What's up with laptop battery?

@lunion (64)
Indonesia
December 22, 2010 9:43am CST
Well mylotters! I'm sure you've had it, your laptop battery gone bad. I wonder what's up? does laptop battery decay over time? How do we know how long can a battery last before we have to buy another? Some people say you shouldn't plug the battery, turn your laptop on, and plug in the charger at the same time. They say it can affect the battery life, but how? Does it charge the laptop and the battery at the same time? And what should i do when my battery gone bad? is there anything i can do to restore it? i would avoid buying a new battery at all cost. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thank you kindly.
8 responses
• Indonesia
22 Dec 10
well, actually laptop has indicator for battery. it will stop charging when battery is full. my laptop battery also gone bad. first time I bought this laptop battery can stand up to 4 hours,now it can only stand for half hour. well, my laptop battery gone bad after I started using laptop overnight and didn't unplug the charger all day long with the battery still in the laptop. some people say that the laptop battery must be charged when the laptop is off..and unplug the charger if battery have been full.. you can't do anything when the battery gone bad..just buy a new one..
@lunion (64)
• Indonesia
22 Dec 10
thx evelyn, but really, it's such a waste to buy a new one. and what if that new one decays again after a few months? laptop battery is rather expensive actually, about 1/3 to 1/10 of the original price (maybe) anyway, thx. you're appreciated
@lunion (64)
• Indonesia
22 Dec 10
Em, anyway. is there any better alternative than buying new battery? can i brought it to a store somewhere & have it repaired? would love to know..
• Indonesia
22 Dec 10
yeah, it is expensive.. why don't you just use charger and take off the battery? but don't too often. my friend only use charger for a long time and then the battery can't be used again..haha. well, keep the battery well.. don't charge battery when the laptop is on..
@rflfly (51)
• China
18 Feb 11
Have to buy a new one,if the battery gone bad,we can't do anthing,if you don't want to buy a new one you may have it repaired in the store.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
23 Dec 10
my laptop battery had turned bad in the past as well after about 2 years of use... i think the battery has a life and after charging for so many times and so many hours, then it will go bad and we have to replace it with a new battery... i try to prolong the life of my laptop battery now by now charging it unless if it is empty... this actually helps in prolonging the life of the battery... take care and have a nice day...
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
23 Dec 10
Most rechargeable batteries when new come with an estimated life of charge/discharge cycles from the manufacturer,usually detailed in the users manual of the device,along with advice on how to care for them.Make sure you abide by the user guide instructions and the warranty conditions to get the best use from the battery and to ensure you can get a replacement in the event of a problem with it during the warranty period.Personally,I've yet to own a laptop as I don't travel that much to need or want one,but I do have a preference for AA battery powered gadgets for when I am travelling,as I can then have the choice of my rechargeable batteries or regular cells to run them with.As to your question,I'd probably recommend using your mains power adapter when at home,maybe just hooking up the battery to have it charged ready,then having it ready to go in your laptop bag.That should keep the battery in condition for when You need it.
@shattered (1728)
• Philippines
23 Dec 10
As a general rule batteries have a limited number of recharge and discharge as stated above. The don't plug, charge and use are no longer applicable to current batteries as laptops have their internal indicators it used to be true in the past when laptops weren't as advanced as they are now, and the batteries then had a lower life span. Most laptops nowadays have battery life indicators on top of battery charge. It means the laptop can detect if the battery is still working properly. 2 Years is the common battery life for laptops. Hope this helps.
• United States
25 Dec 10
One thing is batteries are made up of chemicals. These chemicals cause an imbalance or reaction that create electricity. Once the chemicals have run out of reactions with eachother they have 'gone bad.' This is actually just a state of equilibrium. Rechargable batteries simply are just getting the chemicals recharged to start the reactions again. But all batteries will eventually get to the point of permanent equilibrium and thus need to be replaced. You can have a professional restore the battery but more often than not its just as or even more expensive than buying a new battery. Make sure you cycle the battery at least once a month. You can also try ordering your batteries off of eBay as the prices are usually lower there.
• Canada
23 Dec 10
People have bad battery life because they stay on mylot all the time. Jk, laptop battery does decay over time, so it's better if you didn't put it to sleep over night, but instead, turn it off completely. When it sleeps over night, it waists the battery. The more time your laptop is on, the more you battery will run out and get old.
22 Dec 10
Most laptops come with a warranty of some kind, so just have a quick look at your receipt again to see if you have that, because if you do then you can get it repaired for no cost at all. But if not, find a replacement battery on the internet rather than shops, online shops such as ebay or even other sites found with more research can save you a huge amount as i've experience myself. It doesn't need to be the original battery you can get a non branded one and it works the same. If all else fails then just contact a local laptop repair shop, they will be able to get it fixed for a cheaper cost. Or, you can attempt fixing it yourself by looking at tutorials online. Hope this helps.