Dead Li batteries, devices, and chargers...

Greg Anos · 06-06-2011, 03:57 PM

Question, for those more knowledgeable that I...

A gadget with a nonremoveable battery. When the battery dies, you can still plug it into a power source and have it run.

Question, what are the long term implications to doing that? Fire hazard, ect?

What with most new cars having a usb plug and and a audio in jack, keeping a DAP in a car is not an unreasonable possibility. But i don't want to keep buying a DAP over and over again just for the car, just because of a dead battery.

Answers, anyone?

elcreative · 06-06-2011, 04:17 PM

Should be no problem... I have had laptops with dead Li-ion batteries and kept using them for years as mains machines... Li-ion batt fails are not common and usually happen due to trauma, they can overheat and catch fire but the cases I've seen have come about because of manufacturing flaws or violence, I've not come across any disaster after failure due to age...

Hellmark · 06-06-2011, 04:22 PM

I have a 13 and a half year old laptop, that has had a 100% dead battery for the past 10 years, and it has used on a consistant basis that entire time.

Most devices with rechargeable batteries have failsafes that prevent the battery from being overcharged, and in the case of dead batteries, not charged at all.

You are perfectly safe to continue to use it while plugged in all the time.

taustin · 06-06-2011, 05:55 PM

Li-ion batteries can fail in such a way as to overheat, catch fire, even explode. This has been known from the earliest days of their development, however, and a great deal of effort has gone in to safety features to prevent it. For something like that to happen, there have to be several failures in the design and/or manufacturing, and such defects normally show up when they're new, not when they're worn out.

In other words, if you've had it long enough to wear it out, and it hasn't caught fire yet, it isn't bloody likely to.

Greg Anos · 06-06-2011, 07:33 PM

Thanks everybody. It's not jut that I'm cheap (I am!) but the current build and design quality for DAP's is just pathetic. I'll just stick to my old ones...

theducks · 06-07-2011, 11:43 PM

Pay attention to unusual heat or odours.

Something I did note on my Laptop with a marginal battery: Power consumption is up as it keep trying hard/longer to charge the battery.

Ken Maltby · 06-08-2011, 12:38 AM

OK, I'll bite what's a "DAP"?

As to running a laptop or most battery powered devices like them, that can also run with
an adapter, they can usually also run on the adapter with the battery set removed.
In fact it makes them much lighter, and turns them into a "transportable" device. This
can be handy when the device is only operated at home /or office, using a mains adapter
and in a vehicle using a DC adapter. No Li battery = no hazard.

All battery sets can be removed, it usually just involves opening the case and unplugging
the battery set from the circuit board.

Luck;
Ken

P.S. If the device has leads from the battery pack that are soldered to the circuit board,
then cut the leads at the battery set, leaving something to splice on a new battery set's
leads (just in case you want to replace the battery at some point).

06-06-2011, 03:57 PM	#1
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,492 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	Dead Li batteries, devices, and chargers... Question, for those more knowledgeable that I... A gadget with a nonremoveable battery. When the battery dies, you can still plug it into a power source and have it run. Question, what are the long term implications to doing that? Fire hazard, ect? What with most new cars having a usb plug and and a audio in jack, keeping a DAP in a car is not an unreasonable possibility. But i don't want to keep buying a DAP over and over again just for the car, just because of a dead battery. Answers, anyone?

06-08-2011, 12:38 AM	#7
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,466 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	OK, I'll bite what's a "DAP"? As to running a laptop or most battery powered devices like them, that can also run with an adapter, they can usually also run on the adapter with the battery set removed. In fact it makes them much lighter, and turns them into a "transportable" device. This can be handy when the device is only operated at home /or office, using a mains adapter and in a vehicle using a DC adapter. No Li battery = no hazard. All battery sets can be removed, it usually just involves opening the case and unplugging the battery set from the circuit board. Luck; Ken P.S. If the device has leads from the battery pack that are soldered to the circuit board, then cut the leads at the battery set, leaving something to splice on a new battery set's leads (just in case you want to replace the battery at some point). Last edited by Ken Maltby; 06-08-2011 at 12:59 AM.

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06-06-2011, 04:17 PM	#2
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	Should be no problem... I have had laptops with dead Li-ion batteries and kept using them for years as mains machines... Li-ion batt fails are not common and usually happen due to trauma, they can overheat and catch fire but the cases I've seen have come about because of manufacturing flaws or violence, I've not come across any disaster after failure due to age...

06-06-2011, 04:22 PM	#3
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,590 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I have a 13 and a half year old laptop, that has had a 100% dead battery for the past 10 years, and it has used on a consistant basis that entire time. Most devices with rechargeable batteries have failsafes that prevent the battery from being overcharged, and in the case of dead batteries, not charged at all. You are perfectly safe to continue to use it while plugged in all the time.

06-06-2011, 05:55 PM	#4
taustin Wizard Posts: 1,358 Karma: 5766642 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Nook	Li-ion batteries can fail in such a way as to overheat, catch fire, even explode. This has been known from the earliest days of their development, however, and a great deal of effort has gone in to safety features to prevent it. For something like that to happen, there have to be several failures in the design and/or manufacturing, and such defects normally show up when they're new, not when they're worn out. In other words, if you've had it long enough to wear it out, and it hasn't caught fire yet, it isn't bloody likely to.

06-06-2011, 07:33 PM	#5
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,492 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	Thanks everybody. It's not jut that I'm cheap (I am!) but the current build and design quality for DAP's is just pathetic. I'll just stick to my old ones...

06-07-2011, 11:43 PM	#6
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,897 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Pay attention to unusual heat or odours. Something I did note on my Laptop with a marginal battery: Power consumption is up as it keep trying hard/longer to charge the battery.