On batteries and how to maintain them correctly I have read and heard so many different versions... Even stories of batteries being put in the freezer to recharge them.
This is why it seems very important to me to write an article on good and bad practices concerning the use of our Li-ion batteries.
So let's see how can we optimize the life of your laptop battery.
Avoid unnecessarily "wasting" discharge / recharge cycles
The lifespan of a Lithium-ion battery is counted in number of full discharge / full recharge cycles.
Current batteries typically have a lifespan of between 500 and 1000 full cycles.
If you partially discharge the battery, eg. at 50% of its capacity, before fully recharging it, this counts as a half cycle only, not a complete cycle. It is therefore unnecessary to completely discharge the battery before recharging it.
Get rid of inactive electrons once a month
For optimal conservation of a lithium-ion battery, it is important not to leave the electrons it contains for too long “inactive”. It is for this reason that it is recommended to fully discharge and then fully recharge your battery once a month, especially if you are used to working on the mains all the time.
Never drop below 10% load
In general, the operating system, whatever it is, puts the computer directly to sleep when there is only 15% of the remaining charge. You can really lose 20% of capacity in one go.
Reduce the brightness
Regardless of the device with an LCD screen, lowering its brightness, while continuing to use your device in good conditions, reduces your energy consumption. As a result, wear and tear on your battery is reduced.
Disable the WI-FI and Bluethooth functions
If you use your laptop or even your phone, and these functions are useless to you at the time of use, do not hesitate to deactivate them! They consume energy!
Disconnect unused peripherals.
External hard drives, CD-ROMs, Zip drives, PC cards, and other devices can use battery power even if they are not in use. Disconnect them once you no longer need them.
False good ideas not to apply
When working on the mains, do not remove the battery from the computer. First, it is risky, because in the event of a power failure, you will lose the work in progress that was not yet saved, and you risk damaging the hard drive. Then it will not improve your battery life, as newer Li-Ion batteries do not have a " memory effect »(Unlike old batteries).
On the other hand, it is advisable to unplug the power cord of a laptop when it is turned off, to avoid any unnecessary micro-charging of the battery.