How to stop laptop battery from charging when plugged-in to ac power?

Hello, Acer community,

I am using model A515-52-548C. Since it has a non-removable battery, I am a bit worried about its effective life.
I read online and its user manual that leaving the laptop always plugged-in would adversely affect the battery life span. Since I use my laptop almost always as a desktop, it would be nice if I can toggle between using the battery and using the ac power. There's a "power meter" setting in Dell which allows you to do just that, but I can't find the equivalent in Acer.
Please provide me with some suggestions or any general tips that can extend the battery's life span.

Thanks!

Accepted answers

MaClane

Good afternoon spookyphantom !

Firstly, today's batteries are developed with technology that uses lithium.
Then the useful life will be gone, whether you use it or not.
Current batteries also do not suffer from the "addiction effect".

I really don't know such information that leaving it connected can affect its useful life.
Quite the opposite...
Starting with the fact that the device will only achieve maximum performance when plugged into the power outlet.
In high performance mode, the battery performs various functions such as providing an extra charge to calibrate demand and voltages.

When there is no need, the system simply cuts the battery charge automatically.

To improve this battery life when not plugged in, you can follow some tips by performing certain processes:

1- Set the notebook on power options to economy mode when using battery only;
2- Select the option to decrease the brightness on the monitor when it is in the battery;
3- Use the appliance in a ventilated place so that the product does not become too hot
4- Perform initial cell calibration as stated in the product manual.

MaClane

Extremes should be avoided.
Ideally, it should charge at 100% and preferably not wait until it has reached the discharge limit for loading.
Always using the power outlet at least once a week, use it directly on the battery and then recharge so that the internal cells remain calibrated.

MaClane

When using on battery power only, do not let percentage levels fall below 10% to charge.

You can use the appliance directly in the power outlet without any problem.
In this case the battery will reach 100%, but the current will be cut if the device does not require high power demand.

At least once a week, use the battery only device until the charge is about 10% to keep the cells calibrated.

All comments

Jack22

@spookyphantom
Click the link below to know the answers:
https://us.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2384/~/how-to-charge-and-care-for-your-acer-battery

Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!

MaClane

Good afternoon spookyphantom !

Firstly, today's batteries are developed with technology that uses lithium.
Then the useful life will be gone, whether you use it or not.
Current batteries also do not suffer from the "addiction effect".

I really don't know such information that leaving it connected can affect its useful life.
Quite the opposite...
Starting with the fact that the device will only achieve maximum performance when plugged into the power outlet.
In high performance mode, the battery performs various functions such as providing an extra charge to calibrate demand and voltages.

When there is no need, the system simply cuts the battery charge automatically.

To improve this battery life when not plugged in, you can follow some tips by performing certain processes:

1- Set the notebook on power options to economy mode when using battery only;
2- Select the option to decrease the brightness on the monitor when it is in the battery;
3- Use the appliance in a ventilated place so that the product does not become too hot
4- Perform initial cell calibration as stated in the product manual.

spookyphantom

MaClane said:

Good afternoon spookyphantom !

Firstly, today's batteries are developed with technology that uses lithium.
Then the useful life will be gone, whether you use it or not.
Current batteries also do not suffer from the "addiction effect".

I really don't know such information that leaving it connected can affect its useful life.
Quite the opposite...
Starting with the fact that the device will only achieve maximum performance when plugged into the power outlet.
In high performance mode, the battery performs various functions such as providing an extra charge to calibrate demand and voltages.

When there is no need, the system simply cuts the battery charge automatically.

To improve this battery life when not plugged in, you can follow some tips by performing certain processes:

1- Set the notebook on power options to economy mode when using battery only;
2- Select the option to decrease the brightness on the monitor when it is in the battery;
3- Use the appliance in a ventilated place so that the product does not become too hot
4- Perform initial cell calibration as stated in the product manual.

Thanks McClane!
So I shouldn't worry about constantly plugging my laptop to ac power for the reasons you stated.
But is it more beneficial for the battery life span to fully charge it and use it until the low battery warning pops up, or just constantly plugging it into ac power?

MaClane

Extremes should be avoided.
Ideally, it should charge at 100% and preferably not wait until it has reached the discharge limit for loading.
Always using the power outlet at least once a week, use it directly on the battery and then recharge so that the internal cells remain calibrated.

spookyphantom

MaClane said:

Extremes should be avoided.
Ideally, it should charge at 100% and preferably not wait until it has reached the discharge limit for loading.
Always using the power outlet at least once a week, use it directly on the battery and then recharge so that the internal cells remain calibrated.

Thanks again for your replay, MaClane!
Sorry for the inconvenience but I don't understand what "discharge limit for loading" means. And isn't battery level 100% also an extreme?
So from my interpretation, I should avoid low and high battery level, avoid constantly plugging into ac power but do so at least once a week to calibrate and use battery on a regular basis.

Correct me if I am wrong, thanks again!

MaClane

When using on battery power only, do not let percentage levels fall below 10% to charge.

You can use the appliance directly in the power outlet without any problem.
In this case the battery will reach 100%, but the current will be cut if the device does not require high power demand.

At least once a week, use the battery only device until the charge is about 10% to keep the cells calibrated.

heathledger871

The solution you are providing for stopping the battery from charging of a laptop is good but sometimes while doing this you might be facing some problem with iTunes. Then you need to solve it by going through https://itunessupport.org/blog/why-cant-install-itunes-on-windows-10/ and I know from here you will get the best solution for this problem.

spookyphantom

MaClane said:

Good afternoon spookyphantom !

Firstly, today's batteries are developed with technology that uses lithium.
Then the useful life will be gone, whether you use it or not.
Current batteries also do not suffer from the "addiction effect".

I really don't know such information that leaving it connected can affect its useful life.
Quite the opposite...
Starting with the fact that the device will only achieve maximum performance when plugged into the power outlet.
In high performance mode, the battery performs various functions such as providing an extra charge to calibrate demand and voltages.

When there is no need, the system simply cuts the battery charge automatically.

To improve this battery life when not plugged in, you can follow some tips by performing certain processes:

1- Set the notebook on power options to economy mode when using battery only;
2- Select the option to decrease the brightness on the monitor when it is in the battery;
3- Use the appliance in a ventilated place so that the product does not become too hot
4- Perform initial cell calibration as stated in the product manual.

Thanks McClane!
So I shouldn't worry about constantly plugging my laptop to ac power for the reasons you stated.
But is it more beneficial for the battery life span to fully charge it and use it until the low battery warning pops up (100% to 20%), or just constantly plugging it into ac power? (always at 100%)

Thanks!

spookyphantom

Jack22 said:

@spookyphantom
Click the link below to know the answers:
https://us.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2384/~/how-to-charge-and-care-for-your-acer-battery

Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!

Hello Jack22,
Thanks for the quick answer!
However, I've already read the page and still can't find what I am looking for, which is the functionality to use ac power without using/charging the battery at the same time. This can extend the effective life of the battery.

spookyphantom

Jack22 said:

@spookyphantom
Click the link below to know the answers:
https://us.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2384/~/how-to-charge-and-care-for-your-acer-battery

Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!

Hello Jack22,
Thanks for the quick answer!
However, I've already read the page and still can't find what I am looking for, which is the functionality to use ac power without using/charging the battery at the same time. This can extend the effective life of the battery.

relly2016

@spookyphantom

FOR ANYONE WHO SEES THIS IN THE FUTURE

All laptop batteries will reach 80% of their original capacity between 500 to 1000 full discharge cycles (0 to 50% 0r above).

Most batteries do this after 3 years.

the worst thing you can do is store the battery at 100% at high heat like a car or attic in the summer.

---

the only thing you can do right now, (without the special program below) is don't let the battery get below 10 to 20%.

No matter what you do the battery will have to be replaced in 3 years. that's just normal.

Yes manufacturers led all of us to believe that the battery would be fine, but they lied.

---

Your laptop will stop charging the battery at 100%.

it will start charging again at 95%. You cant do anything about this uless they supply you with a special program (acer does not have one as far as I can tell)

its up to you to plug it back in when you get down to 10% at the least.

---

the best best thing to do is keep the battery between 20% and 80% charged and keep it cool.

my Lenovo Legion and Dell Inspiron each have an app that allows you to set the use PERCENTAGE of the battery.

Sony VAIO machines have "VAIO Control Center"

on my Lenovo its the LENOVO VANTAGE PROGRAM ...Choose SYSTEM TOOLS then POWER then CONSERVATION MODE.

I cannot find the mode in windows 10.

The conservation mode only charges the battery to 60% and then stops.

---

newer lithium batteries are damaged when yo let them go too low too many times.

or over charging them.

again the OPTIMUM is recharge at 10% and don't charge over 80%.

---

one more thing about batteries.

The laptop estimates what percentage you have left (it really does not know, its a guess based on usage)

you can reset this "assumption" by running the battery to zero until the machine cuts off.

Windows will default set this off at 7%. See

then recharge the battery to 100%

the laptop will now have a better guess as to how long the battery will last per charge.

---

There is an acer specific battery reset you can do here

https://community.acer.com/en/kb/articles/75-acer-internal-battery-reset

---

if you get a new battery charge and discharge it fully 3 times

Before you use a battery pack for the first time, there is a conditioning process that you should follow:

Insert the new battery without turning the computer on.
Connect the AC adapter and fully charge the battery.
Disconnect the AC adapter.
Turn on the computer and operate using battery power.
Fully deplete the battery until the battery-low warning appears.
Reconnect the AC adapter and fully charge the battery again.

Follow these steps again until the battery has been charged and discharged three times.

Note:

Use this conditioning process for all new batteries, or if a battery hasn't been used for a long time. If the computer is to be stored for more than two weeks, you are advised to remove the battery pack from the unit.
Some models have an embedded battery. If the battery needs to be replaced, please contact an authorized service center.

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