# Laptop Battery Question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 22, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024 "2008-11-22T19:59:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024/1 "2008-11-22T19:59:01Z")
I seldom use my laptop (Dell 1501) as a portable. Should I leave the battery in the computer or take it out? Perhaps put it in the refrigerator? (I hear that’s supposed to make batteries last longer).
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024/2 "2008-11-22T23:43:31Z")
You should discharge & recharge the battery periodically, rather than leave it fully charged up all the time (which is what happens if you use it plugged in all the time).
Best procedure I have heard of is to pick one day of the week, like Monday, and unplug it and run it off the battery that day. When it starts to indicate a low battery charge, plug it back in again until the next week.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024/3 "2008-11-23T00:23:41Z")
For Li-ion longest life (about 10 yr old info), discharge to about 40% remaining and store in the fridge.
0% remaining will kill the battery the fastest, 100% will kill sort of quick also, 40% is the sweet spot.
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### Author:  [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024/4 "2008-11-23T12:52:05Z")
[Battery University](http://www.batteryuniversity.com/)
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### Author:  [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024/5 "2008-12-04T00:32:36Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> You should discharge & recharge the battery periodically, rather than leave it fully charged up all the time (which is what happens if you use it plugged in all the time).
What is the reason for this? Does it damage the internal structure of the battery?
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024/6 "2008-12-04T01:06:59Z")
> [@Iggins](#):
>
> What is the reason for this? Does it damage the internal structure of the battery?
Some kind of a memory effect makes it lose much of the ability to be recharged, I guess.
This was worse with the older NiCad rechargeables; the newer Lithium ones less likely to be affected by this.
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### Author:  [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2008, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-battery-question/474024/7 "2008-12-04T06:50:19Z")
Thanks for the reply. Every laptop I’ve owned has had the battery die after a couple of years, and they are nearly always plugged in.