I have a Dell laptop that has gone thru four batteries in the last year. I only replace them with Dell factory batteries so I know that it can not be the batteries. Is it possible for the laptop to be defective and cause the batteries to short out or burn out?
Dell Laptop Shorting Out Batteries?
Usually batteries wear off fast for two reasons, 1. Use them until they die off 2. Improper electricity connection. For the first reason, you should a) charge a newly bought battery for at least 12 hours b) don't use your PC on battery mode at below 10% capacity frequently.
For the second reason, check the effective voltage gradient of your charger. Buying a new charger may help you in this case.
Dell Laptop Shorting Out Batteries?
That problem with the battery actually depends on how you use the laptop. Here’s an explanation about the lifespan of a laptop battery. The total lifespan of a laptop’s battery or any other battery depends on how you use your computer. The more often you charge, the faster its lifespan will decrease.
All rechargeable batteries have limited lifespan and its average lifespan is determined by the cycle count which is then equivalent to charge and discharge. In a laptop computer, the average lifespan of a Li-Ion battery is about 700 to 800 cycles and normally lasts around 2 to 3 years. According to Apple, you can allow your laptop to be connected to the charger even when the battery is full.
This will not damage the battery. In this state, the laptop will run on AC power instead of battery. But you need to let your laptop to run on battery at least once a month to allow the battery to discharge normally.
The idea here is simple: when the battery is charging and it reaches the full charge capacity, there is a mechanism in the laptop’s power supply that will stop the charging of the battery and shifts to AC power. When the laptop is running on AC, the battery will remain at its level without discharging therefore preventing the cycle count from decreasing and prolonging its life.
To extend the life of your battery, try following this method to save the cost of buying new batteries.
