Laptop batteries.

[Allan]

I have a Toshiba laptop which is quite new and I want the battery to last as long as possible. Should I just plug it into the mains all the time I can, or should I run on battery until it needs charging?
Also, are there companies that do aftermarket batteries as the Toshiba ones are silly money.
Cheers,
Allan

 

[MoodySabre]

Toshiba might tell you here <span style="color:blue"> </span>

If you google "Toshiba laptop batteries" there are plenty of suppliers.

 

[raquet]

There are many sources of reasonably priced laptop batteries on the internet - I'll leave it to others to plug their favourite. You do need to be careful using a laptop on the mains. Some batteries loose capacity over time if kept fully charged. If unsure what type you have I think the best advice is to run the battery flat every month or so. This should stop NiCad batteries from degrading and I don't think it will harm other types.

 

[donm]

I use a laptop daily for my work and have had several Toshibas and Dells over the past 10 years. With the first I rarely used the battery and it lost its capacity within a year. Ever since even though I mostly operate on mains power, I have made a weekly habit of running the laptop (as I am now) on battery until it needs charging and have never had to replace a battery since as they appear to keep their capacity of around 2.5 hours.

 

[Allan]

Yes thanks for that, I have looked at that but it refers Metal Halide whereas mine is marked Lithium Iron. Toshiba seem to make good laptops but are not so good at detailed information!
Allan

 

[raquet]

I suspect Lithium Ion rather than Iron. Lithium Ion batteries do not suffer from the problem of reduced capacity if kept charged. They lose capacity over time regardless of how you charge/discharge them. So don't worry about it. Use it and buy another non branded one when it dies. It will probably lose about 20% capacity per year so should last a while before it degardes too far.

 

[SimonA]

My Lithium Ion battery has lasted about 16 months on the laptop. I had expected it to last longer than that. All of a sudden it stopped holding any charge.

 

[DeeGee]

Not my own experience, but I have read somewhere that non-original substitute Li ion batteries MAY be dangerous. Sony had to recall a load of their own machines, and do the same for Dell, fitting Sony batteries. So getting a chinese equivalent might just possibly be a poor way of saving money. Fire risk?? on your boat??
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[Guest]

Many companys now advise charge up battery and then remove from Notebook if you think you will be using mains extensively. Put battery back in now and again and use on that to drain and then charge up again..... eg Acer.
We use loads of Notebook PC's in our work and near all have had batterys die because of lack of exercise..... NiCD, NiMH, LiIon ..... seemed to make no difference. (We also use PDA's and same story).

Personally .... I have 2 power packs sited where I use mine ... 1 at office, 1 at home ... they stay plugged in and I don't have to carry one around. Once a week or thereabouts ... I run my Notebook on battery and it lasts reasonably well ... then when it goes to standby on low battery ... I plug in and resume...... My latest NB is about 1.5 near 2 yr old and still living happily with original battery.....