[kimmydawn]

I'm wondering if I should leave my battery in the notebook while I'm just around the house with it plugged into electrical outlet?

Should I take it out and only put it in when I'm planning on using it by battery power? Will over charging the battery wear it out quicker, etc?

thanks!

KD

Hi Kimmy,

I would only use the battery when the laptop is not plugged in.

The advantage in having the battery in is in case of a power failure (or to recharge the battery). But even then, your word docs (e.g.) will still have the recover document function.

If you use the laptop for extended periods of time, there is a possibility that the laptop will discharge the battery over time (therefore reducing its life cycle). Not to mention that there were issues with batteries overheating (or exploding) for some brands…. It is a safety recommendation not to both at the same time.

Anyway, hope that helps.

[allthegirls6]

Me too, keep the battery for when you are unplugged.

[(JD)]

All batteries are not alike However, I leave mine out of the notebook when I'm plugged into a/c usually... but not always. When you do use your battery (which should be every so often) run it down until the notebooks warns you to save data or connect ot a/c source then charge it up fully, and remove it.

Take care to keep the battery area clean though, while it's out. I would think thye'd make a dummy slot holder Anyway, it makes the notebook even lighter without the battery, and when having to mess with cords, who wants that too?

If I'm working on something very important and on a/c, I leave the battery in and that way, if the power drops even a moment, the battery saves me from really noticing at all

I also keep the battery in if I think I will be going portable while on, thus all I have to do is remove the a/c. You really should have the unit off when putting the battery in.

But for actual details, you need to read about YOUR battery, imo.

TC

[kimmydawn]

Thank you so much!

that's what i thought. i'll take it out. i've only used battery power once. i will more this spring and summer though.

till then, i'll leave it out and clean. thank you!

anymore tips for functioning for me? wish i could find out something that would equal the middle click on a mouse. anyone know?

Thank you!

KD

you could plug in an external mouse if you like.

i guess that different batteries are different...

i use my laptop plugged into the mains (with the battery in) because my battery is fairly much stuffed already. well, i say 'already' but my laptop must be about 3 years old now and it only ever was 2 hours so it is doing alright (down to about 1 hour now). i didn't know that about exploding batteries... but yeah, i've noticed the battery disintegrating even more running it through the power so i wouldn't reccomend doing it with a new laptop.

[LMo]

it never even occurred to me to remove the battery from my laptop. All consultants that do what I do use laptops for our jobs and I've never heard of anyone suggesting or doing that.

My batteries have always outlived my need for each laptop I've ever had. I get a new laptop every 3-4 years, occasionally sooner.

If you buy an extended warranty or service plan with your laptop, then battery replacement may be covered. In fact, if it IS covered, then that probably makes the price of the extended warranty well worth it. Replacement batteries usually run about $75-100

[Juliana]

I keep the battery in. My computer tech friend suggested that it's a good idea to unplug your laptop -- about once a month -- and run it on battery power until it drains, then plug it back in and let it recharge fully. I have never removed the battery from my laptop.

I have had my iBook for nearly 3 years and I still get about 5 hours full power on battery alone. I don't know if it's because I do the monthly battery drain maintenance, but I'm happy with how my laptop's working, so I'm going to keep doing that.

I use a Toshiba laptop at work and I keep the battery in at all times too. All my colleagues do the same with theirs.

[kimmydawn]

Thanks, guys...

Another question is...can I get a better battery than the one that came with my compaq? It lasts about two hours, and takes about the same (while in use) to charge. up.

KD

[Juliana]

It only lasts two hours? You should be able to get a better one than that. Can you contact the computer store that sold you the laptop and ask them about a longer-life battery? My battery often gives me about 5 hours... even when I'm using multiple applications and working on large files in Photoshop. My laptop is a Mac, but I assume there must be longer life batteries for PCs as well.

[Perna]

Good page on how to care for your battery:

http://www.zbattery.com/laptopbatterycare.html

[Juliana]

Thanks so much for posting that Perna. I was misinformed by my techie friend. I guess I should take my battery out. I've had it in this laptop continuously for nearly 3 years. LOL.

[Perna]

I don't know how old the page is; I've always kept mine in too (and will continue to). I think technology gets "better" and things quit mattering like that. I still remember and am reminded of when one bought a new car and had to "break it in" by only driving it at a certain speed, etc. None of that is necessary now. But I only use my laptop battery-only maybe an hour every couple years :-) It's not worth it to me to take it out and possibly lose/damage it, etc. and I've never taken on out before in any of my others in the past.

[Juliana]

I still haven't taken mine out. I never got round to it. It has been working fine this way for years, so I guess I'll keep doing what I'm doing. I don't want to risk damaging it -- and there's a very good chance I would lose it. I'm always misplacing things.

[kimmydawn]

Thank you so much for the information.

I tried to look at HP to see if I had a choice of batteries I can use. I'll look in the paperwork that came with it as well.

Yep, if I use battery power, I'm usually browsing/working non-stop and it last two hours.

Thanks again so much!

KD

[(JD)]

I have two batteries actually, and I keep them in the bubble pocket wrap to prevent metal contacts to the battery. Most notebook batteries are Li Ion type and not cadmium...which means they don't have a memory so you don't have to worry about running the battery down before recharging it. (Nickel cadmium batteries have a memory and if you keep recharging it before it's down all the way, it remembers only to that point in the future, and thus you can't get a full charge on it...without working it in a process of pushing it etc... OT I know.) But batteries do only take so many chargings... and over the years it become ever harder to find batteries for older laptops...and they are not cheap.