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I'm having a problem with a laptop battery.

The laptop is a Clevo 2300T. Its around anywhere from 3-5 years old
but has never been used.

The battery is a 14v 2000mAh Li-ion type.

I can run the laptop off the AC adapter and it works ok. It says its
charging the laptop and the battery meter slow increases as the
battery "charges". Eventually it hits 100%

However as soon as I stop the AC power the laptop switches off
immediately.

When I reboot it says the battery capacity is 100% again and it
doesn't try charging it anymore. Again, when I remove the AC power it
switches off.

I'm aware that Li-ion batteries have a shelf life of around 2-3 years
so even without use the battery is probably dead but don't know what
the symptons of this is.

Any suggestions?

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:48:51 +1200, Jason Clinton wrote:

> I'm having a problem with a laptop battery.
>
[snip]

> Any suggestions?

A dirty contact.

On , , Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:48:51 +1200, Laptop battery issue,
Jason Clinton <> wrote:

>
>I'm having a problem with a laptop battery.
>
>The laptop is a Clevo 2300T. Its around anywhere from 3-5 years old
>but has never been used.
>
>The battery is a 14v 2000mAh Li-ion type.
>
>I can run the laptop off the AC adapter and it works ok. It says its
>charging the laptop and the battery meter slow increases as the
>battery "charges". Eventually it hits 100%
>
>However as soon as I stop the AC power the laptop switches off
>immediately.
>
>When I reboot it says the battery capacity is 100% again and it
>doesn't try charging it anymore. Again, when I remove the AC power it
>switches off.
>
>I'm aware that Li-ion batteries have a shelf life of around 2-3 years
>so even without use the battery is probably dead but don't know what
>the symptons of this is.
>
>Any suggestions?

At a guess I would say it is borked.
It sounds typical, they look as though they are charged but fail
under load.

"Gordon" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:48:51 +1200, Jason Clinton wrote:
>
>> I'm having a problem with a laptop battery.
>>
> [snip]
>
>> Any suggestions?
>
> A dirty contact.
Or a bad cell where the voltage collapses as soon as it is under load.

Yeah Right <> wrote in
news::

>>The laptop is a Clevo 2300T. Its around anywhere from 3-5 years old
>>but has never been used.
>>
>>The battery is a 14v 2000mAh Li-ion type.

Those batteries will die if not used.

--
Ciao, Dave

On 26 Jul 2007 20:45:36 +1200, Dave Taylor
<> wrote:

>Yeah Right <> wrote in
>news: :
>
>>>The laptop is a Clevo 2300T. Its around anywhere from 3-5 years old
>>>but has never been used.
>>>
>>>The battery is a 14v 2000mAh Li-ion type.
>
>Those batteries will die if not used.

That was my thoughts but I was hoping that it might not be the case or
there would be a miracle cure like the freezer trick (which I
understand doesn't work with li-ion)

I also understand its dangerous to repack these things due to the risk
of them exploding.

On , , Sat, 28 Jul 2007 09:06:14 +1200, Re: Laptop battery issue,
Jason Clinton <> wrote:

>On 26 Jul 2007 20:45:36 +1200, Dave Taylor
><> wrote:
>
>>Yeah Right <> wrote in
>>news: m:
>>
>>>>The laptop is a Clevo 2300T. Its around anywhere from 3-5 years old
>>>>but has never been used.
>>>>
>>>>The battery is a 14v 2000mAh Li-ion type.
>>
>>Those batteries will die if not used.
>
>That was my thoughts but I was hoping that it might not be the case or
>there would be a miracle cure like the freezer trick (which I
>understand doesn't work with li-ion)

I used to discharge a large capacitor backwards thru NiCads. That
often gave them more life.
>
>I also understand its dangerous to repack these things due to the risk
>of them exploding.

I've never heard of that happening.

On Sat, 28 Jul 2007 09:06:14 +1200, Jason Clinton <>
wrote:

>On 26 Jul 2007 20:45:36 +1200, Dave Taylor
><> wrote:
>
>>Yeah Right <> wrote in
>>news: m:
>>
>>>>The laptop is a Clevo 2300T. Its around anywhere from 3-5 years old
>>>>but has never been used.
>>>>
>>>>The battery is a 14v 2000mAh Li-ion type.
>>
>>Those batteries will die if not used.
>
>That was my thoughts but I was hoping that it might not be the case or
>there would be a miracle cure like the freezer trick (which I
>understand doesn't work with li-ion)
>
>I also understand its dangerous to repack these things due to the risk
>of them exploding.

The charging of Lithiums needs to be controlled within very closely
defined limits. These limits vary between different manufacturers. The
charger in your laptop will be tailored for the cells that were
originally fitted. Any replacements may need the charger to behave
differently. A quick google brought up

<http://www.analog.com/library/analogDialogue/archives/31-2/liion.html>

<http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm>
"When charging above 4.30V, the cell causes plating of metallic
lithium on the anode; the cathode material becomes an oxidizing agent,
loses stability and releases oxygen. Overcharging causes the cell to
heat up. If left unattended, the cell could vent with flame."

<http://www.powerstream.com/li.htm>
"The lithium ion battery is easy to charge. Charging safely is a more
difficult. The basic algorithm is to charge at constant current (0.2 C
to 0.7 C depending on manufacturer) until the battery reaches 4.2 Vpc
(volts per cell), and hold the voltage at 4.2 volts until the charge
current has dropped to 10% of the intitial charge rate. The
termination condition is the drop in charge current to 10%. The top
charging voltage and the termination current varies slightly with the
manufacturer."
&
"Every lithium ion battery pack should have (must have?) a safety
board which monitors the charge and discharge of the pack, and
prevents dangerous things from happening. The specifications of these
safety boards are dictated by the cell manufacture, and may include
the following:......."

--
Regards
Malcolm
Remove sharp objects to get a valid e-mail address

In message <>, Yeah Right wrote:

> On , , Sat, 28 Jul 2007 09:06:14 +1200, Re: Laptop battery issue,
> Jason Clinton <> wrote:
>
>>I also understand its dangerous to repack [lithium-ion batteries] due to
>>the risk of them exploding.
>
> I've never heard of that happening.

With pictures: <http://theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32723>.

And in case you think it's an isolated incident:
<http://www.google.co.nz/search?as_q=exploding&hl=en&num=10&btnG=Google+Sea rch&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype= &as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=thei nquirer.net&as_rights=&safe=images>.