Can you actually weaken a laptop battery by overcharging it (keeping it plugged in all the time)?

Question

I've heard many people say it's bad for the battery to keep the laptop plugged in all the time (even when you're not using it), including from many tech support staff at BestBuy and related stores.

Personally, I have a Dell Inspiron 1546 and I keep it plugged in literally 24/7. I've noticed the battery life is really poor, and dies within half an hour if I'm just browsing the net. It's even worse when I'm on youtube. It used to be better than this when I first bought it, and for awhile after that.

I was starting to believe I weakened the battery through all of that constant charging, but then I found this article:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/laptop-battery-overcharged.htm

My computer's battery is also Li-ion. Is the article true...? Then why do so many tech specialists claim otherwise?

Answer 1

Built-in charge management circuitry won't let you overcharge the Lithium-Ion battery in your laptop.



But leaving the battery pack in a laptop when you usually run it on AC power is rough on a battery. Heat is the great enemy of laptop batteries, and the inside of a laptop is quite hot.



These questions come up so often here that I've prepared an article on my blog to address them:



http://yourlifeyourtech.blogspot.com/2013/10/charging-batteries-isnt-that-hard.html



Matt: The "memory effect" you describe was characteristic of Nickel Cadmium and Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. It doesn't affect Lithium Ion batteries. You should read my blog post, too.

Answer 2

To tell the truth, everything has an expiry date.. for my iphone, I have changes the battery twice due to old age and frequent use.. most rechargeable batteries: car batteries (about 3 years), mobile phones (4-5 years) and laptops (average 2 years) will age and became less efficient..



What the article suggest that certain action will lead the battery to spoil faster.. that's all what it suggest.. to make them last longer, it lists down the things that would make them last longer..

But at the end all rechargeable batteries will spoil..



Laptops is not much different, I have recently replaced a battery (basically it performance declined so bad that only gave me 5 minutes per full charge) and now my keyboard (it seems it is very common that laptops need its keyboard to be replaced after certain period of use that they actually have the instructions in YouTube by ordinary people like you and me)

CD/DVD (averaged 3 years at low humidity and below 25°c), magnetic hard drive (4years, assuming the mechanical part doesn't fail first).. laptop screen (my Acer laptop was replaced after 2 years, about 2 years later I get rid of it for the same screen problem)



At first, I considered removing the battery if not used, I simply unplug the battery and put it a side while my laptop is running on the main power.. however, recent blackouts made me lose some important un-saved documents after hours of working on them..



I am now using the laptop batteries eventhough it is plugged to the main power most of the time..



To me, I bought the laptop so I can use it.. I can not be afraid from the problems it would bring..

Answer 3

It's rare that a battery overcharge there is a limit circuit inside of all laptops that keep battery from overcharging, put it into idle when reach 100%, now in the long run the battery looses it's battery life by keeping it plug in, i went from 2 hours to 30 mintues by leaving the battery on charge all the time one of the best way is to take the battery out use the mains if stable going mobile charge the battery up , another way is to let the battery drain down while on mobile and recharge it to extend the battery life

Answer 4

Modern laptop battery chargers are switching chargers and do not over charge a laptop battery. Many batteries have memory in them. They will remember at what point you plug the charger in and charge the battery back up, however when you remove the charger they still remember where you plugged it in. Most have to be recalibrated back to a complete and full charge. This requires running on the battery until the computer shuts itself down and when you reboot it turns back off. Take the battery off and boot the Laptop from the adapter first. Shut it down and disconnect the adapter. Put the battery back on and hook up the battery charger and allow it to fully charge the back up without using the Laptop for six hours. When a battery no longer recalibrates, it is time to replace it.

Answer 5

in modern chargers there is some thing called a "over charge protection" which does exactly what it states. It should not decrease battery life, but it's better to take out battery if you are going to leave it plugged in

Answer 6

Yes, there is something I like to call battery rings. Say your battery is unplugged and is at 90%. When you plug it in, your battery thinks when it gets down to 90% it needs charged. When you leave it plugged in it is only dropping maybe 0.1% before it charges again. Thus making your battery think that it needs charged more often than it does. I hope that makes sense.

Answer 7

Ignore the article you found. Go to the battery experts in the link below.