LaTop battery care and life expectancy

[keith smith]

I've had several laptops and battery longevity has always been an issue.  Not how long it will run my laptop before completely discharging, but how long it will be before that battery is no good.  What I do not understand is why or how a battery can go bad from being in a laptop that is plugged in and why there is a overcharging issue.   

I have two frames of reference, maybe three.  My cordless phone battery lasts for years.  I recently started researching solar power.  Seems some think the battery's life is extended by not draining it and having a constant change trickling into it.  One of the videos said the life of the battery was in cycles.

My cellular phone is 3 and a half years old.  My wife tends to forget to charge her phone periodically and the battery discharges to the point the phone shuts down.  We switch batteries because I keep mine charged for the most part and rarely leave home because I work out of my house.

The battery in my last laptop, about 8 years ago, went out in about 3 years.  

I have removed the battery from my current laptop hoping to extend it's life expectancy.  I rarely using my laptop away from my home office.  When I do I try not to go on battery power, however the battery is being charged at that point.

My experience makes me wonder why my cellular battery can last 3 plus years and might last 5 or 6 years, maybe longer.   And my laptop battery is only good for 2 or 3 years.

I've read a lot about laptop battery care, however it is still not clear how to keep from wasting a perfectly good battery in just a few years .  I'd really like to be able to buy a laptop and be able to use it for 5 years.  What is the best way to approach laptop batteries?

Thank you for your help.

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Keith Smith
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