How true is it that removing the battery of a laptop or notebooks and directly plugging the unit into a power source is better and good than putting on the battery and plugging it into a power source?
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Removing Battery while using the Laptop/Notebooks
Hello Raquel.
Most laptops now come with Li-Ion battery packs. These batteries provide several hours of power for years if properly care for. Li-ion battery packs have internal control circuitry that automatically regulates the charging current. It gets the full charging current when the current charge is very low and slowly lessens the current as the battery approaches its full capacity. Once the battery reaches "full" status, the charging current is not totally turned off and therefore switches to "trickle" charging.Â
Although this trickle current is extremely low, it can still cause damage to the battery by overcharging the cells if left on too long. Another enemy of Li-ion battery packs is heat. Heat builds up during the initial charge when the battery has less than 80% charge.
Based on the above info, it is indeed better to remove the laptop battery when it is already on full charge. Either that or just disconnect the charger and run on batteries until it needs charging again. Removing the battery also prevents it from getting exposed to heat from the laptop. As mentioned above, heat is one of the factors that accelerate Li-ion battery degradation.
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Removing Battery while using the Laptop/Notebooks
Yes, that is also good and most useful in times when the battery is no longer working at normal operating hours. You can do it when the battery is no longer charging, charge depletes very rapidly, or charges very rapidly. When you do this, it’s like transforming your laptop into a normal desktop computer plugged directly into the AC outlet.
If you want to know the life of the battery in general, 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 or device. 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 two (2) to three (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 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 power, 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. On the other hand, if buying a new battery is not an option yet then the immediate remedy you can do is remove the battery and use the laptop just like a normal desktop computer that is plugged into the power while being used.
To do this, turn your laptop upside down then remove the battery from the battery compartment. Note: make sure the laptop is turned off before disconnecting the battery. After this, plug the charger to the power outlet and connect the charger to your laptop just like when you are charging the battery. Now, just turn on the laptop and use it as usual.
When you are finished, shut it down and disconnect the charger.
