Extending a Laptop Battery

[Kelemvor]

Does it matter if you let a laptop battery drain down real far each time before you charge it back up again or is that just stuff from years past? I know people who leave them plugged in all the time, people who drain them to under 10% and then charge them all the way back up, and everything in between.

Is there any real benefit to do it one way or another?

Thanks.

 

[Special K]

I don't think it matters for Lion batteries. It's the NiCd that have the memory effect.

 

[soydios]

Ideally, a Li-Ion battery should be discharged to 40%, then recharged to 100%.
To store a Li-Ion battery long-term, it should be discharged to 40%, sealed in a plastic bag, and placed in the freezer to slow down the decomposition of the chemicals inside.
The worst thing to do to a Li-Ion battery is to repeatedly run it down to 0%.
The second worst thing to do to a Li-Ion battery is to leave it in a laptop that is always plugged in, because it will always be trickle charging and always be hot, resulting in a total loss of capacity in two years or less.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: soydios
Ideally, a Li-Ion battery should be discharged to 40%, then recharged to 100%.
To store a Li-Ion battery long-term, it should be discharged to 40%, sealed in a plastic bag, and placed in the freezer to slow down the decomposition of the chemicals inside.
The worst thing to do to a Li-Ion battery is to repeatedly run it down to 0%.
The second worst thing to do to a Li-Ion battery is to leave it in a laptop that is always plugged in, because it will always be trickle charging and always be hot, resulting in a total loss of capacity in two years or less.

I have a li-on that has been in a laptop for years. Often trickle charging for months. Result? The battery still gives me ~2hrs of life.

 

[ntdz]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: soydios
Ideally, a Li-Ion battery should be discharged to 40%, then recharged to 100%.
To store a Li-Ion battery long-term, it should be discharged to 40%, sealed in a plastic bag, and placed in the freezer to slow down the decomposition of the chemicals inside.
The worst thing to do to a Li-Ion battery is to repeatedly run it down to 0%.
The second worst thing to do to a Li-Ion battery is to leave it in a laptop that is always plugged in, because it will always be trickle charging and always be hot, resulting in a total loss of capacity in two years or less.

I have a li-on that has been in a laptop for years. Often trickle charging for months. Result? The battery still gives me ~2hrs of life.

My three year old battery gives me ~10 mins of battery life.

 

[Aimster]

My 6 month old Dell battery gives me 5minutes. It has been giving me 5 minutes for the last 2 months thus it only lasted 4 months.

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: Aimster
My 6 month old Dell battery gives me 5minutes. It has been giving me 5 minutes for the last 2 months thus it only lasted 4 months.

less than a year on battery... RMA it

 

[Aimster]

Originally posted by: intogamer

Originally posted by: Aimster
My 6 month old Dell battery gives me 5minutes. It has been giving me 5 minutes for the last 2 months thus it only lasted 4 months.

less than a year on battery... RMA it

think Dell will give me another battery?

If so I think I'll call them tomorrow.

 

[Toonces]

Originally posted by: Aimster

Originally posted by: intogamer

Originally posted by: Aimster
My 6 month old Dell battery gives me 5minutes. It has been giving me 5 minutes for the last 2 months thus it only lasted 4 months.

less than a year on battery... RMA it

think Dell will give me another battery?

If so I think I'll call them tomorrow.

Yup. They did when mine developed the same problem about 8mo. in (this was 2002).

Current battery gives about 1 to 1 1/2hr. life after 4 years of not being left in my laptop trickle charging.

 

[Kelemvor]

SO is it better than if the laptop is plugged in and the battery is fully charged to remove the battery until you need to go wireless? Hmm. Never knew that.