Should You Keep Laptop Plugged in or Use it on Battery Power?

This is a question that has been debated for a long time without a definitive answer. While there are a few things you can do to improve battery life, it’s still unclear whether you should use your laptop while it’s plugged in or on battery power.

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Each type of battery can only sustain a finite number of charge and discharge cycles, after which the battery begins to wear out rapidly.

Two types of batteries — Lithium-ion and Lithium-polymer — are commonly used to power all new laptops worldwide, and although they are manufactured using different technologies, they work. in similar ways.

But does it affect battery life if you charge it while using it?

Lithium batteries cannot be overcharged even if you keep the charger plugged in because as soon as it is fully charged (100%), the internal circuitry prevents further charging until the voltage drops.

While overcharging is not possible, keeping your laptop battery drained is a problem. Leaving your battery in a dead state for an extended period of time may damage its ability to fully charge again or not charge at all.

However, the answer to keeping your laptop plugged in is not simple as it depends on a number of factors.

Lithium batteries are known for their unstable properties and there are a number of factors such as voltage level, temperature, and the number of times they are recharged that contribute to their deterioration over a period of time.

High voltage levels while charging can shorten the life of the battery, and temperatures above 30°C can also seriously damage the battery.

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Improved battery discharge cycle

According to a study by Battery University, you can prolong the battery’s discharge cycle by not charging to 100% (4.2v/cell charge).

Based on the table below, charging your battery to 85-90% will double its discharge cycle from 300-500 to 600-1000.

VoltageSource: University of Battery

Similarly, an even lower charge at 70-75% (4v/cell charge) will quadruple the discharge cycle. But this also means the battery won’t last long on a single charge.

The study concluded that the optimal charging voltage for Lithium batteries is 3.92v/cell, which is roughly equivalent to 60% of rechargeable batteries.

Excessive heat causes irreversible damage

Temperatures in excess of 30°C can shorten the life of the battery. Even leaving your laptop at room temperature or outdoors beyond these temperatures can shorten battery life.

The total charge-holding capacity of a lithium-based battery starts to decrease when it is discontinued and it will certainly decrease quite a bit over a year’s time, but exposing the battery to high temperatures further reduces its ability to hold charge. their accumulation.

TemperatureSource: University of Battery

Research also shows that the most damaging condition for batteries is when the battery is fully charged at high temperatures — above 30°C.

Storing a 100% fully charged battery at 60°C will cause the battery to lose more than 40% of its capacity in just three months. While storing it at 40% charge at the same temperature will cause it to lose 25% of its ability to hold charge in a year.

Operating your laptop at high temperatures while plugged into a 100% battery charge is also not recommended.

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Temperature not only means ambient temperature, but the temperature of the battery can also be affected if your laptop is kept in a place where heat is trapped — such as a pillow or in a place that is not well ventilated. good wind.

Removing the Battery When Plugging In? Not really.

Until temperature is no longer a factor, you don’t really need to remove the battery when plugging in a device or worry about overcharging.

Battery 1688825 1280

Each company has its own recommendations on whether to play around with the battery pack or keep the device plugged in when the battery is fully charged.

While HP states that laptops shouldn’t be continuously charged for more than two weeks at a time, Dell has no problem if you keep your laptop plugged in all the time, and Acer wants you to always remove the battery when plugged in. .

According to Apple, “It’s not a good idea to have your mobile device plugged in all the time, and an ideal user would be a commuter using his laptop on the train, then plugging it into the office to charge it. This keeps the battery juice flowing.”

dodSource: University of Battery

There’s no straight answer to the question of whether you should have your laptop plugged in all the time, and it largely depends on the situation.

If you’re working in cool temperatures, it won’t be a problem to plug your system in while the battery is at 100% but if the temperature is high and the battery is fully charged it can damage the battery. .

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If you decide to remove the battery, do not leave it in a discharged state. Charge the battery to at least 50% but not more than 75% to prevent the battery from entering a state of deep discharge — this can also sometimes be irreversible.

Your battery won’t last forever under any circumstances, and eventual loss of charge-holding capacity is inevitable. You can only prolong its discharge cycle and reduce the rate at which it loses its ability to hold charge.

Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/

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