laptop batteries

tres · 15 Dec 2008 at 12:34

What do you have to do to condition them when they're new? is it charge and let fully discharge lots?

waso_dude · 15 Dec 2008 at 12:35

Charge it over night,

Let it run full down again. and then fully charge again.

Thats what i did with my mac, and i still get 6hours runtime a year on.

Just don't forget to fully drain and recharge every few months.

Cosimo · 15 Dec 2008 at 12:41

I usually charge and fully discharge the battery twice. The first charge is done overnight.

El_Watcher · 15 Dec 2008 at 12:45

How would you fully discharge a laptop battery though? If you just leave it running off battery, it will normally shutdown before the battery runs out completely. If it does run out completely, it won't be shut down properly, and the operating system will have corruptions/problems.

Nitefly · 15 Dec 2008 at 12:55

I almost always fully drain my battery. It hasn't lost any ability to hold its charge after a year. I'm not sure that its necessary mind.

Liquidfox · 15 Dec 2008 at 12:55

How many times have you forcefully turned off a machine and had OS problems. I can count on zero hands how many times it's happened to me over the past 3 years...

Dano · 15 Dec 2008 at 13:43

It's bad to fully discharge modern laptop batteries continually:

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

Nitefly · 15 Dec 2008 at 13:47

Dano said:
It's bad to fully discharge modern laptop batteries continually:

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

I havn't noticed any difference, but I'll refrain from letting it run dry quite as often, thanks.

SourChipmunk · 15 Dec 2008 at 13:47

El_Watcher said:
How would you fully discharge a laptop battery though? If you just leave it running off battery, it will normally shutdown before the battery runs out completely. If it does run out completely, it won't be shut down properly, and the operating system will have corruptions/problems.

There should be a test button on the battery that lights up a series of LEDs based on the charge level. Just hold that button until there are no more lights.

Warning: it could take awhile.