Do you remove your battery if you're using your laptop as desktop replacement?

I'm just curious of how many people actually pull out the battery when they use the laptop as a desktop replacement.

Also, if you do, do you use a UPS with laptop now?

 

Yes and I use a Best Patriot Pro II.

 

I don't. It's too much hassle for me--even though my notebook doesn't leave the desk very often. My battery is my UPS.

 

All computers that don't have their own battery should have a UPS, IMHO. I'm a big fan of the APC SmartUPS series but they're rather expensive. The higher end of the BackUPS line will do.

Batteries hate heat. If your battery is near one of the hotter spots in your notebook I suppose removing it would help, but the battery in my old zv5000z stayed fairly cool and it stayed in perfect condition for 2 years despite receiving no special treatment whatsoever. For the most part I think how well the cells were cooked at the factory matters more than anything else.

 

I leave the battery on

 

Doesn't your battery life decrease if you keep your laptop on for long periods of time per day on AC power? I seem to go through a battery every year with my laptop which I use as a desktop replacement and keep on sometimes over night (while DL bT's).

 

I never remove the battery from the laptop. All Li-ion batteries have a life time and I would rather use it and then buy a new one when it dies rather than it just sitting in a closet and dieing. FWIW unless your battery is getting extremely hot I wouldnt bother with remoing the battery.

 

"The worst condition is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures, which is the case with running laptop batteries. If used on main power, the battery inside a laptop will only last for 12-18 months. I must hasten to explain that the pack does not die suddenly but begins with reduced run-times."


"Consider removing the battery from a laptop when running on fixed power. (Some laptop manufacturers are concerned about dust and moisture accumulating inside the battery casing.)"

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

 

I'm too lazy to remove the battery. Plus, it's kind of an added annoyance for saving a bit of the battery's life.

 

New notebooks have Li-Ion batteries. These batteries do not have the memory effect of the NiCd (and to a lesser extent, NiMH) batteries. However, they do have a limited number of charge/discharge cycles, and they are damaged by excessive heat (such as frequent charging - that is when the cells get hot). So, leaving the batteries in the notebook when running off ac is actually better, as the cells do not discharge and they are always fully charged. Most notebook computers monitor the charge rate, temperature, and battery condition to adjust the charging (they use a 'smart' battery charger controller IC).

Wayne

 

My 3 year old Compaq laptop runs off AC most of the time (using as a desktop replacement) with the battery plugged in. The battery life is still at a decent 2.5-3 hours.

 

This is what HP has to say about that:
http://h20239.www2.hp.com/techcenter/battery/Battery_max.htm

Remove the battery if the notebook will be plugged into AC power continuously (via a wall adapter or docking station) for more than 2 weeks.

And yes, i have my battery removed and using an UPS.

 

It does shorten the lifespan somewhat. Read more about it in the Battery guide.

This is exactly how I feel about it. Over a few years, $100 for a new battery is not so bad considering the convenience factor.

 

I don't do it. It's just too inconvenient to try and find a battery when I suddenly decide to use my laptop on my bed or something. Really, I don't have a care for the battery's life span. It's there for a reason. Go use it.