How To Repair A Bad Cell In A Car Battery

How many times has this happened to yous? Y'all're minding your own business organisation on your laptop, and so suddenly the calculator informs y'all the battery is nearly expressionless. Y'all and so accept to blitz to observe your charger and plug information technology in earlier everything goes dark.

Once the power is connected, y'all should be good to go, but sometimes you lot plug in the AC adapter, and you go zilch. No glowing lights, no brightened brandish, and no "battery charging" icon in the corner. What could be incorrect?

At that place are numerous ways to take care of your bombardment, but between the wall outlet and your computer in that location are several things that can neglect. Some are easy to fix yourself with a software tweak or a new bombardment, but other bug may require a visit to a repair store, or fifty-fifty a full-blown system replacement.

Knowing which is which tin save you hours of frustration and hundreds of dollars in repairs. By taking an inside-out approach, you can quickly narrow downwardly where the problem originates and detect the most economic solution. Here'southward how to troubleshoot the event.

Our Top-Rated Windows Laptops

Are You Plugged In?

(Photo: Danicek/Shutterstock)

It sounds empty-headed, simply you lot need to make sure the laptop is actually plugged in. This is a major reason a computer may non even offset. No software tweak or hardware repair can make a disconnected laptop magically ability on. So before you do annihilation else, ensure that the Air-conditioning outlet and laptop plugs are firmly seated.

Check the Ac adapter brick and verify that any removable cords are fully inserted. Next, make certain the battery is properly seated in its compartment, and that there is aught wrong with either the battery or laptop contact points.

Finally, notice out whether or non the problem even has anything to do with the laptop at all. Try plugging the power cord into a unlike outlet to encounter if y'all've got a short or a blown fuse. If information technology'south plugged into a surge protector or ability strip, take information technology out and plug it direct into the wall.

At this indicate, if information technology withal doesn't work, we've determined that it'due south non just user error causing the problem. There is a existent outcome with powering the laptop; now it's simply a matter of figuring out where the trouble may be. That begins with eliminating where it isn't. We'll starting time with the near common and piece of cake-to-address issues.

Lose the Battery

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

Get-go, check the integrity of the battery. If your laptop comes with a removable bombardment, take it out, and hold the power button down for about xv seconds to drain any residual power from the device. So, with the battery still removed, plug in the power cable and turn the laptop on.

If the laptop powers on properly, that ways the power adapter is working properly and the problem is likely a bum battery. You can e'er re-install the battery and effort again—maybe the battery was just poorly seated.

If your laptop doesn't have a visible bombardment compartment on the bottom, it may be built into the laptop (similar near Macs are), and you'll either accept to open it up yourself or take information technology to a repair specialist to examination the battery.

Make Sure You're Using the Right USB-C Port

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

USB-C is a popular cross-platform standard for connecting peripherals, transferring data, and charging your bombardment. The new standard allows for thinner devices, but might too cause some confusion. Some manufacturers accept opted to brand certain USB-C ports information-simply, and so they won't charge your device.

In some cases, you may find a device with two USB-C ports: one that tin be used for charging or data transfer, and i that is simply designated for data transfer. If you run into a not-charging issue, make certain you are connected to the correct USB-C port. You may even be able to see a trivial icon on the side that indicates which port is meant for charging.

Is Your Charger Powerful Enough?

Similarly, but considering a power adapter fits into your laptop's charging port doesn't hateful it's powerful plenty to charge your computer. This goes for any type of charger, simply information technology's an particularly common problem with laptops that accuse over USB-C—y'all tin technically plug in any USB-PD charger, but some may have too low a wattage to properly charge.

Check the wattage of the charger that came with your laptop—if information technology came with a 45W charger, y'all'll probably desire to stick with a 45W charger (or college) to ability it, and so on. A lower-wattage charger might go on the battery from draining while you use it, simply information technology won't be enough to charge it whatever higher. If it does manage to recharge your estimator, information technology will do so much slower than usual. If you're going to use a tertiary-political party USB-C charger, try to use one that's been certified by the USB-IF.

For laptops that don't charge over USB-C, I generally recommend sticking with the manufacturer'due south official charger. Cheap, no-brand chargers tin can be low quality or even dangerous, so if yous have one of those, endeavor charging with the laptop's official charger instead.

Breaks, Burnouts, and Shorts

(Photo: Aleksandrs Muiznieks/Shutterstock)

Feel along the length of the power cord, bending and flexing equally yous get, to check for any kinks or breaks. Check the ends for whatsoever cleaved connections, such as plugs pulling loose or spots that may have gotten chewed by a pet or caught in a vacuum cleaner.

Audit the Ac brick. Is it discolored? Are whatsoever parts warped or expanded? Give information technology a sniff—if it smells like burnt plastic, that'southward likely where the problem lies. You lot may need to supercede the power connector. Contact the manufacturer and run into if they'll ship you a new ane nether warranty. (Or, disallowment that, if they'll sell yous ane straight.)

Cheque the Connector

(Photo: Arsa Ingin Moksa/Shutterstock)

When you plug in the laptop'southward power connector, the connection should exist fairly solid. If at that place'due south dust or other buildup inside the jack, it may not be able to make a clean connexion. Effort cleaning out the jack with a toothpick, and plugging in once again.

In more than extreme cases, you lot may find the jack is wobbly or loose, or gives when it should stay house. This could mean the power jack has broken inside the chassis, and you lot'll need to take your calculator to a repair store (or, if yous're comfortable opening information technology upward, doing some at-dwelling house repairs).

Beat the Heat

(Photo: Iammotos/Shutterstock)

Batteries are susceptible to heat, so if your laptop is overheating, that could cause a problem. Every bit the temperature rises, the battery sensor may misfire, telling the organisation that the battery is either fully charged or missing completely, causing the charging problems. You may fifty-fifty find that your system shuts down to prevent overheating a battery and causing a fire.

These issues become far more than likely when dealing with older laptops, which have lower-quality cooling than more modernistic devices—or if yous tend to use the laptop on the couch or in bed, which tin can cake the cooling vents. Turn the system off, give it some time to cool down, and take a moment to make sure the air vents are free of grit and unobstructed by blankets.

Check Your Settings in Windows or macOS

In Windows 10, open the Start menu and search for "Power & Sleep Settings," and then click the Additional ability settings link. (On older versions of Windows, open up the Control Panel and search for "Power Options.") Click Change Plan Settings and visually check that all are properly prepare.

Be on the lookout for incorrect settings for the battery, brandish, and sleep options. For example, your battery settings may cause problem if you ready the computer to close downward when the battery level drops too low or set up the low bombardment level at as well high a percentage.

You tin too assign deportment like sleep and shut downward when your lid is closed or the power button is pressed. If these settings have been changed, it'southward easy to suspect a ability malfunction fifty-fifty though at that place's no physical problem with the battery or charging cablevision. The easiest way to make sure that your settings aren't causing problems is to restore the power contour to default settings.

Mac users can open up System Preferences > Energy Saver, and then review your preferences. Mac settings are adjusted with a slider, letting you select the amount of time the computer tin can sit idle until it goes to sleep. If the interval is too short, you might suspect bombardment issues when settings are the true culprit.

Don't forget to check these settings for both battery power and wall power. You may want to revert dorsum to the default settings to see if a change in settings is causing the problem.

Update Your Drivers

Open the Start menu and search for "Device Manager." Under Batteries, you should see a few items: commonly one for the charger and i listed as Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery, though there may be others. Correct-click each item and cull Update Commuter.

Once the drivers are all upward to date, reboot the laptop and plug it in again. If this doesn't resolve the problem, you may want to download the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website. You tin can also attempt uninstalling Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery completely and rebooting, which should prompt Windows to reinstall the driver from scratch.

On a Mac, y'all'll demand to try resetting the Arrangement Management Controller (SMC). For laptops with removable batteries, this is equally simple as shutting down ability, removing the battery, disconnecting power, and pressing the power button for five seconds. Reinsert the battery, connect power, and burn upwards the laptop.

For newer Macs with batteries sealed into the chassis, shut downwards the computer but go out the ability adapter continued. With the ability off, press and hold the power push button while pressing Shift + Control + Option on the left-mitt side of the keyboard. Release the keys and power button simultaneously, and then attempt to ability on the laptop.

Swap Out the Cord and Battery

(Photo: Damrong Rattanapong/Shutterstock)

If the above software tricks don't work, and you aren't able to set the problem with the parts yous have on hand, you may take to buy a new bombardment or power adapter (which ane will depend on what y'all were able to narrow down with the to a higher place troubleshooting steps).

You lot may be able to find a replacement power cable or battery on Amazon, but again, make sure it'south a legitimate part from the original manufacturer. Using third-party replacements for the existent thing is never recommended, especially when it comes to power.

Your best bet is to contact the manufacturer directly and order a replacement part, if yous can. It volition be a little more expensive, merely you'll know yous're getting a quality component.

Problems Inside

(Photo: Mike_shots/Shutterstock)

When all of your options are exhausted—you've tried other ability cables and batteries, checked and rechecked your settings, fixed any potential software problems—the problem is likely found inside the motorcar. This is probably a adept time to contact tech back up.

Several internal parts can cause problems when they malfunction or fail. Common culprits include a faulty motherboard, damaged charging circuits, and malfunctioning battery sensors. Your item make and model of laptop will likely accept its own unique issues, and a seasoned tech support operator volition have seen all of them.

The person you talk to will likely walk you through many of the steps outlined above, but will too be aware of software and hardware issues specific to your configuration, such as what $.25 of hardware normally fail.

Like a ill person consulting a medico, internal problems crave a specialist. Contact your manufacturer about what repair options are covered under your warranty, or think a local computer repair shop.

Like What You're Reading?

Sign upwards for Tips & Tricks newsletter for proficient advice to get the most out of your technology.

This newsletter may contain advertisement, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Employ and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at whatsoever time.

Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/what-to-do-if-your-laptop-is-plugged-in-but-not-charging

Posted by: traninclaboy.blogspot.com