Please help, lithium ion battery!

**need help** · May 12th, 2012, 05:44 AM

Hi, I purchased a laptop about 6 weeks ago. It came with a lithium ion battery. After a few weeks of the purchase I noticed it doesn't run for very long. Its estimated that it should run for 5 hours on low power, yet my battery never lasts longer than two hours. This is a Toshiba Satellite L750 laptop. I've been running my laptop quite often with the power adaptar plugged in as well as the battery in. I also usually let it charge up to 100% and remove the plug, then I let it charge down and when it reaches 20% I recharge it back up to 100%. I've also left the power adaptar plug in even after it has reached 100%. Could someone please tell me how to get my battery working again to so that it actually lasts for more than an hour and a half or so. I've read that it should take two years approximately for it to drop to the length of charge that I am experiencing, not 5 or so weeks. Also I have read that these lithium ion batteries have approximately 300-500 charges. I estimate I have gone through at least 50 charges already in less than two months. So I presume my battery will need replacing within another 3 months or so, is this correct? So if someone could please tell me and explain with clarity how to recalibrate my battery, I would really appreciate that since no guide I have read yet has clearly explained how to do this. Also, was I meant to completely charge my battery before turning my laptop on when I first purchased it?

**stroyal** · May 12th, 2012, 08:10 AM

Welcome to TechIMO!

AFAIK the only way to mess up a Li battery, besides wearing them out, is to completely discharge them.

If you completely discharge them, they don't come back.

Did it ever last 5 hours?
Are you using the lowest possible power?

5 hours sounds wishfull.
That's about the max, any laptop will run.
Is this among the top "battery life" laptops?
I've never really tested my L305-S5891.
Unplugged! I'll let you know.

**stroyal** · May 12th, 2012, 08:18 AM

@ 95% charge. mine says 1:45.
Mines older though.

It went up to 1:50 when I turned the brightness down.
Edit
1:32, but watching a video killed the last :30 in :05.

**RicheemxX** · May 12th, 2012, 02:24 PM

Estimated times are given for the lowest possible usage. 2hrs out of a given 5 isn't bad if that is continual usage with a lot of power being used. If you are gaming, higher end computing ect. If its just continual use of the internet then you might expect more. But to be totally honest it just depends on how you are using your machine.

**need help** · May 13th, 2012, 03:37 AM

Thanks for the replies guys. No, it did not ever run for 5 hours. Actually, I don't ever remember getting it running longer than 3 or 4 hours, the most has been about 2 to 2 and a half hours not running very power intensive tasks. It's a 15.7inch screen also, probably part of the higher power consumption. Thanks for the help anyway guys. Also, if you have any other suggestions, please send them.