Laptop Battery Record!

[Cuffy]

I'm here to claim a record!

I have a laptop, that after a full night's charge, runs for 37 seconds.......... flat!

[40hz]

That runs longer than this Dell I'm using right now.

It flatlines immediately after you unplug it.  Runs just fine on AC however.

(And yes, I put a new $70 battery in it. That lasted for about a month before it was as NG as the one it replaced. Dell says it's a mobo issue - and since it's out-of-warranty, running it on AC will be just fine, thank you.)

[Cuffy]

Sorry, I can't accept your challenge!
To be acceptable a challenge must run less than 37 seconds......
In your case, since it doesn't come on at all, the battery may be missing completely, or there may be a slab of pine in there..
To prove that a battery is installed and fully charged the machine must come on and run  (if less than 37 seconds further proof may be required)

Better luck next time! 

[40hz]

Sorry, I can't accept your challenge!

Oh, I wasn't challenging. I was ceding to you. (I agree.  A dead battery and a screwed up power management module isn't at all the same thing.)

Better luck next time! 

Yeah...I get that a lot.

[Cuffy]

I'm working on cutting that time down a little too!
I've never run across any results of tests conducted comparing freeze time to run time?
I'm making space in the freezer as we speak but have no idea where to start with freeze time..

37 minutes in the freezer may reduce my run time from 37 seconds to 0 without any possibility of recovery? Game over..... nothing learned 

Seems like a good place for some calculations but I can't even keep my checkbook balanced so that's out 

Trial and error seems to be my only option. (this may be a one shot test... hardly acceptable as a valid test in the scientific community  )

Any suggestions before I stuff this Dell into the freezer and start the timer???

[40hz]

^If you're trying that freezer trick to revitalize a battery, I'd just put the battery (not the entire laptop) inside two freezer bags - and put that in your freezer. Let the battery chill for 24 hours. Then remove it, take it out of the bags, and let it gradually come up to room temp over a 48-hour period outside the laptop. That will avoid creating any excessive condensation that actually could fry your laptop.

FWIW I've never known it to work. I suspect it's at least 80% urban legend.

[Cuffy]

hmm,

are you sure you're not thinking of a hard drive rather than a battery??

[40hz]

hmm,

are you sure you're not thinking of a hard drive rather than a battery??

nope. Li battery.

http://www.wikihow.com/Revive-a-Dead-Laptop-Battery

[Cuffy]

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries ;

Having grown up in a place where it never got below 59 deg.Fah. in the days of 6VDC batteries and having never known  freezing temps to improve a battery's performance I'd say calling that procedure a myth is putting it mildly..

and to answer your question..............
With the going rate on that old Dell laptop about $20, in serviceable condition, the thought of applying for a gov't grant to run the required tests to compile a freeze time vs runtime comparison and publish a chart for general public use, is what I had in mind. Perhaps printed on cardstock suitable for posting above your computer or laminated in a wallet size card for mobile users? 

I haven't crunched any numbers yet but I'm sure it could be kept in the millions, rather than billions, to finance, and Obama could attach it to the Immigration Reform bill where it would hardly be noticed?? just a thought 

[Stoic Joker]

FWIW I've never known it to work. I suspect it's at least 80% urban legend.

Me either for a laptop battery, but I used to do it all the time as a kid to get more play time out of A/AA, C and D cell batteries.

So it's not a total myth ... It did work on those back then.

[Cuffy]

................... kids imagine the strangest things 

[tomos]

Odd, cause lithium camera batteries run down a lot quicker in the cold.
But, in fairness, that is different from actually freezing the things...

And regular batteries will last a little longer if you warm them.

[Cuffy]

and to answer your question..............
With the going rate on that old Dell laptop about $20, in serviceable condition, the thought of applying for a gov't grant to run the required tests to compile a freeze time vs runtime comparison and publish a chart for general public use, is what I had in mind.

I should have mentioned that $20 price includes the AC adapter. The last time I checked you get the adapter alone for $17.50 

[KynloStephen66515]

If you have run it at room temperature, and are going to try freezing...you should also try putting it in the oven...for comparable test data 

[Cuffy]

If you have run it at room temperature, and are going to try freezing...you should also try putting it in the oven...for comparable test data

That's a good idea.... an opportunity to add another column or two to the chart would undoubtedly mean more grant money,
I'm sure the size of the picture is one criteria considered, (maybe the only one?) in determining the amount of the grant money.
The question is: what are we simulating by baking a battery at 500 degrees? 
I can't imagine a field condition arising that would even come close to a temperature that high. I can imagine sitting at the bus stop waiting for your ride (I've seen that!)
Did a tour in Africa where it got to 130F one day. So the gov't should buy that temp as being reasonable. 
BUT! 500F or even 300F is hard to rationalize. 
Maybe you have an idea???
Animated gifs might help too? An Excel chart with an animated gif in any vacant slot would impress me!
(Does anybody have any idea how long you have to wait for a yea or nay on grant applications? 
I'm excited!

[SeraphimLabs]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1525 at home that after somewhere around 7 years of faithful service and 2 replacement battery packs it runs for a little under 1 second after being unplugged before shutting off.

It then has to be let sit powered off with the AC connected to it for about a week before it will do it a second time- after that first little bit it just dies instantly until it has been let sit plugged in for several days.

If I was still using it on a regular basis I'd consider picking up another battery pack off of ebay, or possibly even buy an entire DOA unit for the spare parts. I used it so much over the years that almost all of the letter markings have been worn off of the keycaps, and the surface plates actually have wearmarks in them from my wrist resting on it constantly.

Records for most inconvenient battery life while still technically having a working battery?

[Cuffy]

I concede! 

Hell, 37 seconds is a lifetime compared to what you are living with. 

One second??? I doubt that you will have any challengers but I'd be prepared to defend my title! 

In the meantime, I'm going to tether this old Dell and limit its activites to MS Solitare while watching "Elementary". Sherlock intrigues me but I can only understand about half of what he says....

Congratulations on your victory and I'm sorry about your laptop. Win one; lose one, and so the world turns. Good luck 

[KynloStephen66515]

Must admit...my new laptop has a pretty awesome battery!

[attach=#]

Works out to be around 8:30hrs when fully charged and screen brightness on 70%...should probably see how it does on appx 40% brightness!

Model: Acer Aspire E-15

All in all...can't complain xD