My laptop completely shuts down at 30%

Laserwitz · ‎01-15-2019

Hi, I saw similar problems in other discussion here in the forums but the situations that I found were a bit different from mine so I thought of posting my own.

So this problem started just about a week ago. My brother bought me the laptop from a computer store on July 2017. So it's about to be two years old (However, I do use my laptop a lot. You could say I'm dependent on it). Recently, while I was playing a video game, my laptop screen went off and I immediately went to look at the lights at the side and I found them off too which means my laptop just shut down. I also heard a click sound inside my laptop. From my experience, that's kind of the sound of a PC that just shut down due to a power loss or due to unplugging. So I thought that my battery just lost all of its charge. I ignored this and thought I did not notice the low battery notification.

A few days later, this happened again and also without notification. The second and third time it happened I was trying to fix the notification for low battery but it did not work. I went to the Change Advanced Power Settings and then to the Battery part. Everything on the setting looked alright to me. Low battery is at 30% since that was what the assistant told me when we were buying the laptop. The critical battery level was at 10% and the action was Hibernate (not shut down). Then I tried to closely watch the battery percentage for the next few times and I found out that my laptop shuts down at a bit more than 30%. Say 32%. What's even more confusing is that when I reopen it (while plugged in), it shows my battery at 3 - 8%. Almost instantaneously did it go from 30% to 3%. Note that my laptop shuts down, all my progress lost and I can't get back where I was.

So is this an indication of a faulty battery and the need of a replacement? Or could this still be fixed? Everything is still normal at 100% - 40% which last for about 2 hours. Also, I checked for the notification. I set it at 80% low battery level and it still does notify me. The reason why it was not showing up in the previous shut downs was that it was set at 30%, which it never reached. I am becoming worried because the way it shuts down is like having a power outtage or unplugging a PC and I know that damages the hard disk (correct me if I'm wrong).

As I said before, the first thing I did was I went to the Change Advanced Power Settings but the problem was not on the lack of notification. I then used the HP Support Assistant in having a Battery Check. The results though showed a weak battery due to aging. I noticed that there was a BIOS update and that I did among other updates from the Support Assistant. Then I went on to download the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Window and used the battery check there thinking that I may need recalibration. To my surprise, the battery Passed the check and needs no calibration. Even after all those, my laptop still shuts down at around 30%. (By this time, this is already the sixth shut down. I don't want to repeat it again so I'm just going to plug my device all the time until I have it fixed). I have read something about a Hard Reset which is pressing the power button for a few seconds when my device is off but I haven't tried this.

My problem is not so much on the battery life but on why it goes from 30% to 3% instantaneously. Why? Because if the battery really does not last long, the battery percentage should just go down quick which I don't mind. Is there a fix for this? Or do I really need to replace the battery?

These are my specs (from Support Assistant):

Product Name: HP Laptop 14-bs0xx

Operating System: Windows 10 Home Single Language 64-bit Version: 17134.523

Microporcessor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-6006U CPU @ 2.00GHz

System Board: 831C 17.42

System BIOS: F.42

Do or do not, there is no try.

Dragon-Fur · ‎01-15-2019

@Laserwitz

You have done your homework. You might have guessed by now that regardless of all else, the battery is not working as expected of a healthy battery.

I would guess that at least one cell in the battery has died. More likely, since "cell death" requires tests and knowledge on the subject that I lack, your computer's battery is in need of being replaced.

Batteries last anywhere between about ten days (if the battery leaves the factory "tested OK" but is secretly defective) to about three or more years. More typically, the battery lasts as long as the warranty (one year for lower end notebooks - two to four years for high end workstations and business class machines).

Battery, depending on where you purchase it, is likely about $50-$75 USD.

Things that are the Battery

Information / Tests

HP Community thread on the subject

Accepted Solution - Battery won't Charge or Battery won't Hold a Charge

Article that explains Smart Battery Technology

Battery use and care, how batteries perform over time, and expected battery life

How to: Understanding Lithium-Ion and Smart Battery Technology

Battery having trouble?

The battery might be OK and just need calibration (balance / set).

The steps to check / calibrate / replace the battery are included in this document:

HP Notebook PCs - HP Battery Alert Appears Before Windows Starts

And / Or

Testing and Calibrating the Battery (Windows 10)

Document includes information and link for using HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI) (preferred method) and / or using the HP Support Assistant to test the battery.

Tips for extending / improving battery service

Microsoft - Battery saving tips

Documents and Reference

This document is for HP notebook PCs that have a removable battery.

HP Notebook PCs - Battery Does Not Power Notebook or Hold a Charge

If the adapter fails it will not power the notebook.

HP Notebook PCs - Using and Testing the AC Power Adapter

Recalls and Advisories

The battery might be on a Recall List:

HP Replacement programs and product recalls
- Includes Link: Advisory c05864001: HP Notebook Computer and Mobile Workstation Battery Safety Recall and Replacemen...

Purchase Options

Ifyou determine that you need to purchase a battery, AC adapter, or power cord for your computer, check for the part(s) in HP PartSurfer.

If / When you know the battery type / part number, check for the battery at the Parts Store
If the part is not available from HP, use your search engine to search for the part in your region.

Find your Product

See: HP Notebook PCs - How Do I Find My Model Number or Product Number?

OR

Open Support Home
Enter computer full model name
When the website opens, select category Product Information
Look for the Specifications for your computer
The Product number may be listed in the Specifications document

Find your computer Serial Number

See: HP PCs, Printers - Finding the Serial Number

Find your part number

The part number you seek may be in the Maintenance and Service Guide

Open Support Home
Enter your computer’s full model name
When the website opens, select category User Guides
Look for the Maintenance and Service guide for your computer
The part numbers are listed in the component section (wording varies)

Check for parts at the PartSurfer Website

Open PartSurfer

Select your Country
Enter your device Product Number, Serial Number, or Part Number in the Quick Search box
HINT: To see a system-specific list, replace the Product Number with your device Serial Number
Items accompanied by a tiny box in the Add-to-Cart column are available for purchase

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Parts marked as available for purchase might be available from: HP Parts Store

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Dragon-Fur

Laserwitz · ‎01-15-2019

Thanks for the answer. By now, I really do think that my battery is getting weak.

I'm just confused by two things:

(1) Why was all of this so sudden? I mean it was just about a week ago that everything was fine with the battery. Shouldn't this be a gradual occurence?

(2) Why does it suddenly lose all charge at 30%? Is it some misreading by the computer? Also, is there a way to fix that?

For now, I just set the low battery notification at 50% and set the Hibernation action at 40% to be safe.

Do or do not, there is no try.

Dragon-Fur · ‎01-16-2019

@Laserwitz

You are welcome.

Stuff breaks. One day it is fine, next day - Poof. Not everything fails just a little bit each day to give you a chance to see it happening. I realize that might be unsettling - it has apparently happened this time.

I do not think the 30% is significant in terms of the reporting - and even if the computer is not reading the situation with a superior degree of accuracy, it is good enough to know the obvious. I cannot answer your question - the computer is doing what it can with the situation. I would guess there is no "fix" that is relevant.

We all know people who know things that we do not - if you have a friend who is an electrical engineer, he can explain how the battery functions and how it might behave as it fails. If you have a friend who is a computer software engineer, she can explain the computer software side.