We've already heard a bit about how to preserve your laptop battery. It is time, from concrete cases, to give you real answers to make your laptop battery last and save. It's gone for the destruction of myths.
Do I have to respect the charging and discharge cycles of a laptop battery?
This was true with the old nickel-cadmium batteries which required regular charge and discharge cycles, even calibration, to keep them in condition. The arrival of new Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) batteries has changed the data. It is no longer necessary to respect the charge and discharge cycles.
However, it is recommended to carry out a full charge and discharge cycle once a month. This is called calibration, this is to "crop" the full charge of your battery. When your battery is fully discharged, i.e. when your computer is on standby, you will need to fully charge your battery without interruption and use at the same time. This will allow the latter to maintain it.
Should the battery be completely emptied on a regular basis?
A full discharge may cause the total capacity of a current battery to lose 20%. Recent operating systems are designed to keep computers on standby and to avoid reaching this level of discharge.
If you see your laptop shutting down, your battery will not lose its autonomy. The computer will have simply activated, a form of security to preserve the rest of the battery charge.
But how does it happen? A total discharge of the battery causes a chemical degradation of the elements within the battery. Because of this, a recharge of the battery, after being emptied completely, is dangerous for the life of the latter. This is why an internal circuit (a control card, integrated into the battery, which it always remains energized) can prevent recharging in order to avoid any incident. The main consequence is that the battery becomes unusable.
Now when your battery does not give any signs of life, it is that the internal components are degraded. And so that the power supply is disabled so as not to damage your mobile phone, laptop, or even your car battery.
Do I need to remove the battery from the PC during extended use on the mains?
If you are using your laptop only on a long-term basis (several weeks or even several months).
You can charge the battery between 40 and 60% of its total value and then remove it (if possible). You can then store it in a cool, dry place with a minimum charge of 40%. Underneath, it may discharge completely and be unusable on the day you request it.
As we have seen before, the current batteries adapt to your use, whether nomadic or sedentary. It is probably useless to want to remove it, especially since in the event of an accidental power outage, you could lose all your work in progress.
Some tips:
- A battery loses its capacity from the date of manufacture. So pay attention to it when you buy. The newer the date, the more the battery capacity will be more important. So focus on the newer models.
- If your battery has not been used for a while (1-2 months), it is best to charge up to 40% at a minimum before reuse.
- Prefer a medium brightness for your computer screen. This will allow a battery saving.
- If you do not use the internet via Wi-Fi, you can disconnect it.
- When you are no longer using your computer, it is best to turn it off and not to leave it in standby.
If you have to buy a new battery...
If in spite of our advice, your battery is no longer working, it is quite possible to buy a new one on our site.
There are a few things to consider if you opt for this choice:
- Do not spend more than €100 in this one, it remains a consumable.
- Avoid cheap batteries, i.e. 10-15 €. Because these are products that can prove to be dangerous. There are entry-level batteries, but they do not always adapt to your computer. Refer well to the model number of your original battery.
- Do not throw your battery in the garbage because it is a very polluting product. We need to recycle it.