laptop batteries - best method of life? anyone?

[getanxd]

what is the best method of extending a laptop battery, say like a HP Pavilion?

should you alway let ti charge to max, then let it DIE down, then charge all the way up and the let it DIE again - wash rinse repeat? or just say FI and keep it charged up all the time and swap the battery every yr or so?

i did do a search before posting; thread titles were 'out there!' and too lazy to goo it myself and xdtalk has great info.

[Groo]

modern laptop batteries don't have "memory" like old tech batteries. Keep it charged.

[getanxd]

Originally Posted by Groo

modern laptop batteries don't have "memory" like old tech batteries. Keep it charged.

thanks, i 'think' i bought a litium and hope my other was not a litium? b/c the old one wouldn't stay working on it's own but a couple hours, then it got shorter and shorter and i just kept it charged (99% of the time kept by my couch).

My son kept telling me you need to keep it off charged or it will die sooner. and about that time it wouldn't even work but a minute or 3 before it was shutting down and again i just kept it charged for the past 3-4 mos and decided to buy one in case i wanted to move the lap to the kit counter or bedroom for an hr or two. the orig batt sucked or i didn't maintain it property (er go this thread).

[Groo]

almost all laptop batteries suck, and I don't know a single thing you can do to make them better. They have been sacrificed in an attempt to make the computers lighter and thinner. If an extended battery is offered, get that.

[Ocean82]

Most of today's batteries aren't supposed to have memory, but the theory is charge to 100% then use it off battery until half depleted, then recharge to 100% again. Rinse, repeat.

Battery Saving Tips

If the battery is not going to be used for a long time, consider discharging it and storing it in a cool, dry place. See chart above for capacity loss time-frames. Storage in a refrigerator will dramatically prolong life, however, make sure to allow the battery to warm to room temperature before use.
If you will be using your computer for a prolonged period of time while plugged into an outlet, removing the battery can both improve long-term battery performance, as well as reduce the likelihood of battery failure in the future, due to the isolation from a heat source, i.e., the laptop.
If the battery is discharged to within a few percent of available capacity, and then is left for a prolonged period of time without being recharged, the battery may discharge to below the safety threshold. If this threshold is passed, the battery is effectively dead at this point and will no longer allow itself to charge.
Tweak your power settings and turn off unused devices. Most modern laptops will allow for in-depth tweaking of fan settings, monitor brightness, and optical drives. Proper configuration of these settings, especially screen brightness, can dramatically improve battery life.
Do not bother with "Suspend", use "Hibernate" or "Suspend to Disk" instead. The power drain needed to make the laptop power on quicker usually isn't sufficient to compensate for the battery drain. The Hibernate function will move all of the contents of the machine's memory to disk, and then actually shut down the computer. Upon powering on the computer again, your session will be restored precisely as you left it, with no battery power having been drained while the computer was hibernated.

[Maxter]

Most laptops now use lithium batteries. The worst thing you can do to a rechargeable lithium battery is let it run all the way down. That heat you feel from your laptop is the battery and heat is the enemy. Some computers have a cutoff setting...mine is set at 20%, helps the battery last longer. Lithium batteries will only last a couple years at best.

[rayikeo2]

Can a laptop be left on the power adapter (plugged in) all the time, even after the battery gets old? Does it hurt anything to run the laptop on AC with the battery installed? Next, can a laptop be used with the battery removed and the AC plugged in?

[getanxd]

Originally Posted by rayikeo2

Can a laptop be left on the power adapter (plugged in) all the time, even after the battery gets old? Does it hurt anything to run the laptop on AC with the battery installed? Next, can a laptop be used with the battery removed and the AC plugged in?

that's a good question? from Ocean's post, i too am wondering if you could charge your KNEW and improved lit batt up good, drain it good, charge it good (initial 1st charge)...let it cool to room temp and put that sucker in the frig and keep said laptop on the charger cord and dweeb/surf while watching TV for months AND THEN when you want to move to kitchen counter or bedroom or car trip or for whatever - put that refrigerated batt in there before moving?

if anyone 'followed' that story, is that possible or even practical and would THAT extend the batt? if so, how often would you need to pull it from the frig and use it - charge drain, charge?

ETA: sorry i was imagining it w/o a batt? or if no, could you put that POS old batt in and frig the new/good chargeup one to extend or use only when you really want a portable no cord laptop?

[Ocean82]

My laptop battery won't last 30 min off the charger. It's permanently pugged in.

[scott_ff65]

Originally Posted by rayikeo2

Can a laptop be left on the power adapter (plugged in) all the time, even after the battery gets old? Does it hurt anything to run the laptop on AC with the battery installed? Next, can a laptop be used with the battery removed and the AC plugged in?

Mine stays plugged in all the time unless I power it down. And my Acer will work with the battery out and AC in, currently I am typing this with my laptop like that now. I haven't ever had an issue with battery life, and like I said, I always keep it plugged in unless I cut it off for the night.