I was fixing a laptop and found out how much heat really hurts a battery

I had a customer bring in a gaming laptop that wouldn't hold a charge for more than 20 minutes. It was only two years old. While I was taking it apart, I noticed the whole cooling system was clogged with dust. I looked up the battery specs and found a study from Battery University that said keeping a lithium-ion battery at 100 degrees Fahrenheit all the time can cut its total lifespan in half. This laptop's fan vents were totally blocked, so it was probably cooking itself. I told the customer and cleaned it all out, but it made me think about how many people just leave their laptops on their beds or couches. Do you guys make a point to warn people about heat when they pick up their machines? I feel like it's a simple tip that could save a lot of headaches.

2 comments

2 Comments

robin3245d ago

You're right about heat being bad, but that 100 degree figure is actually pretty low... it's celsius, not fahrenheit. Battery University says 100C, which is 212F. Still, even lower heat hurts them over time. Blocked vents will definitely get things hot enough to do damage. Good on you for cleaning it out and telling them.

logan_white465d ago

Gotcha, that makes more sense.