A recent article from Lawrence Berkely Laboratory suggests that readers should 'Pull the plug. Your battery will thank you.' Researcher Venkat Srinivasan writes about batteries and battery chemistry rather specifically, but without becoming overwhelmingly technical. He explains how batteries begin to fail, and suggests keeping your computer unplugged as a way of extending the life of your battery. I pulled the plug on mine as soon as I read the article, and I'm now writing this on battery power.
On the other hand, if you charge the battery and then pull the plug (so to speak), the battery discharges some, the voltage drops, and these reactions become less of a problem and your battery life goes up. So the best things you can do is to charge the laptop (or cell phone, camera etc.) and once its charged, pull the plug. Your battery will thank you for it.
This also has relevance for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle owners, whose batteries have the same characteristics. A car sitting in a garage for hours, full charged, is going to be slowly deteriorating the battery. Manufacturers may already be incorporating measures into battery packs to address this problem, but this highlights just one of the many potential issues battery makers need to address in order to keep portable electrical devices functioning.
This week in batteries may not be on everyone's RSS feed right away. But engineers for computer companies, electric vehicle manufacturers, cell phone and other portable device makers should be following him. While the articles run to the technical, the information is accessible for all kinds of battery geeks.
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written by Chris V, March 05, 2010
Remove the battery from the computer if you're like me and the laptop just sits on your desk for months at a time. The only time I ever use the battery is when I go on infrequent trips. And that is the only time I need a charged battery.
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written by Tekito, March 05, 2010
The charging units need to be smarter and know to turn off when fully charged (some type of feedback?). Asking consumers to be constantly plugging/unplugging chargers is just a hassle when there are more user-friendly options available.
I like Chris's idea too, if your laptop habits are like his.
I like Chris's idea too, if your laptop habits are like his.
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written by Chris L, March 05, 2010
Of course, discharging and re-charging your battery is not good for it either. If you fully discharge and recharge it twice per day, your battery longevity is not going to be very good.
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written by Tom Gray, March 05, 2010
Chris L., your comment seems directly in contradiction with the article. What am I missing?
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written by Kat M, March 05, 2010
Chris L is right, you shouldn't fully discharge your battery. In other words, you're going to need to plug it in before it completely discharges. Then unplug it once it's fully charged. Or just take the battery out like Chris V suggests - it shouldn't lose its charge that quickly when it's not connected to anything.
No, there is no contradiction here. The key phrase and no-no is "*fully* discharge."
No, there is no contradiction here. The key phrase and no-no is "*fully* discharge."
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written by Max, March 06, 2010
Chris, 15 years is a long time for batteries to move forward by leaps and bounds. Applying your 15 year old knowledge to something modern in terms of technology is insane. You should know better.
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written by Kat M, March 06, 2010
Different batteries require different handling. NiMH and NiCd batteries shouldn't be treated the same as Li-ion batteries. 15 years ago your RC cars were probably running on NiCd batteries. A laptop, on the other hand, probably is using a Li-ion battery.
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written by cncmike, March 08, 2010
My cell phone uses a Li-ion battery and Motorola recommends not plugging it in to charge it until you get the low battery warning which is about 10 minutes to shut down on standby and about 1 minute to shutdown if on a call.
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written by Ken, March 08, 2010
It would be easy to design multi-cell batteries to cycle through full-recharge and discharge across cells, running the machine off one (rotating) cell while charging the one just discharged. This is purely a function of profit-centered (rather than user-centered) design.
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written by Dawn, March 17, 2010
Um... was EcoGeek hacked?
Above I see a perfectly fitting article about saving battery life. But on the front page, this same graphic is on a story about medicine for erectile dysfunction, and clicking on that story's comments brought me here...
Above I see a perfectly fitting article about saving battery life. But on the front page, this same graphic is on a story about medicine for erectile dysfunction, and clicking on that story's comments brought me here...
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written by Chris, April 06, 2010
I was wondering why there was a laptop picture, yet an entire article on cialis. When I clicked over to comments, it brought up the proper article.
Please say this isn't some dumb marketing agreement you all are involved in -.-
Please say this isn't some dumb marketing agreement you all are involved in -.-
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written by Josh, April 07, 2010
Weird. I doubt hank would enter into an agreement with Cialis. Probably a prank someone pulled on him.
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written by HomJyoti, April 08, 2010
I agree with Tekito. It would be good idea if Laptop companies would be able to incorporate this idea while designing the laptop and power adapter so that laptop can automatically disconnect from ac voltage once it reaches full charge.
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written by Auguss, April 10, 2010
Yep, I unplugged my laptop as I read this. No wonder why my old Compaq Armada E500 won't turn on unless it's plugged in ;_; I thought it was just old.
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written by ODDie, April 13, 2010
I recently bought Lenovo Thinkpad X200, and saw feature you're talking about in Lenovos Power Management software. You can make battery not to charge when it's fully charged event when the power plug is in (and until battery level drops down to, say 20%). Same thing I saw in some new Samsung laptop.
What is sad is I can't see that things in Windows default power preferences, not to mention, in linux power manager/settings.. IMO there should be an option in BIOS to do that (OS-independent).
What is sad is I can't see that things in Windows default power preferences, not to mention, in linux power manager/settings.. IMO there should be an option in BIOS to do that (OS-independent).
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written by James Smith, May 03, 2010
All of the research I have done for Apple laptops sows that to leave the laptop plugged in and on charge all the time does it no harm and reduces the number of charge/discharge cycles. Most batteries have about 500 of these cycles as a standard capability. Apple computer also recommends leaving it plugged in.
All the user group and tech support groups have said the same. From everything I have learned, the Apple chargers go to a "float" level after the battery is charged.
Conversely, the Toshiba laptop I had (bought in 2002) recommended removing the battery if it was not going to be used for some time. Nor did it recommend leaving it on charge after it was fully charged.
All the user group and tech support groups have said the same. From everything I have learned, the Apple chargers go to a "float" level after the battery is charged.
Conversely, the Toshiba laptop I had (bought in 2002) recommended removing the battery if it was not going to be used for some time. Nor did it recommend leaving it on charge after it was fully charged.
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written by Mohamed Ramzy, June 24, 2010
Sorry ,
but after this long discussion , what is surely the best way to save battery life ?
thanks
but after this long discussion , what is surely the best way to save battery life ?
thanks
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written by computer recycling and disposal, November 23, 2010
I am not convinced this would help my laptop. When the battery is fully charged it looks like it already bypasses the battery and runs off the mains direct. Since the charging process is inefficient running off battery would both reduce the effective life of the battery.
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written by Kevin, January 01, 2011
This is quite conflicting to what I've heard before. I've read that, in order to save the overall life of your battery, use it as little as possible. I've kept my laptop plugged in almost as much as a desktop computer would be, and my battery still lasts about 80-90% of what it used to, 2 and a half years into the life of it. A friend of mine owning the same computer had to purchase a new battery because hers would simply not hold any charge whatsoever.
What I've heard is, more than anything, try to charge and discharge in full amounts...or as close to it as possible. I've also heard that, once your battery is charged completely, remove IT from your device rather than the plug, if it allows you to operate without the battery in place.
One of the worst things for battery life (and technology in general) is heat, and removing a charged battery from the power source will both move it away from the heat source, and will also stop overcharging it.
An interesting take on a big topic, though--I'll have to look into trying it.
What I've heard is, more than anything, try to charge and discharge in full amounts...or as close to it as possible. I've also heard that, once your battery is charged completely, remove IT from your device rather than the plug, if it allows you to operate without the battery in place.
One of the worst things for battery life (and technology in general) is heat, and removing a charged battery from the power source will both move it away from the heat source, and will also stop overcharging it.
An interesting take on a big topic, though--I'll have to look into trying it.
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written by Gonzi, October 19, 2012
I don't know if it is different from brand to brand, but the battery of my Toshiba Qosmio F45 has lasted 5 years!
And it began losing it's charging capability when my laptop began to get warmer and warmer due to lack of cleaning and that heat affected the battery I guess.
95% of the time I used the Qosmio plugged and with the battery connected too.
And it began losing it's charging capability when my laptop began to get warmer and warmer due to lack of cleaning and that heat affected the battery I guess.
95% of the time I used the Qosmio plugged and with the battery connected too.
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