Laptop Battery - How to look after them 1

[kwunder]

Hi

Just got a new laptop and was wondering on the best way to preserve battery performance. The laptop is connected to the mains supply for 90 - 95% of the time, so the battery is RARELY used.
What is the best method of preserving the battery ?
My previous two laptops have been a joke. Battery life was appalling after just a few months. I always left the battery connected to the laptop and thought that it would just keep charged but I couldn't get more that 30 mins out of either, whereas this new laptop will last for 4 hours or more.

Did I do wrong previously ?

Cheers

 

[stduc]

IMHO There's not a lot you can do in practise to alter battery life.

Unplug from the mains when not in use.

Periodically - say once a month or so, run the laptop on the battery until it demands mains power and then apply mains power at least until the battery is fully charged.

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[Lienori]

I agree with stduc.

Batteries generally last longer if they are fully discharged and then charged to full. My mobile phone always run down to empty before I charge it back up; two years later, it's battery life is as good as it ever was.

Of course, I hate mobile phones, so your average mobile or laptop user won't live in a world where they can leave it like this. After all, you never know when you're going to want to use it. Your battery life at the moment is probably higher due to improving battery technology.

Just do it every now and then. The laptop is there to serve you, not the other way around.

 

[kwunder]

Thanks guys

So, once the battery is charged, remove it from the laptop if I'm using mains supply ?

Cheers

 

[dglienna]

I haven't found that battery life expectancy changes, whether you use battery or power, as long as you do both occasionally.
I run my laptop on battery power, but they still only last a year or two.

-David
2006 & 2007 Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP)
2006 Dell Certified System Professional (CSP)

 

[Sympology]

Also if I not mistaken, LIon batteries (new ones) do not have a "memory" in the same way that NiCad and MNHi's did. So discharging makes no difference. However whatI'd recommend is that if they is one available, you run a battery calibration every 3 - 6 months or so. Sometime they believe they are more full / empty than they actualy are.

Stu..

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[stduc]

You may learn something useful if you read this

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/index.htm

I believe Lion batteries prefer to be left with a small charge, not fully charged. NiCd are best left fully charged & NiMh prefer about a 3/4 charge if left on the shelf for a while.

In practise the only thing you can do to help is use them one in a while!

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[LawnBoy]

I agree with all the above. Excercising the battery is the best way to keep it in shape.

 

[acewarlock]

The old saying " If you don't use it, you lose it" applies here.