Battery advice

[bertie11]

I have a 4 year old HP Pavilion DV6-2113SA which I use as a desktop. I had to replace the original battery some time ago and now the replacement has packed up. I've been using it with the depleted battery removed, off the mains, but I now find that my electric consumption is a lot higher now.

I've just ordered another battery and I would like to know how to treat it, bearing in mind my use of the machine as a desktop. Should I just leave it plugged in and recharge it when I get a low battery warning. Should I leave the mains cable plugged all the time?
Thanks.

 

[Mellon Head]

Leaving a battery plugged in all of the time shortens the life of the battery.

 

[Imrankhan]

Need for knowledge.
1) Plugging in all time: Produces stress in battery and shortens lifetime of battery.
2) Plugging everytime after discharging: Reduces discharge cycles and shortens lifetime of battery.
Lenovo has a feature of slowing down charging at 80% and reducing the stress induced in the battery to prolong its lifetime.Furthur this reduces the discharge cycles too, since it isnt charged fully.
You need to read this : How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries - Battery University

 

[bertie11]

Thanks for that Mellon Head and Imrankhan.

I've now got information overload! I realise that batteries have a finite life, more charges, less lifespan and so on. But _how_ would you suggest I should use it? how do others use their batteries? If I leave it plugged in gives 1) above, if I discharge it I need to recharge again I get 2) above. If I take it out completely, electric bill rises.

So all I can do is discharge it and recharge when empty rather than leave it plugged into mains. This will be the third battery including the original in 4 years but I've been running without a battery for about 9 months so I suppose I will need to replace it as and when it fails.

Or does anyone have a better idea? I did have a proper desktop but it took up too much space!

 

[Imrankhan]

When it comes to battery, everyone have different perspective.
What I do:
*Keep it plugged all time, Your laptop disconnects power supply to battery after its full. I know it would be stressed but thats ok. I dont want to lose my discharge cycles.
*Never let it get Hot(not even above 55C). When gaming or video editing, I pull out the battery and connect power adapter to UPS.
*If you are not gonna use your laptop for a week or more, discharge battery it to 40-50%, make it stress-free.
*Keep track on wear level of battery.(Some Laptop manufacturers dont allow you to view that. Displays 0% always).

 

[bertie11]

Useful advice, thanks for that.

I use my laptop on and off all day and everyday. I'm currently uploading stuff to a new cloud account so if I had the battery fitted it would have been a pain so it is probably right to take it out for stuff like that.

 

[bertie11]

I've just found what looks like a good battery app. There is a nice easy to read guide about looking after batteries.

Find it here:

BatteryCare

 

[Imrankhan]

I've just found what looks like a good battery app. There is a nice easy to read guide about looking after batteries.

Find it here:

BatteryCare

Hi mate, Yes I had used that app. Its mostly like something that always reminds you, "Careful Keep Track of your Battery, Careful Its Hot, Careful Your Discharge cycles are reducing, Careful Wear level is going up, careful this and careful that" , but really never do anything to enhance battery life.
Its just like a Emergency Red Light or Siren, which goes off, incase of extreme usage.

 

[Ranger4]

I have a 4 year old HP Pavilion DV6-2113SA which I use as a desktop. I had to replace the original battery some time ago and now the replacement has packed up. I've been using it with the depleted battery removed, off the mains, but I now find that my electric consumption is a lot higher now.

I've just ordered another battery and I would like to know how to treat it, bearing in mind my use of the machine as a desktop. Should I just leave it plugged in and recharge it when I get a low battery warning. Should I leave the mains cable plugged all the time?
Thanks.

If you always use it as a desktop & power it from the mains, why go to the cost of a new battery. The battery cost will buy quite a lot of power from the mains. Also charging the battery uses mains power as well, even though you can get some of that back when running off the battery only, you certainly don't get it all back.

 

[Imrankhan]

I agree with Ranger. Since you dont move the laptop around much. Keep it plugged it all time. Buy an UPS instead of a battery. That would save you lot of money paid in electricity bill.

 

[bertie11]

Thanks for the responses. I already have the new battery fitted, it cost £25 which isn't bad (Samsung).

A UPS would far more expensive than a battery so I don't think that would be right for me, and it would take up more space.

From what I've learnt so far, I shall take the battery out when the disk temp gets high (or before it gets high), I have a temp icon in the systray so I can keep an eye on it. For light work I shall leave the battery in keep the discharge cycles low (assuming leaving it plugged in to the mains doesn't allow it to discharge.

In the past, I never took any notice of battery health but the original must have lasted nearly 3 years though.

This new battery only gives me 1hr 40 mins fully charged although I'm thinking that might improve as I'm only on the second discharge/charge.

Thanks for the input!