# Do I have to replace my laptop battery... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 8, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730 "2005-09-08T22:27:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730/1 "2005-09-08T22:27:22Z")
…if I never use the battery? Which is to say, the original battery on my Mom’s Toshiba laptop is dying (probably quite dead). But she only uses the beast plugged into the AC adaptor. It’s always by her easy chair. She never takes it anywhere. I’ve been ignoring the situation, but I know what happens to flashlights if you never take the batteries out. Same deal? Or will it sit there benignly. Or does it have to be there at all if I’m plugged in. Thaks a lot if anyone has a suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730/2 "2005-09-08T22:31:54Z")
You will have to try it but I have seen and used several laptops with their batteries removed and they work just fine. I believe that is generally the case. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730/3 "2005-09-08T22:32:21Z")
As I recall, no with nicad batteries, which were crappy for other reasons, and yes with the otherwise much better Li-on batteries. However, that is just of the top of my head. Doubtless someone will come along to clarify things. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730/4 "2005-09-09T01:06:36Z")
Thank you for your replies, he said, hoping a bump might get a few more views. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730/5 "2005-09-09T01:38:55Z")
> [@Backwater Under\_Duck](#): > > …if I never use the battery? > Which is to say, the original battery on my Mom’s Toshiba laptop is dying (probably quite dead). But she only uses the beast plugged into the AC adaptor. It’s always by her easy chair. She never takes it anywhere. I’ve been ignoring the situation, but I know what happens to flashlights if you never take the batteries out. Same deal? Or will it sit there benignly. Or does it have to be there at all if I’m plugged in. > Thaks a lot if anyone has a suggestion. Probably not. My old toshiba was perfectly fine running with no battery. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730/6 "2005-09-09T02:38:09Z")
LiIons just die whether you use them or not. Heat is worst for them, and cold the best. Storing them in the fridge might lengthen their lifetime a wee bit, “they say”. Trickle charging fully charged NiCads and NiMHs is _not_ a good thing. I have “partially restored” several NiMHs that others have given up on because they overcharged them by leaving them in when running off the AC adaptor. Emph. on the “partially”. There are the occasional devices that require the battery to be left in even when running of the adaptor for current smoothing reasons. RTFM. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-replace-my-laptop-battery/320730/7 "2005-09-09T03:57:56Z")
> [@Backwater Under\_Duck](#): > > I’ve been ignoring the situation, but I know what happens to flashlights if you never take the batteries out. Same deal? . If you mean leaking and corroding, notebook/laptop batteries are generally pretty well sealed (vs C & D batteries) . While certainly it’s possible if the battery case is damaged or breached I don’t recall ever seeing a leaking notebook battery or damage due to one.