Necessary to unplug??

BZgrafx · 02-21-2008, 07:20 PM

Hello, Sorry if this is an untrivial or unimportant question.

Since I got my ThinkPad w/ Vista in June, I haven't taken it around much. Although I have a laptop, I usually just keep it at home and keep it as a stationary home computer. The battery charge level is constantly at 100% (because it's always plugged in, and I don't take it out). I also shut off the computer every night.

Here is my question: Should I leave it plugged in all the time? If it's off, and it's already 100% charged, what exact purpose does leaving it plugged in and "charging" serve? I've asked a few friends, which say that you should or shouldn't leave it in/out, but I can't really trust them, because they don't know much about computers.

So although It's a small unimportant question, I'm just wondering, are there any preffered choices? Maybe there's no point in leaving it plugged in overnight or while I'm at school or work.. Maybe it wastes electricity.. I'm not sure, but if I could just get this answered, it would be great. Thanks in advance.

1 g0t 0wn3d · 02-21-2008, 07:37 PM

when running you should have it pluged in but you should drain the barrtery to ~25% around once a month to preserve it

BZgrafx · 02-22-2008, 12:38 AM

Ok, and how about when it's completely off and closed. Is it necessary to leave it plugged in, or can I unplug it overnight or when I go to work?

bhahar84 · 02-22-2008, 06:06 AM

You can plug out the cable from the laptop if you want to leave it overnight. Also, it is better of you just plugged out the battery from the laptop if you always use the laptop with the wall socket power supply, this can prolong the lifetime of the battery

BZgrafx · 02-22-2008, 11:13 AM

Oh, so if I actually never unplug my computer, essentially, I don't even need the battery? That's neat.

mrbenjamin · 02-22-2008, 12:09 PM

some laptops(like mine) dont run unless the battery is pluged in. but then my mate works for Comet (electrical retailer for poeople not from uk) and he says they dont have the battries in there display models to help the battery keep its life. i agree you should Drain it now and again. this can Refresh the battery. then if u ever do take your laptop elsewhere your battery wont last like 5 mins then die lol.

bhahar84 · 02-23-2008, 09:36 PM

Yup, thats right. You can just unplug the battery from the laptop if the laptop can working without the battery in. And, as mrbenjamin and 1 g0t 0wn3d said, you may have to drain the power in battery sometimes, just to make sure the battery is working fine always

BZgrafx · 02-24-2008, 11:19 PM

Ok, thanks guys. I forgot to mention that I sometimes do unplug and drain my battery to 15%-ish... Every 2 weeks or so.. If I am at my house for week, I will take out my battery, and actually just power my computer straight off of the power supply, and when I go to sleep or work (when I turn it off, with the battery plugged in), I will unplug it, correct?

1 g0t 0wn3d · 02-25-2008, 05:32 AM

it does not make a diffenerence the computer will stop charging the battery when it gets to 100%

bhahar84 · 02-25-2008, 01:56 PM

Emm...if you are going to unplug and replug it everyday, I think better you just leave the battery in. If only you're going to use it once in a while, the idea to unplug the battery might be good. Otherwise, it may became a big hassle to do it everday

02-21-2008, 07:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
BZgrafx Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 4 OS: Windows Vista Business	Necessary to unplug?? Hello, Sorry if this is an untrivial or unimportant question. Since I got my ThinkPad w/ Vista in June, I haven't taken it around much. Although I have a laptop, I usually just keep it at home and keep it as a stationary home computer. The battery charge level is constantly at 100% (because it's always plugged in, and I don't take it out). I also shut off the computer every night. Here is my question: Should I leave it plugged in all the time? If it's off, and it's already 100% charged, what exact purpose does leaving it plugged in and "charging" serve? I've asked a few friends, which say that you should or shouldn't leave it in/out, but I can't really trust them, because they don't know much about computers. So although It's a small unimportant question, I'm just wondering, are there any preffered choices? Maybe there's no point in leaving it plugged in overnight or while I'm at school or work.. Maybe it wastes electricity.. I'm not sure, but if I could just get this answered, it would be great. Thanks in advance.

02-21-2008, 07:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
1 g0t 0wn3d Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sedona, az Posts: 6,430 OS: Vista basic 32bit My System	Re: Necessary to unplug?? when running you should have it pluged in but you should drain the barrtery to ~25% around once a month to preserve it __________________ Bench Test \| PC Wizard \| System specs \| PSU info \| PSU calculator \| Memtest86+ \| Speedfan[/center]

02-22-2008, 12:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
BZgrafx Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 4 OS: Windows Vista Business	Re: Necessary to unplug?? Ok, and how about when it's completely off and closed. Is it necessary to leave it plugged in, or can I unplug it overnight or when I go to work?

02-22-2008, 06:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
bhahar84 Mysterious Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Malaysia Posts: 1,375 OS: Windows XP SP2, Vista Ultimate My System	Re: Necessary to unplug?? You can plug out the cable from the laptop if you want to leave it overnight. Also, it is better of you just plugged out the battery from the laptop if you always use the laptop with the wall socket power supply, this can prolong the lifetime of the battery __________________ .:CPU-Z::Power Supply::Recuva::Unlocker::SensorsView::PSU Calculator::Everest:.

02-22-2008, 11:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
BZgrafx Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 4 OS: Windows Vista Business	Re: Necessary to unplug?? Oh, so if I actually never unplug my computer, essentially, I don't even need the battery? That's neat.

02-22-2008, 12:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
mrbenjamin Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 15 OS: Windows Xp sp2/ Vista Ultmate(diff comps)	Re: Necessary to unplug?? some laptops(like mine) dont run unless the battery is pluged in. but then my mate works for Comet (electrical retailer for poeople not from uk) and he says they dont have the battries in there display models to help the battery keep its life. i agree you should Drain it now and again. this can Refresh the battery. then if u ever do take your laptop elsewhere your battery wont last like 5 mins then die lol.

02-23-2008, 09:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
bhahar84 Mysterious Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Malaysia Posts: 1,375 OS: Windows XP SP2, Vista Ultimate My System	Re: Necessary to unplug?? Yup, thats right. You can just unplug the battery from the laptop if the laptop can working without the battery in. And, as mrbenjamin and 1 g0t 0wn3d said, you may have to drain the power in battery sometimes, just to make sure the battery is working fine always __________________ .:CPU-Z::Power Supply::Recuva::Unlocker::SensorsView::PSU Calculator::Everest:.

02-24-2008, 11:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
BZgrafx Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 4 OS: Windows Vista Business	Re: Necessary to unplug?? Ok, thanks guys. I forgot to mention that I sometimes do unplug and drain my battery to 15%-ish... Every 2 weeks or so.. If I am at my house for week, I will take out my battery, and actually just power my computer straight off of the power supply, and when I go to sleep or work (when I turn it off, with the battery plugged in), I will unplug it, correct?

02-25-2008, 05:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
1 g0t 0wn3d Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sedona, az Posts: 6,430 OS: Vista basic 32bit My System	Re: Necessary to unplug?? it does not make a diffenerence the computer will stop charging the battery when it gets to 100% __________________ Bench Test \| PC Wizard \| System specs \| PSU info \| PSU calculator \| Memtest86+ \| Speedfan[/center]

02-25-2008, 01:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
bhahar84 Mysterious Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Malaysia Posts: 1,375 OS: Windows XP SP2, Vista Ultimate My System	Re: Necessary to unplug?? Emm...if you are going to unplug and replug it everyday, I think better you just leave the battery in. If only you're going to use it once in a while, the idea to unplug the battery might be good. Otherwise, it may became a big hassle to do it everday __________________ .:CPU-Z::Power Supply::Recuva::Unlocker::SensorsView::PSU Calculator::Everest:.