Laptop Question
 

Hi All.

Well I do not know what to do. I have a refurbished Del Inspiron E1705. Never gave me a lick of trouble. Still doesn't. I keep it on a tray in the living room and there it stays. I never close it either. Don't move it. I had asked a friend "Do I need to unplug this when it's not in use". (It used to say 100% plugged in charging' And I was told "sure, just discharge it fully now and then".

I have been doing that.

Then it began indicating 98% charge, then 97% and yesterday it was 91% charged (all the while plugged in). I said to myself "Well, let's do the discharge thing". I forgot to turn off my computer the right way. I didn't think unplugging it from the outlet would shut it off immediately.

As soon as I pulled the plug, it went off. I just waited 30 minutes, plugged it back in (thinking it would charge overnight). I went to bed.

This morning, I turned it on. It plays just fine but it says 0% available (plugged in, charging). That means it's running from the electrical outlet, not from the battery right?

I tried unplugging it and waiting, then re-plugging it (hoping it would re-charge). But I now have a nice laptop that always indicates 0% available, plugged in, charging" but it's obviously not charging. Also I noticed one thing.

When I replugged it in, the little light (among the 3 lights) on the bottom right of the screen, well it lit up for a few seconds, then went off (that is the charging light right)?

It's obviously not charging up the battery. So I have the two other lights just fine. The one on the left is lit constantly and the middle light is blinking.

So what do I need to do? Bring it back to the guy I got it from and get a new battery installed? I never move it anywhere and I watch my videos and do email on this laptop. I have no need to move it around or take it out.

Can I just plug it in when I use it during the day and unplug it at night?

All comments would be very welcome.

Is there a way to test this battery through "my computer" or "control panel"???

Thanks very much

Melody

If you don't go away from a plug in and don't need to use a battery ever, I would just take the battery out and use plug in only.

Why spend money on a new/replacement battery if you never are going to use it?

They do just fade out and finally stop charging totally - probably what happened with yours.

Now i have to learn how to do that. Thanks much

I have never removed a battery from a laptop.

I'll learn.

Thanks much

Melody

Okay, here's what just happened. I went on the net and learned how to remove the battery. I did. I then replugged in the laptop, all systems go. On the bottom where it indicates battery life there is a big x which indicates "No battery is detected"

I now have a battery sitting beside me on my couch.

I looked up the battery info online and found this.

http://www.atbatt.com/li-ion-replace...FUNo7Aodtl8A8g

All I need to know is "Do I need to purchase a replacement battery".

It's not that expensive and I gather I can either go to the computer guy and buy it from him, or if it's cheaper, get it from the website that I just provided.

Does a laptop need to have a battery in the battery compartment or can I just continue to use this (like I would use a desktop?)

and here's anothr good question. My adaptor that plugs in from the laptop to the electrical outlet works just fine. It's lit up, my laptop is on (obviously because I'm on this site right now.

So essentially I just need to know if I can watch my videos when I want, and then when I go to bed at night, I just shut this thing off, unplug it and in the morning or whenever just plug it back in, turn it back on and I'm good to go?

Is this the plan? Or would you recommend me replacing the battery?

AND THANKS!!!

Melody

Oh, one more question. I read where if you take out the battery and clean the contacts and put it back in, it might charge up again. Do you think this is do-able???

No, we run our old Dell laptop on electricity only. We have an external battery for many electronics made by Energizer for use on the island. But we don't use it much.

A new battery for a laptop can cost up to $100 ....it is a mega racket!

Mrs. D.

So essentially my Dell Inspiron is working now as if it were a desktop? Do I unplug it at night (after turning it off), or do I leave it plugged in.

I would imagine unplugging it at night would save me SOME electricity, no?

This is so cool I can't tell you. I thought I had to buy a new laptop and I don't have the money for that. We just had to buy Alan a new surgical off loading shoe by Ossur for $79.00. FINALLY, his foot ulcer is healing. So I was hoping I didn't have to go and get another refurbished laptop. But actually this one has been operating just fine for YEARS.

Thank god, and thank you Mrs. D. I never knew people could run laptops off of the electricity. I always thought Laptop equalled battery.

Thanks much Mrs. D

Melody

Do you have the proper cord for it?

If it is off it is off, no need to unplug every night.
We have our plugged into a surge protector power cord and we switch that off at night vs unplugging all the time (after shutting down the laptop) just because we don't use them again til evening and ours still has a good battery in it.

The battery is mainly for business people that need to have something portable and no cords to fiddle with.
Or people that want to move around the home or go outside with no cord..


You can try cleaning the contacts and see if it works or not, but you don't have to have a battery at all.

Plus the battery is a toxic thing to dispose of /or recycle when they do die.

When I purchased this Dell Inspiron laptop it came with an AC Replacement Adaptor. It indicates: PA-10 FAMILY. Model No. PA-1900-02D. Then it says input this and output that.

It has worked just fine for the past 2 1/2 years.

This "cord" is plugged into a Surge Suppresor in which I have my TV ears side charger plugged in and a fan that Alan has near the computer.

I never turn off the surge supressor.

So from what I understand, at night I turn off the laptop (now do I do the sleep mode, the hibernation mode or the SHUT OFF mode).

After you answer this, I am FINISHED. rofl.

And I can't thank you enough

Melody

I would just shut it off especially if it is going to be overnight.

Many people leave theirs on, in sleep or hibernation mode, but I just don't like things to be on when it isn't going to be used for 8-10+ hrs / overnight.

It's really whatever your preference is..


I did have my dell laptop cord go bad, it had 2 sections that unplug from each other , and folding it for traveling to sons house made a weak spot & must have broke a wire inside, so it did stop charging the battery and I couldn't use it in the plugged in state either.
Your cord must be fine or it wouldn't work at all.