Super-Duper Sombrero Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 So I just got my new laptop, and after setting it up to my standards (uninstalling poopware, making it look like Win98) I fell onto the power management settings. I've heard that running a laptop that's plugged into the wall while the battery is still in can be a problem, draining the battery life and such, but I'd heard that several years ago. Is that still an issue (if it ever was), and should I take out the battery if I have it plugged in for extended periods of time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Mokram Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Sadly, in general few people really care about the proper way to use their devices anymore. If you leave it plugged in, your battery will discharge itself even when your laptop is turned off. Well it's almost like any other device, say, mobile phone for example. Supose you put your phone on charge before going to bed, and it's charged in two hours. There will still be voltage runnning through it during all night. And it will surely have some negative consequences on it in the long term, to say the least. No retailer will tell you that, cause if you come back 6 month later cause your battery died it's his win. I would strongly advise you to plug your battery off of your laptop if it's already charged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophetik music Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 common misconception: when a computer is plugged in, the battery is bypassed. in actuality, your battery is discharging and charging at the same time. take it out when you plug it in, stick it back in when you unplug. simple as that, and you'll get 2-3x as much battery life out of your system. also deep-charge it (drain it all the way and charge it) about once a month to keep all cells active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Mokram Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 plug your battery off of your laptop if it's already charged. That's exactly what I said... I just forgot to mention the cell part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireSlash Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 common misconception: when a computer is plugged in, the battery is bypassed. in actuality, your battery is discharging and charging at the same time. take it out when you plug it in, stick it back in when you unplug. simple as that, and you'll get 2-3x as much battery life out of your system. also deep-charge it (drain it all the way and charge it) about once a month to keep all cells active. This is true for ni-cad setups, but Lithium Ion has brought a lot of good things to laptop battery tech. The 'pass through' system pretty much died with ni-cad, since it would cause lithium ion batteries to overheat and explode or fail. In almost all laptops, the battery charges independent of the laptop's power when plugged in. Also, the charging will stop when the battery is full. It may "trickle" charge, but it will not overcharge or damage the battery. Also, lithium ion batteries should not be deep cycled. In fact, deep cycles can actually destroy the battery by triggering the safety systems of the battery. Make sure to keep the battery cool. Check http://batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm for some other good tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophetik music Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 it depends on the battery, then. i didn't know that about li batteries, it's been a LONG time since i've owned one =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Mage Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 This is all good info...come to think of it, i;m not even sure what my lappy's battery is. Hm...methinks I gotta look into my usage habits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Wolf Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I wish you could buy a weighted dummy battery to use when your laptop's plugged in, cuz when I take mine out it leaves a gaping hole. Or better yet, install a switch and fuse a couple leads on the battery to turn on a manual bypass system when it's plugged in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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