Obligatory: Verify that it's not made by Sony.