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    To plug in or not?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by mowzie, Sep 4, 2006.

  1. mowzie

    mowzie Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi! I am an owner of a Dell Latitude D820. This is the first notebook I have owned, and I am aiming to keep it for 3-4 years (the duration of college). I am trying to optimize the lifetime of my 9 cell rechargeable battery, and i was wondering if I should always unplug the ac and run the notebook on battery until it is drained before replugging it to the wall? Or does it not scar the battery's life to keep it plugged in all the time? Thanks for all the tips in advance
     
    mowzie, Sep 4, 2006
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  2. Jalf

    Jalf Comrade Santa

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    The battery only has a (more or less) fixed number of recharge cycles, so it's definitely better to plug it in when possible. Apparently, the temperature has a big effect as well, so if your notebook gets hot, it may be better to remove the battery when plugged in.
     
    Jalf, Sep 4, 2006
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  3. drumfu

    drumfu super modfu

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    like jalf said, the li-ion batteries have a builtin shelf life of charges/discharges so it's better to leave it plugged in instead of running it down and up. also, keeping your notebook (and battery) running cool is important as heat is the #1 enemy of your battery.

    however, it's unrealistic to think that you'll go 3-4 years without experiencing a reduction of life in your battery even if you do the above. a more realistic expectation is that you'll get about 1.5 to 2 years of good battery life and after that it will start to degrade.

    if you want maximum battery life for 4 years, expect to buy a new battery after 2 which, in all honesty, isn't that big of a deal.
     
    drumfu, Sep 4, 2006
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