Operate notebook without battery??

[Patti_Mik]

When I bought this laptop a few months ago, the salesperson advised removing the battery when operating with cord plugged in. She said it would cut down on the heat generated.  I wonder if this is advisable.  If I remove the battery, I'll lose whatever I'm working on.  I have noticed that it gets warm, but not terribly so, and inconveniently, the vents are on the same side as the mouse.

Where I live, it's not unusual for the power to flash off for a second or two if a storm is coming.  We have most of our serious electronics plugged into backup batteries, just for that purpose.  Unfortunately, we don't have one for the laptop yet.

I wonder if anyone out there has thoughts on this issue?  I would appreciate the feedback.

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

There is some truth to what the salesperson said, but I think way too much thought goes into laptop batteries. Leave it in and use it. Trying to adhere to some regimen of battery handling will add very, very little to the life of the battery and as you have astutely pointed out, the battery in a laptop is a UPS when used in a desktop mode. I say relax, set it and forget it. 

[DavidPK]

Hi,

My personal opinion would be to leave the battery in, particularly if there's a risk of mains power being interrupted - the last thing you want is to suddenly lose what you're working on or risk corrupting the operating system because the machine shuts off during an update.

Although the battery does contribute some heat during a charge cycle, this shouldn't really cause any issues.

At the end of the day, one of the most useful features of a notebook is its portability.

Regards,

DP-K

[Maké]

Hi!, Patti_Mlk:

If you have electric shock, disconnect from the wall, all electrical appliance as it can enter through it, the beam that is quadratic and damage everything. To this end, there are UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply). You can purchase one of 1000watts or, more and will last approximately, two hours (with minimum brightness without internet connected to your netbook).

Too, see, this link ... http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01297640

[Patti_Mik]

Thanks to you all... Huffer, DavidPK, and Maké!

I do have a surge protector on the outlet and always unplug during an electrical storm.  I may invest in a small UPS.  Although the outlet is protected by a house-level stand-by generator.  That doesn't kick in until the power has been off for 45 seconds.  And does not help when the power flashes off for a second or two.

Thanks again to you all!

Patti

[Maké]

Hi!, @Patti_Mik:

I suggest if you have recurring thunderstorms, with the possibility of potential energy shock, install a lightning conductor, grounded with copper conductors and gaseous protective cage, at the entrance. You can also buy another spare battery, charging it fully and then change the use. When removing the main battery, previously stored in the hard disk data you consider important. By the configuration, you should not worry because the data protects the battery real-time clock (RTC), and usually is, a CR2032 (Maxell, Energizer, Panasonic) or, DL2032 (Duracell).

For your netbook, the RTC battery, is ...

• Part No: 811080-001
• Description: RTC BATTERY
• Rohs: COMPLY_2.06

[Patti_Mik]

Hello Maké

I appreciate your detailed response.  But I confess, your level of technical knowledge is beyond mine.  I don't know what you mean when you say to install a lightning conductor "at the entrance".  Is this conductor something I can buy?  What is "the entrance"?

I gather that the battery to which you refer is inside the computer's case and keeps the "real-time clock" going.  I am uneasy at the idea of opening up the computer to access it.  Also, you say to "charge it fully".  How would I do that?  When you buy one of those coin-style batteries, isn't it already fully charged?

To our situation, we do have thunderstorms, in the summer, maybe one or two per month.  The laptop is always plugged in to a surge protector.  I know it's not perfect, but better than nothing.  Usually, I simply unplug the laptop at the first sign of an electrical storm.  Also, I back up my data every few days.

Again, I thank your for your advice.

Regards,

Patti

[westom]

Your plug-in protector only claims to protect from surges that are typically made redundant by protection already inside your laptop.  Even that plug-in protector must be protected by what he recommended - a properly earthed 'whole house' protector.

No protector does protection.  Protection is about where hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate.  That means a surge must be 'absorbed' by earth BEFORE entering.  Only a 'whole house' solution does that for about $1 per protected appliance.  Effective protectors connect hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly to earth on a path that remains outside.

Nothing technical or challenging.  We were all taught what a typical surge seeks in elementary school science.  Earth ground.  Either a surge is connected to earth BEFORE entering.  Or that surge is inside hunting for earth destructively via appliances.  It easily blows through that near zero plug-in protector (that absorbs how few joules?).  Only you make that choice.

[Maké]

Hi!, @Patti_Mik:

The RTC backup battery (CR2032) lithium ion, isn't charge. This has a limited life, which can range between 3 to 4 years. The protection to which I refer is at the entrance of the house where you dwell and is a protector against electric shock due to potential differences when there is a storm of electrical characteristics, as you mention. There are thousands of volts that are discharged to ground. It is why, to protect all electrical appliances, which are connected to the electricity distribution network, from your home. This is done with a lightning rod that conveniently calculated and grounding and protective gas is needed. It is not necessary to open the netbook at all.

You can see, what is this the protection, for your house ... http://stormhighway.com/protection.php

I think I've clarified the issue.