Laptops and mains power

JimG · 25-10-2007 5:00pm #1

Is it a good or bad idea to leave a laptop connected to the mains electricity all day every day (i.e. charging the battery all the time)? Mine is beside a handy socket and I rarely move it from there.
Thanks.

christophicus · 25-10-2007 5:02pm

Yeah I have been wondering about this too. Will it wreck the battery if this is done?

TheDriver · 25-10-2007 5:39pm

you can take out the battery with one click at base of laptop hence not charging all the time.On a dell anyways

christophicus · 25-10-2007 6:25pm

cool, I thought tou needed to have the batteries in for the laptops to work even when they are plugged into mains.

BostonB · 26-10-2007 9:12am

Best to unplug it when the battery is full then, plug it back in when it gets slow. Its a pain to disconnect the battery IMO.

TheDriver · 26-10-2007 9:26am

I think its dead easy to disconnect the batteryin my dell, pull plastic yoke to one side, battery pops out, easier than taking out a dvd.

BostonB · 26-10-2007 10:32am

TheDriver wrote: »

I think its dead easy to disconnect the batteryin my dell, pull plastic yoke to one side, battery pops out, easier than taking out a dvd.

What are the odds all laptops are exactly the same as your Dell?

On my old Sony it was a pain. On the various Dells I've had since, some where easy and some were awkward. Depends entirely on the model. It pops out easy on my current Dell. 9400.

Tom Dunne · 26-10-2007 10:34am

christophicus wrote: »

cool, I thought tou needed to have the batteries in for the laptops to work even when they are plugged into mains.

No, you can remove the battery when the laptop is connected to mains.

I believe the current thinking is to charge your battery fully and then remove it, as opposed to letting it deplete and then removing it.

AlmightyCushion · 26-10-2007 6:30pm

You really shouldn't leave the battery in the laptop while you are connected to the mains for a long time. Over heating will kill the battery.

IT Loser · 26-10-2007 7:15pm

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

You really shouldn't leave the battery in the laptop while you are connected to the mains for a long time. Over heating will kill the battery.

My battery was always in but it got used sometimes and not the rest. It lasted feck all and went from 4 hrs cap to 1 hour to 7 minutes to nothing in around 3 months.

Explanation???

{Compaq Presario btw}

BostonB · 26-10-2007 10:19pm

Even when you are not using it, its being constantly charged. Its the contant charging and resulting heat. That kills a battery quickly. Some products have a battery kill switch so they are not being charged when on AC. I think its a bit of a scam that Laptop makers don't have this. Guess they make more money from batteries if they don't.

Conor108 · 27-10-2007 3:54pm

Any idea on how to remove the battery on a Dell Vostro 1000?

TheDriver · 29-10-2007 1:19pm

my inspiron has a click switch on the bottom and the whole unit pops out, maybe the vostro is same dell trick?

Capt'n Midnight · 29-10-2007 3:22pm

BostonB wrote: »

Best to unplug it when the battery is full then, plug it back in when it gets slow. Its a pain to disconnect the battery IMO.

Lithium batteries last longest when charged to 40% and then put in a waterproof bag in a fridge (not freezer).

Generally recommended to let it discharge to nearly flat once a month.

A battery acts as a UPS so handy to leave it in, though if you remove the CD and battery then your laptop is a lot lighter to carry.

BostonB · 29-10-2007 5:25pm

On mine one of the feet is built into the battery outer cover. So if you remove it the laptop will rock.

Laptops and mains power

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