Faulty battery & poorly responsive keys

[Tsjkmo]

Hi, I bought a HP Spectre x360 13 ap0002ni back in 2019.

PROBLEM 1

A few months ago, the battery started draining unusually fast. 

• Eventually followed by a message on restarting the laptop stating that the battery has started on low (or something similar - I don't remember the exact wording; the message pops up randomly now and then). 
• Laptop worked fine plugged in.

PROBLEM 2

A couple of weeks ago, the keyboard started becoming un- or poorly responsive - mainly the top rows. 

• The entire row usually isn't usually affected; 1 - 10 keys randomly, which eventually start responding after some time. 
• I've also noticed they work well when the back cover of the laptop is removed.

I am FAR from tech savvy but I read keyboard issues can be related to the battery.  So my questions:

• Can the keyboard issue realistically be related to the battery?
• My battery is labelled SP04XL.  Google search does come up with SP0XL batteries in my country but the list of "compatible with" usually does not include my "ap0002ni.". Does this mean it won't work?

The laptop is 5 years old, so maybe it's time for a new one but it was quite expensive, so I'd look like to know my options before retiring it.

[Raj2111 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Tsjkmo 

Welcome to the HP support community.
 

I understand you're experiencing an issue with your HP device, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. I'm here to help you today.
 

It sounds like you're dealing with a couple of frustrating issues. Let's break them down:

Problem 1: Battery Issues

1. Battery Drain: Over time, laptop batteries degrade, leading to faster drain. Since your laptop is about 5 years old, this could be a normal aging process.
2. Low Battery Warning: The warning message is likely indicating that the battery health is poor. You can check the battery health using HP's built-in diagnostics or Windows battery report. To do this:
   • Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
   • Type powercfg /batteryreport and press Enter.
   • This will generate a report in your user directory (Documents), which you can review for battery health.

Problem 2: Keyboard Issues

1. Keyboard Responsiveness: The fact that the keyboard works better when the back cover is removed suggests a potential hardware issue. It might be related to:
   • Connection: The keyboard might have a loose connection to the motherboard. When you remove the back cover, it might be inadvertently making better contact.
   • Battery: A failing battery can sometimes cause electrical issues that affect other components. It's worth noting that if the battery is swelling, it could physically interfere with the keyboard.

Your Questions

Can the keyboard issue realistically be related to the battery?

• Yes, it’s possible. A faulty battery can cause power delivery issues that might affect the keyboard. However, it might also just be a connection issue.

Battery Compatibility:

• The SP04XL and SP0XL might be similar, but it's crucial to ensure compatibility. Look for batteries that specifically list your model (ap0002ni) or contact the seller for confirmation. Using an incompatible battery can lead to further issues.

I hope this helps! Keep me posted.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.
 

-Regards
Raj-HP Support