Keeping laptop plugged in question.

So I just ordered a T510 using a 35% off code with the hopes of replacing my old dell desktop computer. Because of this my thinkpad will be plugged in most of the time. Now I'm wondering if I need to remove the battery or if the computer is smart enough to stop the current from flowing into the battery.

 

no you can keep the battery in. Just set the charge threshold to start charging below 50% and stop at 95%. You can set this in the thinkvantage power manager.

 

Heat is also a factor, if you think the battery is getting warm from the computer heat, I would remove the battery. If its really plugged in all the time, I would remove the battery.

I have the advance mini dock and you can plug the battery in while its docked, you just can't remove it while its in the dock. (can't reach the release tabs)

 

Ok. Why 95% though?

btw I checked on a website that if your laptop is (almost) always plugged in that the battery should be removed and placed in a safe place with ~40% of its capacity well. It also mentioned that it should be used every couple of weeks.

 

Batteries last longer if you don't fully charge them all the time. My IdeaPad only lets me charge to 80% so the battery lasts longer.

 

Agreed. Although if this will be plugged in nearly ALL the time I would recommend setting the thresholds at 30% start, 50% stop (40% is ideal for long term storage + or - 10%). This also gives you the advantage of a nice built in UPS if you lose power, yank out the cord, or need to move it around.

 

So at what percentage to you start recharging? 10%?

.I heard of this UPS stuff. Are the damages of power loss (like black out) to a laptop plugged to a power supply without a battery the same as with a desktop computer?

 

Usually around 20% to 30%, unless I really need to use it. On a side note, I used my T61 mostly as a desktop, and two years later I still get almost the same battery life as when I first got it. Using these tips definitely helps to extend the life of your battery.

 

So do you leave the battery in your laptop and use Power Manager or do you remove it?

 

^^^I completely remove it unless I need to charge it, or if there is a thunderstorm coming. Sorry for neglecting to state that.

 

Yes, of course. With the battery out, there's nothing to power the notebook if there's no electricity flowing.

I have a different philosophy about batteries in notebooks. I consider it a consumable just like the batteries in my flashlights and cars. It's there for my convenience, and I keep it in and keep it charged so that, when I want to move around, I just pick up and go.

 

+1 on that! In my opinion when you are paying 100+ bucks for a battery it's there to be used, not worry about making it last 2.5 or 3 years vs 2 or 2.5 years. The one thing everybody neglects is that there is no hard data on how far you are extending battery life through these practices. I've seen batteries fail early or last for an eternity regardless of charging practices. Based on reading from various reputable internet sites, all the stuff with charge thresholds does reduce wear on the battery a bit, but not enough to be worth it (IN MY OPINION). To each his own however and I think it's great that Lenovo gives us the ability to do as we see fit for charging. It makes those of us anal enough to do it happy customers!

 

i keep my battery plugged in all the time, and apart from those faulty recall batteries, they all work without a hitch.

installed battery act as UPS.

And i have not seen any significant lifespan shortage by keeping the battery in the laptop. My 4 year old batteries from T60 are still keeping 75% to 85% of the original designed charge capacity.

When proper charge threshold is selected within the Thinkvantage Power Manager, the battery life should be not be affected in any significant ways.

It is the frequent charging and discharging that kills the battery, and if you set the power manager properly, this can be avoided and thus your battery should not experience any degradation as the result of been left plugged in.

 

Yeah, the last think I would want is to screw up my laptop due to a power failture.

By the way thanks a lot for the help guys. I did not expect to get as many responses. Normally similar forums are not very active and ignore threads like this.

 

I just set mine to start charging at 90% and stop when full. This prevents constant top ups like what lead_org was talking about but keeps the battery ready for me to go. My battery has not lost any significant capacity from when I got it. I think quality of the cells you get makes much more impact then keeping it at 40% all the time. All just my humble opinion.

 

Quite true, which is why i like to purchase the Panasonic cell Thinkpad batteries whenever i can, they are the most reliable ones. Unlike Sanyo (whom is now owned by Panasonic) and Sony batteries whom have been recalled several times by many laptop manufacturers.

 

I've got Panasonic cells in mine. Is there a way to order a specific brand of cells in a battery?

 

you can't specifically order a battery cell make, Lenovo will send out which ever one they have in stock.

But, each battery cell make has a specific FRU number, so problems can be traced to specific batch (if they occur) and recalled accordingly, rather than having to recall every battery of specific type.

The only way to order specific cell brands is to identify the correct FRU number, and try to track down a reseller whom stock batteries with the FRU that you want.

Usually, this is not easily done, as Sanyo batteries are more ubiquitous than the Panasonic one.

 

I set mine to charge at 25% and stop at 40% (6-cell). I have extended batteries (9-cell primary and 9-cell secondary slice) I keep fully charged, but I toss those in the fridge the moment I take them out and use an external battery charger with those.

I got I think both Sanyo with the 9-cells and LG with the 6-cell I bought later. lead_org is right too: the FRU differentiates the manufacturer of the cells themselves, not the part. There were like 8 or more FRUs listed for the same 6-cell battery when I went shopping for a spare.

 

Another consideration: if you got the Integrated Intel HD Graphics version of the T510, then it will ship with a 65W adapter. If you remove the battery and just use this adapter, Turbo Boost is disabled in the CPU. So you won't get the full performance the chip is capable of. You could optionally order a 90W adapter, which would resolve this issue. Or just do as others have said and configure your charging thresholds to a good level.

 

Interesting, I didn't know that. But no, I got the model with discrete graphics.

 

I think you're fine with the 90 watt adapter then. But I'd still keep the battery in the ThinkPad. Just use the charge thresholds.

 

Just as an FYI, my T61 is more than two years old, and for 95% of it's life has ALWAYS been on my desk, plugged in.
The battery has never been taken out, and it's threshold is still set to be fully charged to 100%.
As of today, I can still squeeze about 1.5 hours out of my 6cell battery. Not bad considering. Of course, in the Power Manager, it's rated as "needs to be replaced" and only 65% of it's full potential remaining.