HOBI Weekly Blog Recap (9/18-9/21)
Among the many battery questions, one of the most common is how to keep your laptop battery in good condition. Once upon a time we were told to let our batteries drain completely before charging it, or to keep it charged between 40 percent and 80 percent at all times to help prolong the lifespan. Most of these rules applied to old nickel-based batteries, but these days laptops are manufactured with Lithium Ion batteries, which are much easier to keep in good condition.
Problem: The truth is there is no magic solution to prevent anything bad from happening to your laptop battery, but there are a few things you can do to help keep it in good health.
Tips:
- First, keep the battery cool. If possible, avoid using your laptop in hot places, and try to store it somewhere cool. This will reduce the amount of charge it uses.
- When you plug your laptop in to charge it, do not leave it on the charger when it is 100 percent charged.
- Another thing to try is shallow discharges. Discharging your laptop means reversing the charging process and using potential electric energy to drive other electric components. Lithium Ion batteries perform the best when discharged for a small amount of time, then charged for an equal amount of time.
- Shallow discharges help prolong the life of the battery, however, the battery life feature (which tells you how long you have before your battery dies) can become miscalibrated after so many shallow discharges. For this reason, manufacturers suggest fully discharging your laptop battery at least once a month.
While Lithium Ion batteries are easier to take care of, they are significantly more dangerous than others. If you should encounter any issues with your laptop battery such as overheating, or even battery swelling, it is critical to contact professionals who are trained in proper battery removal and/or disposition.
IT asset disposition centers like HOBI International collect old electronics and ensure that they are properly and safely disposed of via electronic recycling. The HOBI team specifically practices safety measures such as special tools and protective gear when handling LIBs.
For more information about our ITAD services call 817-814-2620, or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.
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