Battery care

What is the best way to take care of the battery and insure a long, full life?

I've heard that it's important to not have the battery in a laptop that's powered by AC for long periods of time, is this true?

Purely out of habit I conditioned the battery when I first got it by doing full, uninterrupted drains and charges. I hope that was the right way to go... I should have posted about it earlier.

Thoughts?

 

Hello,

Check this thread.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=91846

JC

 

A full drain and charge is something that should be done on a Ni-Cd battery. The newer Li-Ion batteries don't require this, but what you have done has done nothing to damage or prevent it from doing its job properly. Leaving the battery in for long periods of time doesn't damage the battery, but they will eventually degrade to a point where the battery will become unusable. Its something that all Li-Ion batteries suffer from.

The rate of the degradation is something to watch out for. If you use the notebook on AC power for weeks, then removing your battery and leaving it in a cool place or a refrigirator is best. This is because the temperature can affect the degradation. So the cooler, the longer it will last. Personally, I find this somewhat pointless, as the battery has a job, and by taking it out, it defeats the object. However, for some people who do use their notebooks alot of AC power, this can really help out.

For more information, have a look at the Battery Guide. It is the same link as NetBrakr has supplied.

 

Thanks you guys. Very thorough answers.

 

As mentioned, your battery will degrade over time regardless of the amount of usage. What you can control is the rate.

In case you don't read through the battery guide, make sure to calibrate the battery every 30 charge cycles or so. That's probably the most important tip there.

Personally I prefer the convenience of having the battery in at all times. That way I don't have to go pull it out and reconnect it before I take my notebook with me. If you were to use your refrigerator for storage--you'd have to let it warm up to room temperature before reattaching it.

Too much hassle for me to save a few charge cycles. I'd rather buy a new battery when needed. Chances are I'll be ready for a new notebook before buying a new battery will be paramount.

 

Thanks, these are all good tips. I wouldn't want to give up the freedom of a battery to save a few cycles either.