Laptop Battery

Gary ITR

What is the best thing to do with the battery. If I'm at home should I plug the laptop in and remove the battery? Or would I be better off leaving the battery in? Or should I just use it on battery and charge as needed?

Thanks

Capt'n Midnight

generally follow the manufacturers recomendation

what brand/model is it

Constant overcharging is a big killer so I'd say let the battery drain more than half way at least once a month. Taking the battery out and storing it while discharged is not recommended either.

Storing the battery in a waterproof bag in the fridge at 40% charged will give it the longest shelf life, but not much use as a battery.

If you need to use the battery use it, that's why you have one.

Removing the battery will also mean you could loose data if the power cable comes out.

Gary ITR

It's a Toshiba Tecra. It's not my main machine, any important stuff is on my desktop. I do bring it out with me from time to time... sitting in mcdonalds bumming free internet while i'm supposed to be working. I only really use the laptop when for browsing the net. Thing is I got a brand new battery on ebay and I want to give it the best possible chance.

Capt'n Midnight

Toshiba do seem to be better at handling the old battery in all the time than other brands. I'm still getting well over two hours, three years later.

Ghost Train

I'd say when you can use the power cord, as it will save charge cycles on the battery. But wouldn't worry about it too much, like midnight said if you need to use the battery use it

Gary ITR

When using the power cord should i remove the battery?

Ghost Train

Onkle51 wrote:

When using the power cord should i remove the battery?

It might help the battery, mainly because most laptops get a little hot and batteries prefer the cold, also it might stop the laptop from topping up the battery every now and then. The laptop is designed not to damage the battery by overcharging etc, so you shouldn't have to remove the battery, but you can if you want, personally while it probably helps I don't think the battery life will be dramatically extended by removing the battery.

Gary ITR

Thanks for the replies. I'm just asking these questions because my phones usually have terrible battery life after using them in my car kit

TempestSabre

I'd say unplug the AC once the battery is charged, and use the battery rather than AC even when you are at home.

Ghost Train

TempestSabre wrote:

I'd say unplug the AC once the battery is charged, and use the battery rather than AC even when you are at home.

yep I wouldn't recommend that

marktsang

I'd say unplug the AC once the battery is charged, and use the battery rather than AC even when you are at home.

this wont extend the life of your battery it will shorten it... batterys are only made for a limited numbers of charges discharges before they degrad... use only when you need to..

i remove my batter when using the ac

TempestSabre

marktsang wrote:

this wont extend the life of your battery it will shorten it... batterys are only made for a limited numbers of charges discharges before they degrad... use only when you need to..

i remove my batter when using the ac

Yes I know but its better than using it constantly on the AC. Like you say removing the battery is better again, but thats too much of a pain. For me at least. Of course it depends if the laptop is a power hungry in which case you'll almost be always using it on AC. But it its a light on power you'd be getting 5-8 hours and will hardly even need to use it on the AC, which is just so much handier.