Removing the battery from the laptop when running on fixed power protects the battery from heat but some battery and laptop manufacturers caution against it. They say that dust and moisture accumulating inside the battery casing could damage the laptop. The dealers will be happy to provide you with a new pack when a replacement is needed a little sooner. The question is often asked if one should disconnect the laptop from the main when not in use. With lithium-ion it does not matter. Once the battery is fully charged, no further charge is applied. It is recommenced, however, to turn the laptop off overnight because of heat harms the battery.
Simple Guidelines
- Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for lithium-ion than one deep one. Recharging a partially charged lithium-ion does not cause harm because there is no memory. [In this respect, lithium-ion differs from nickel-based batteries.]
Short battery life in a laptop is mainly caused by heat rather than charge/discharge patterns. - Although memory-free, apply a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges to calibrate batteries with fuel gauge. Running down the battery in the equipment does this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate. The battery life will not be affected.
- Keep the lithium-ion battery cool. Avoid a hot car. For prolonged storage, keep the battery at a 40% charge level.
- Consider removing the battery from a laptop when running on fixed power. [Some laptop manufacturers are concerned about dust and moisture accumulating inside the battery casing.]
- Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later use. Observe manufacturing date. Do not buy old stock, even if sold at clearance prices.