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controlling laptop charger

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  • A Abu Mami

    I've looked for information on this but couldn't turn up anything. So, it's time to turn to the Lounge Lizards... I'm sure you all know about the evils of leaving a laptop connected to its charger. Seems to me that there should be some sort of power management mechanism which would allow Windows (or some other program) to disconnect (or more accurately, to suspend) the charger. By having this "disconnect" scheduled, the user could then have the battery discharge, and upon reaching some (minimal) threshold, the charger would once again be enabled. Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery. Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible? Thanks. And is there still such a thing as a Leisure Suit?

    L Offline
    L Offline
    leppie
    wrote on last edited by
    #2

    Abu Mami wrote:

    Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery.

    What expected damage? Li-Ion/Polymer batteries have a shelf live (about 2-3 years) and no 'memory'.

    IronScheme
    ((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x)))

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    • L leppie

      Abu Mami wrote:

      Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery.

      What expected damage? Li-Ion/Polymer batteries have a shelf live (about 2-3 years) and no 'memory'.

      IronScheme
      ((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x)))

      A Offline
      A Offline
      Abu Mami
      wrote on last edited by
      #3

      Leaving a laptop connected to the charger results in a dead battery after several months. This has happened to me on a few laptops used at the office. Based on the directions that came with my new Toshiba laptop, and from other sources, I now use my laptop while it's connected to the charger, but disconnect the charger at night. Then once every week or two, I use the laptop without the charger and let it discharge thoroughly. This has resulted in my laptops battery retaining nearly full capacity.

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      • A Abu Mami

        I've looked for information on this but couldn't turn up anything. So, it's time to turn to the Lounge Lizards... I'm sure you all know about the evils of leaving a laptop connected to its charger. Seems to me that there should be some sort of power management mechanism which would allow Windows (or some other program) to disconnect (or more accurately, to suspend) the charger. By having this "disconnect" scheduled, the user could then have the battery discharge, and upon reaching some (minimal) threshold, the charger would once again be enabled. Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery. Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible? Thanks. And is there still such a thing as a Leisure Suit?

        L Offline
        L Offline
        Lost User
        wrote on last edited by
        #4

        My laptop shipped with some crapware that does something like that. It won't let it charge unless it has less than 95% charge.

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        • A Abu Mami

          I've looked for information on this but couldn't turn up anything. So, it's time to turn to the Lounge Lizards... I'm sure you all know about the evils of leaving a laptop connected to its charger. Seems to me that there should be some sort of power management mechanism which would allow Windows (or some other program) to disconnect (or more accurately, to suspend) the charger. By having this "disconnect" scheduled, the user could then have the battery discharge, and upon reaching some (minimal) threshold, the charger would once again be enabled. Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery. Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible? Thanks. And is there still such a thing as a Leisure Suit?

          T Offline
          T Offline
          thatraja
          wrote on last edited by
          #5

          Abu Mami wrote:

          Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible?

          I want the same thing. Already my battery died :(

          thatraja


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          • A Abu Mami

            I've looked for information on this but couldn't turn up anything. So, it's time to turn to the Lounge Lizards... I'm sure you all know about the evils of leaving a laptop connected to its charger. Seems to me that there should be some sort of power management mechanism which would allow Windows (or some other program) to disconnect (or more accurately, to suspend) the charger. By having this "disconnect" scheduled, the user could then have the battery discharge, and upon reaching some (minimal) threshold, the charger would once again be enabled. Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery. Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible? Thanks. And is there still such a thing as a Leisure Suit?

            L Offline
            L Offline
            LloydA111
            wrote on last edited by
            #6

            This could have been added to the ACPI specifiactions/hardware. But I don't think it was. The only solution I can think of is to have a microcontroller conncted to both the laptop and the charger. The microcontroller would be told whether or not to enable/disable the charger by the power managment program running on the laptop.


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            • L Lost User

              My laptop shipped with some crapware that does something like that. It won't let it charge unless it has less than 95% charge.

              L Offline
              L Offline
              leppie
              wrote on last edited by
              #7

              I have a faulty battery that does that :)

              IronScheme
              ((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x)))

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              • L leppie

                I have a faulty battery that does that :)

                IronScheme
                ((λ (x) `(,x ',x)) '(λ (x) `(,x ',x)))

                L Offline
                L Offline
                Lost User
                wrote on last edited by
                #8

                That would worry me if I hadn't once disabled the crapware and it successfully charged to 99% :)

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                • A Abu Mami

                  I've looked for information on this but couldn't turn up anything. So, it's time to turn to the Lounge Lizards... I'm sure you all know about the evils of leaving a laptop connected to its charger. Seems to me that there should be some sort of power management mechanism which would allow Windows (or some other program) to disconnect (or more accurately, to suspend) the charger. By having this "disconnect" scheduled, the user could then have the battery discharge, and upon reaching some (minimal) threshold, the charger would once again be enabled. Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery. Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible? Thanks. And is there still such a thing as a Leisure Suit?

                  P Online
                  P Online
                  PIEBALDconsult
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #9

                  With the information here I/O Ports Uncensored - 1 - Controlling LEDs (Light Emiting Diodes) with Parallel Port[^] you could rig up a device with a relay to connect/disconnect the power to the power supply.

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                  • P PIEBALDconsult

                    With the information here I/O Ports Uncensored - 1 - Controlling LEDs (Light Emiting Diodes) with Parallel Port[^] you could rig up a device with a relay to connect/disconnect the power to the power supply.

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                    A Offline
                    Abu Mami
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #10

                    I was thinking of something like this, but I'm lazy.

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                    • A Abu Mami

                      Leaving a laptop connected to the charger results in a dead battery after several months. This has happened to me on a few laptops used at the office. Based on the directions that came with my new Toshiba laptop, and from other sources, I now use my laptop while it's connected to the charger, but disconnect the charger at night. Then once every week or two, I use the laptop without the charger and let it discharge thoroughly. This has resulted in my laptops battery retaining nearly full capacity.

                      D Offline
                      D Offline
                      Dan Neely
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #11

                      I suspect other causes. It hasn't happened to me over 6 laptops and as many years; nor have I heard about it happening once at work despite everyones laptop being plugged in more or less continually due to docking stations.

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                      • A Abu Mami

                        I've looked for information on this but couldn't turn up anything. So, it's time to turn to the Lounge Lizards... I'm sure you all know about the evils of leaving a laptop connected to its charger. Seems to me that there should be some sort of power management mechanism which would allow Windows (or some other program) to disconnect (or more accurately, to suspend) the charger. By having this "disconnect" scheduled, the user could then have the battery discharge, and upon reaching some (minimal) threshold, the charger would once again be enabled. Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery. Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible? Thanks. And is there still such a thing as a Leisure Suit?

                        D Offline
                        D Offline
                        Dr Walt Fair PE
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #12

                        You must have some ancient battery technology! What you are describing is characteristic of NiCad cells. Surely you aren't using them anymore? NMH and LIon are much better and won't destruct or develop memory issues. I've been leaving my laptops plugged in for use as desktops 24/7 for the last decade and never had a battery problem.

                        CQ de W5ALT

                        Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

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                        • D Dr Walt Fair PE

                          You must have some ancient battery technology! What you are describing is characteristic of NiCad cells. Surely you aren't using them anymore? NMH and LIon are much better and won't destruct or develop memory issues. I've been leaving my laptops plugged in for use as desktops 24/7 for the last decade and never had a battery problem.

                          CQ de W5ALT

                          Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

                          A Offline
                          A Offline
                          Abu Mami
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #13

                          I had the problem with a Toshiba Tecra (disgusting name, sounds like something related to hemorrhoids) with a LIon battery. Left if plugged in all the time and after about 6 months discovered the battery was nothing but extra weight. Interesting regarding your own experience since even the literature for my new Toshiba Satellite (much better name, and a much better machine) warns against leaving the laptop plugged in all the time. *sigh* Guess I gotta do some more research.

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                          • A Abu Mami

                            I've looked for information on this but couldn't turn up anything. So, it's time to turn to the Lounge Lizards... I'm sure you all know about the evils of leaving a laptop connected to its charger. Seems to me that there should be some sort of power management mechanism which would allow Windows (or some other program) to disconnect (or more accurately, to suspend) the charger. By having this "disconnect" scheduled, the user could then have the battery discharge, and upon reaching some (minimal) threshold, the charger would once again be enabled. Having something like this would allow the charger to be "permanently" connected to the laptop without the expected damage to the battery. Is there a [Windows] program that can do something like this? Is this at all possible? Thanks. And is there still such a thing as a Leisure Suit?

                            L Offline
                            L Offline
                            Luca Leonardo Scorcia
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #14

                            Nowadays many (but not all) laptops have such technology directly in hardware. The charging circuit starts charging only when the battery level is under a certain threshold (90-95%), and when working connected to mains it bypasses completely the battery. That's the reason why my personal laptop has still a strong battery after 2yrs of working connected, while my company's laptop battery lasts 15 minutes at best. If you're going to buy a new machine, ask the seller to take a look at the user manual (or better, google about the specific model that you're buying). I also suppose that a pure software solution would fail to handle the case of mains going down, your pc would go off before the software can switch to battery mode. A hardware solution can handle that.

                            Luca The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance. -- Wing Commander IV En Það Besta Sem Guð Hefur Skapað, Er Nýr Dagur. (But the best thing God has created, is a New Day.) -- Sigur Ròs - Viðrar vel til loftárása

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                            • D Dr Walt Fair PE

                              You must have some ancient battery technology! What you are describing is characteristic of NiCad cells. Surely you aren't using them anymore? NMH and LIon are much better and won't destruct or develop memory issues. I've been leaving my laptops plugged in for use as desktops 24/7 for the last decade and never had a battery problem.

                              CQ de W5ALT

                              Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

                              P Online
                              P Online
                              PIEBALDconsult
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #15

                              My wife's laptop (Fujitsu, about three years old) has a LIon battery that no longer holds a charge. :sigh:

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