About Laptop Batteries That Won't Charge

Laptops are ubiquitous, and cell phones even more so, but the vast majority of their owners know virtually nothing about how to properly care for the one element that makes these devices portable: their laptop batteries. All laptops use lithium ion batteries, a battery design that generates electricity through the movement of lithium ions between the cathode and anode. Lithium ion batteries are rechargeable and offer one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any existing battery design. Considerations One of the problems with a lithium ion battery is that, unlike other battery designs, it is prone to shelf decay whether it is used or not. If kept fully charged and at room temperature, a lithium ion battery will lose 1/4 of its capacity every year. Another problem with lithium ion batteries is that keeping a high charge level will quicken the decay of the battery's capacity.