Few people think about how to properly charge a laptop. But you have to do this - some connect to the charger at night, others keep it connected to the network all the time. In this article, we will figure out how to charge a laptop so that the battery lasts a long time, holds a charge as long as possible and does not require replacement.
The material is relevant for all brands of laptops, new and used models of 2019: Acer, including Aspire, Asus, Dell, HP, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, MSI, Xiaomi Redmi Note, Xiaomi Redmi Note , Samsung / Samsung and others, with built-in and removable batteries, as well as when charging in the car and other places.
Theory
Almost all laptop computers use two types of batteries - Li-Ion, lithium-ion, and their improved version, Li-Pol, lithium-polymer. Ion batteries weigh less and last longer, but quickly lose capacity, discharge without load and only work at above-zero temperatures.
Polymer ones are less susceptible to self-discharge, and, as the developers claim, they function even at -20 degrees. Their main drawback is the risk of fire when overcharging or overheating and “aging”: even if you haven’t used the device, after two years it will lose about 20% of its charge.
Previously, laptops used another type of “charging” - Ni-Cad nickel-cadmium batteries. They worked in almost any conditions, but made the devices very heavy.
In any case, the battery must be handled carefully and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
Ideally maintain from 20 to 80%
Those who discharge the battery to zero and those who constantly charge it are equally mistaken. The optimal charge level is 20-80%: it increases the battery life three to four times up to 1100-1400 full discharge-charge cycles. As a rule, the device is usually discharged to 20%, but not less.
You can monitor how quickly a laptop will discharge from 100 percent to the desired level experimentally. First, set up a low battery notification on your computer.
- On Windows 7: “Control Panel” → “Hardware and Sound” → “Power Options”. Next to the current plan, select “Configure power plan”, then “Change advanced power settings”. In the window that opens, expand the “Battery” list, in it - “Low battery level” and “Low battery notification”. In the first item, set “On Battery” to “20%”, in the second, check that the battery notification is enabled.
- On Windows 10, getting to the Energy Options window is a little more difficult. “Settings” → “System” → “Power and sleep” → “Advanced power settings”, then see above.
Tracking the 80% mark is more difficult if the device is charging while turned off or at night. You can track the discharge time using a timer, but it will not coincide with the time it will take to charge the gadget.
For more accurate measurements, start the laptop in battery calibration mode - first fully charge, then discharge to 2-3%. This can be done manually or through special programs - for example, Battery Eater, BatteryCare or Battery Optimizer (all three are free). You need to calibrate the battery no more often than once every two to three months: if more often, the battery will deteriorate.
How to properly charge a laptop?
The main mistake of users: they allow the battery to drain to zero frequently or constantly keep it in power mode .
On a note ! The battery is often damaged when completely discharged. If this condition lasts for a long time, it will no longer recover.
Professionals offer a mode that will increase the service life of the equipment by 3-4 times:
- the set lower charge level is 20%, do not allow a lower value;
- the upper limit is recommended to 80%. For comparison: 100% charging will allow you to use the AKM for 500 cycles, while if the conditions are met, the figure is 1400.
The selected numbers are controlled using system tools. For this:
- Go to “Control Panel – Hardware and Sound – Power Options”.
- Select “Configure power plan”, then “Change”.
- The new window contains the “Battery” section, let’s expand it. This contains lines about the low battery level and setting up notifications.
- We adjust the value of the first line to 20%, make sure that the alert is activated.
Important! Depending on your specific model, the options you need may look different. For example, for Samsung devices: “Start button – All programs – Samsung”. The parameters are specified in the Battery Life Extender section.
Measuring the 80% mark will be a little more difficult. In manual mode it is timed .
We will find out the exact time it will take to charge to the upper limit using calibration . The procedure is to achieve a full charge and then discharge to 2%. The operation is carried out manually or automatically - using special utilities (Battery Optimizer, Battery Eater, etc.).
On a note ! Experts recommend calibration once every 3 months; it eliminates malfunctions in the operation of the element relay.
Operating rules
- Use lithium-ion batteries at temperatures between +15 and +25 degrees. The limit values are from +5 to +45.
- Do not turn on your laptop outside in sub-zero temperatures. If your computer has been in the cold, wait an hour for it to warm up indoors.
- Buy a cooling pad with coolers if you will use the gadget at high temperatures from +30.
- Do not cover the air intake holes - this leads to disastrous results, including the appearance of microcracks on the board.
- Keep the lithium-ion battery away from water - it will catch fire even without air because hydrogen will begin to be released.
- Do not leave the battery discharged even for a couple of weeks.
Question answer
What to do with a new laptop?
After purchasing a laptop, just turn it on and start working - laptops are usually sold with a charge level of 60-70%. Then calibrate the battery: fully charge the battery (this will take about four hours), disconnect the charged computer from the network and work on it until it turns off completely; then repeat the procedure again. It is not necessary to perform calibration at full startup - you can do it later, within two to three months. Auto-calibration programs are listed above.
Is it possible to use a laptop that is always plugged in?
Of course not. A laptop constantly connected to the network can significantly reduce the battery capacity or cause it to overheat.
In what cases is it necessary to remove the battery?
If the laptop stays in one place all the time and does not move anywhere, it will be more convenient to remove the battery and connect the charger. This should be done when charging at about 60-70%, and then once a month make the computer work in deep charging mode - discharge to 2-3% and charge to 60-80%.
Is it possible to throw away a dead battery?
When the battery stops charging, think about where it can be used.
The battery contains 18650 batteries, which are not the worst. If they stop charging, take them out with a screwdriver and pliers and use them for other purposes - for example, connect a flashlight to it or, if you have experience, make a portable charger power bank. If you don’t find a use for it, still don’t throw the “battery” into the trash. They are accepted at battery collection points or in separate special boxes.
What is the best way to charge a laptop - off or on?
The main thing is to follow the charging mode, that is, follow the 20-80% scheme: less than 20% - charge, more than 80% - unplug.
I lost my charger, what should I do?
We recommend trying these methods.
How to properly charge a laptop battery?
The correct way to charge the battery, as you may have guessed, is simply to connect it to the mains via a standard power adapter. In the Windows operating system, which most laptops run, it is possible to control the charge level of the battery. You can also set up a power-saving mode and a battery discharge limit at which the laptop will turn off. These settings can be made in “Control Panel” -> “Power Options”.
In the “Power Options” section you can make all the settings related to the functioning of the battery.
There is a battery icon in the system tray. By clicking on it, you can always see the laptop battery charge level and information about its operation (online or offline). As for the charge level, for lithium batteries it is better to maintain it in the range of 50-80%. This ensures the longest battery life. It is clear that it is impossible to constantly maintain such a charge level. But the rules outlined below are quite realistic to follow:
- Do not discharge the battery before turning off the laptop. If you see that the indicator in the operating system shows less than 50%, connect the laptop to the network;
- There is also no need to constantly keep the laptop with the battery connected to the network. If you often work at home using a power outlet, remove the battery and store it separately. Don't forget to charge it to about 50-60%;
- Periodically (every 3-4 months) calibrate your laptop battery. This is a full charge of the laptop battery and its subsequent discharge. This cycle is performed 2-3 times. If you don’t have time to perform this procedure manually, you can use programs that can be used to calibrate the laptop battery.
And one more piece of advice that doesn’t relate to charging, but is very important. Do not allow the battery to overheat. If you load your laptop with resource-intensive applications and it gets very hot, buy a cooling pad for it. Otherwise, the heat inside the case generated by the components will heat the battery. This is highly undesirable for lithium batteries.
conclusions
How to extend the life of a laptop computer:
- It is correct to charge a laptop according to the “20–80% scheme”: less than 20% - charge, more than 80% - unplug.
- Do not use the laptop in the cold: the limit is +5...45°C, the norm is +15...25.
- Do calibration - full charging and discharging - once every two months to preserve the battery longer.
- If the laptop does not move anywhere, remove the battery and connect the charger. But don't leave it on all the time!
- Do not allow the battery to come into contact with water or open fire.
- Do not throw away dead batteries.
How to charge the battery correctly
Most laptops have Li-ion batteries. Charging is carried out in accordance with the characteristics of such batteries. After purchase, you should “overclock” the battery, for which several full charge/discharge cycles (2-3) are performed. First, you need to connect your computer to the network for the first time; it is advisable to do this when it is disconnected.
The charge level of a new battery when purchasing a laptop is average.
This is enough to maintain the properties of the battery during the storage of the device in a warehouse/store. You need to increase the charge percentage to 100%.
The duration of the first charging process varies from 4 to 8 hours. Some consumers leave a new laptop turned off overnight, but it must be connected to the network. When the battery is fully charged, the device is disconnected from the power source.
You must use the laptop in standalone mode. When the charge level drops to critical (15%), the device is connected to the network. The recharging time is the same – from 4 to 8 hours.
After this, you can use the laptop in normal mode. However, some consumers immediately begin working on the computer under normal conditions after purchase. The manufacturer does not provide recommendations in this regard. In the instructions for using a laptop you can often find information that the device must be connected to the network to charge. There are no more precise recommendations.
However, it is necessary to first “overclock” the battery, since such manufacturer loyalty may be due to market requirements. Thus, the range of device models is expanding, and the service life of equipment is shortening, which forces consumers to purchase new devices.
Under normal conditions, the battery charges for several hours (1.5-2). The duration of this period varies depending on the laptop model, up or down. You should be guided by the charge level indicator.
The process of charging a laptop battery.
