Laptop Battery Getting Very Hot.

[GungaDin]

Hi, I have an Asus 15" laptop, 2 years old.

The battery still holds 3 hours but is getting very hot...... the room temp is a constant 24C.

I rarely unplug it from the wall socket.

Do I need a new battery?

Any suggestions?

cheers

[balo]

Hi, I have an Asus 15" laptop, 2 years old.

The battery still holds 3 hours but is getting very hot...... the room temp is a constant 24C.

I rarely unplug it from the wall socket.

Do I need a new battery?

Any suggestions?

cheers

Maybe theres nothing wrong with it but you don't need to use the battery if you have your laptop on constant power.

I would remove it and only use the battery when you move around .

[Rice_King]

I would remove it and only use the battery when you move around .

Personally, I would only use my laptop without the battery installed IF it were connected to a UPS. A laptop being operated without a battery runs the risk of data loss and / or damage should the power fail.

[GungaDin]

Thanks to both of you.

I'll put the battery in the fridge and look for a UPS as we do lose power during the Monsoon.

Any ideas why the battery is getting so hot?

Best UPS?

Again, thanks !

[BudM]

Thanks to both of you.

I'll put the battery in the fridge and look for a UPS as we do lose power during the Monsoon.

Any ideas why the battery is getting so hot?

Best UPS?

Again, thanks !

1) The batteries charging circuit may be bad, when the batteries are fully charged the charger should automatically go into float charging mode, the charger circuit in your laptop is trying to force charging the batteries and causes the batteries to get hot.

2) I would remove the batteries if you do not plan to run the laptop on batteries, it will extend the life of the batterie, the batteries in your laptop will go bad because it will always be charged and slowly discharged (when the computer is off), you can only charge and discharge the batteries so many times. I have many customers who never run the laptop on batteries mode but after two years when they tried to run on batteries, the batteries did not hold the charge.

3) When you run the laptop without batteries, it is no different than a desk top, both will lose data if power goes away. Get a UPS.

[noahvail]

Have you discharged and re-calibrated the battery recently? I'm told it should be done on a fairly regular basis, every 30-60 days.

[GungaDin]

Have you discharged and re-calibrated the battery recently? I'm told it should be done on a fairly regular basis, every 30-60 days.

Never!!! How is that done?

Recalibrated ????

edit: Please remember, you are dealing with a computer thickie here.

thanks.

[GungaDin]

Update

Took the battery out, no change.

A friend suggested it was the CPU, as it's the area to the right of the touch pad.

An area about 7" x 3".

He suggested cleaning the vents... I cannot see any "vents"

Any help welcome.

[monty]

Update

Took the battery out, no change.

A friend suggested it was the CPU, as it's the area to the right of the touch pad.

An area about 7" x 3".

He suggested cleaning the vents... I cannot see any "vents"

Any help welcome.

Most laptops have air inlets at the bottom, with fan(s) installed inside, which should blow the hot air out of one of the sides of the laptop (one of the reason laptops should not be used sitting on soft objects such as a bed, as this would block of the air inlets on the bottom).

You can get problems from having the vents clogged up, or the fan not working properly. This would indeed make your laptop heat up pretty fast.

Secondary effects might be slower operation as your cpu starts throttling down to avoid overheating.

[NUMBNUTTS]

Maybe you never checked the bat temp before?

How do you know its warmer? Is it uncomfortable on your lap?

Run it on battery only - see if you get the same 3 hours - probably not any more.

Normally extra battery heat indicates more power going into battery - ergo charger is working harder - might be a bad cell in the stack

It is relatively easy to replace cells, depends on if you feel you are up to it - otherwise get it checked, and/or replaced

Mostly cells go out at about the same time, its a time thingy, the others are not far behind.

It might also be your charger that is on the fritz and is having to work harder to maintain the battery status quo- as when you are using it.

I would clean the CPU vents & heatsinks regardless - I do mine every 6 months - my CPU are all say 35/40'C

[noahvail]

Have you discharged and re-calibrated the battery recently? I'm told it should be done on a fairly regular basis, every 30-60 days.

Never!!! How is that done?

Recalibrated ????

edit: Please remember, you are dealing with a computer thickie here.

thanks.

Computer thickie lol...I'm only at the advanced idiot stage meself.

Try looking at post number 5 at this link http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?board_...SLanguage=en-us It might help get you started. You would think the Asus website would help, but... I don't have an Asus, so wouldn't want to give you info based on another manufacturer with what could be a different type of battery.

Best of luck!

P.S. Vents? What vents???

[NHJ]

calibrating a battery is easy, start windows in fail safe mode with the battery fully charged.

once on the desktop, don't touch anything and remove the power, be sure all energy saver options are not active and let the laptop turn it off itself.

after that your battery will display accurate time.

[elkangorito]

The older a battery is, the greater its internal resistance will be. This internal resistance will be indicated as heat while the battery is being charged. 2 years is pretty old for a battery.

Further, an old battery will have a reduced discharge rate (due to internal resistance). This basically means that it will discharge the same current (Amps) over a shorter period of time or less current over a fixed (& tested) time.

Storing "new" batteries in the fridge is not a bad idea. Just be sure that they are sealed against the ingress of moisture.

I store all of my "dry cells" in the fridge until I'm ready to use them. If I don't, they last about 6 months (no use...shelf life). If I store them in the fridge, I get much longer life from them (1 year as opposed to 6 months). Then again, I have no idea how long the batteries have been sitting in the shop (7-11).

[GungaDin]

Update

Took the battery out, no change.

A friend suggested it was the CPU, as it's the area to the right of the touch pad.

An area about 7" x 3".

He suggested cleaning the vents... I cannot see any "vents"

Any help welcome.

Most laptops have air inlets at the bottom, with fan(s) installed inside, which should blow the hot air out of one of the sides of the laptop (one of the reason laptops should not be used sitting on soft objects such as a bed, as this would block of the air inlets on the bottom).

You can get problems from having the vents clogged up, or the fan not working properly. This would indeed make your laptop heat up pretty fast.

Secondary effects might be slower operation as your cpu starts throttling down to avoid overheating.

You guys have been great

It's def the CPU overheating. If the vents are underneath the LT, I think I've found them.

I have tables all over the house and never rest the laptops on anything soft, I recall a news item where a guy fell asleep with his LT on, on a soft lounge chair, it overheated, burnt the lounge, and he died of smoke inhallation.

Some great suggestions here, I hope they help the next thickie, as they have me.

Thanks again for the help & ideas.

[Hardie]

I'm no expert, but I've fried at least one laptop in thailand, and I think it's because of the erratic power supply, too many volts or whatever, especially out in the 'burbs. It felt like ants crawling in my lap, like grabbing the Thai rabbit-ear antennae. Systems don't seem to be grounded, and I've actually heard a guy on Thai TV tell how to drive a metal rod through the concrete slab to ground each appliance. Next your hard drive will go. My rec: get a UPS immediately, which should help even out the supply and your odds, and guard info during blackouts if you go without the battery. Good luck!

[BudM]

Hi, I have an Asus 15" laptop, 2 years old.

The battery still holds 3 hours but is getting very hot...... the room temp is a constant 24C.

I rarely unplug it from the wall socket.

Do I need a new battery?

Any suggestions?

cheers

Goto www.insidemylaptop.com to see if your model or close to it shows up, it may give you ideas on how to clean out the air inlet/outlet

[GungaDin]

Goto www.insidemylaptop.com to see if your model or close to it shows up, it may give you ideas on how to clean out the air inlet/outlet

A great link.

Thanks Bud.

[ianwuk]

I removed the battery from my laptop and just use the mains

ianwuk

[Pitbullman1]

You can now purchase Lap top coolers from most computer shops or even Supermarkets which sells computers. The idea is that you plug the cooler into the mains and place your Lap top on this, and it will keep your computer at a reasonably cool temperature, and prevent it from overheating.

I don't think that they are too expensive.

[ianwuk]

You can now purchase Lap top coolers from most computer shops or even Supermarkets which sells computers. The idea is that you plug the cooler into the mains and place your Lap top on this, and it will keep your computer at a reasonably cool temperature, and prevent it from overheating.

I don't think that they are too expensive.

I got one for around 200 Baht. Plugs into my USB which powers the fans and my laptop sits on top.

ianwuk

[Pitbullman1]

I do apologise. You are quite correct ianwuk in what you say, the cooler is plugged into a USB port and NOT the mains. What are your opinions of them please?