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Laptop battery message

I've always used my laptop where there is power available, and so the battery is always at about 100%.
I thought that this would prolong its life as it wasn't going through a charge/discharge cycle.
I was surprised to get a message when I went to an energy company website:

Carbon emissions from electricity are currently high. 
This device is over 80% charged, so you might like to unplug for a few hours.

At first I was surprised that it could see such details about my laptop, and then wondered if it was good advice.
Should the power supply be switched off, and then on again when it has gone down to ,say, 20%?

What is best for the good of the battery and the environment?



Comments

  • victor2
    victor2 Posts: 7,966 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I believe it is possible for some browsers to ascertain your battery level, but it may require some sort of optional add-in.
    Laptop battery charging systems are not 100% efficient, so the electricity you will use recharging the battery and then using the battery to run the laptop will be slightly more than just using the electricity to power the laptop directly. If you are recharging the battery from your own solar panel, then it could be more environmentally friendly though.

    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the In My Home MoneySaving, Energy and Techie Stuff boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. 

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  • Newcad
    Newcad Posts: 1,458 Forumite
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    edited 24 March 2023 at 1:37PM
    Unless you are bothered about your energy supplier nagging you about their carbon emissions just ignore it.
    It's a stupid message anyway, if you unplug it now to 'save' energy by running on battery then it will just use that energy to recharge when you plug it back in again - so nothing is saved.
    As for running always plugged in it's fine with a modern laptop (since about 2013/2014?).
    Battery technology has advance vastly in the last ten years or so.
    A lot of advice that you see about charging up and discharging is out of date and doesn't apply anymore.
    I recently did some testing of a 9 year old laptop battery that has (almost) always been used plugged in so 100% charged.
    The laptop is left plugged in even when it's switched off and not in use, and that's not a problem either because the battery charging circutry turns itself off - so it's not drawing power except for one small LED on the front.

  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,820 Forumite
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    Its not about the enviroment, your laptop uses the power that it needs whether the battery is full or not.

    Its about having the battery in its zone for the longest life and with most lithium style batteries that is between
    20% and 80% charged.  Years ago I told my daughter not to leave the battery at 100% but she didn't listen and
    the battery had a short life.

    Replacement battery purchased and she killed that one by always having it at 100%, didnt listen again that if its
    always on mains use the battery a little and remove it.

    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • Newcad
    Newcad Posts: 1,458 Forumite
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    edited 26 March 2023 at 12:19PM
      Years ago I told ......

    As said, battery technology has advanced dramatically in recent years.
    What used to be the best advice no longer applies in most cases.
    Of course if you have an old technology battery and replace it with an identical old technology battery then the old advice will still apply.
    Newer battery technology is one reason why with most smartphones and laptops you can no longer easily get to the battery to replace them.
    ou don't need to with newer technology batteries because however you use/charge them they will last for the lifetime of the device with little or no degredation.
    (You can still get a faulty battery from new though, manufacturing errors do happen and some slip past testing).



  • Newcad said:
      Years ago I told ......

    As said, battery technology has advanced dramatically in recent years.
    What used to be the best advice no longer applies in most cases.
    Of course if you have an old technology battery and replace it with an identical old technology battery then the old advice will still apply.
    Newer battery technology is one reason why with most smartphones and laptops you can no longer easily get to the battery to replace them.
    ou don't need to with newer technology batteries because however you use/charge them they will last for the lifetime of the device with little or no degredation.
    (You can still get a faulty battery from new though, manufacturing errors do happen and some slip past testing).




    Sadly that isn't the case.  Batteries do degrade and do need replaced.

    Things that are differerent: draw & drawer, brought & bought, loose & lose, dose & does, payed & paid


  • victor2
    victor2 Posts: 7,966 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 26 March 2023 at 5:06PM
    Newcad said:
      Years ago I told ......

    As said, battery technology has advanced dramatically in recent years.
    What used to be the best advice no longer applies in most cases.
    Of course if you have an old technology battery and replace it with an identical old technology battery then the old advice will still apply.
    Newer battery technology is one reason why with most smartphones and laptops you can no longer easily get to the battery to replace them.
    ou don't need to with newer technology batteries because however you use/charge them they will last for the lifetime of the device with little or no degredation.
    (You can still get a faulty battery from new though, manufacturing errors do happen and some slip past testing).




    Sadly that isn't the case.  Batteries do degrade and do need replaced.

    Maybe, but with most mobile devices having non user replaceable batteries now, it's a convenient way for manufacturers to build in obsolescence and push users into buying a new gadget.
    Environmental concerns don't get in the way of business plans.  ;)

    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the In My Home MoneySaving, Energy and Techie Stuff boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. 

    All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.

  • Good old replaceable batteries.  We lived in simpler times.

    I have replaced a battery on an iphone and a Macbook.  The Macbook was one of the easiest things I have ever done. The iphone a good bit trickier.


    Things that are differerent: draw & drawer, brought & bought, loose & lose, dose & does, payed & paid


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