Peripherals forum: Laptop Battery Compatability

Answer Best answer as chosen by user Lost_in_Tech

You never know

by Willy - 11/17/12 5:37 AM

In Reply to: Laptop Battery Compatability by Lost_in_Tech

There are two answers for you:

1) buy from maker(OEM)
2) buy from other than maker or OEM

From that you decide to buy new or used and/or rebuild(certified). If a vendor offers it's the one for your laptop, then read the warranty and/or return policy is something goes wrong.

You need to use the exact part# or one found on decal/sticker and google away as you did. Then you need to pick from a vendor that you trust. While saving money is a concern, be sure of what you're getting, brand new or refurbished(rebuild) Yes, battery packs can be redone. They also can come in various "hour range" for battery output life. Provided your model laptop falls into such, then decide what makes sense to you. I mention trust, because some vendors are nothing more than small cottage outfits to massive warehouses that stockpile it all. Sometimes buying "used" is a decent deal if the life of the battery is still very useful, but it must be so ID'ed as used. I hope this all helps. You may have a local battery source, so check your telco area. In the USA, there are battery shops offering everything from watch to auto, to include laptop batteries.

tada -----Willy

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Thanks, but...

by Lost_in_Tech - 11/17/12 7:10 AM

In Reply to: You never know by Willy

I'm grateful to both respondents for their advice, which makes sense, but my dilemma is not really whether I go for OEM or aftermarket, but if the latter, is a voltage difference a problem?

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Let's talk about your tolerence to risk.

by R. Proffitt - 11/17/12 9:51 AM

In Reply to: Thanks, but... by Lost_in_Tech

If this must work, get the maker or OEM model. If you are fine with risk and know that there is a little slosh in the specs on battery voltages then you know the answer.

I will NEVER tell folk to pick up a cheap battery. The risk is far too high to give that advice. Folk must decide risk on their own.
Bob

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Well I guess that puts it in perspective.

by Lost_in_Tech - 11/17/12 11:10 AM

In Reply to: Let's talk about your tolerence to risk. by R. Proffitt

Clearly there is a risk then. I cannot afford an OEM version, but neither can I afford a new laptop. I think I will just manage without. I get around 3 hours from the current one, but frequently use the machine in places where I can't recharge

Thanks for the advice.

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3 hours is fine. Why would I write that?

by R. Proffitt - 11/17/12 11:42 AM

In Reply to: Well I guess that puts it in perspective. by Lost_in_Tech

When it comes to batteries my worry is when the time gets down to under an hour. This means the battery has gotten old and will stress the charger and charger circuits. Your laptop's battery is in the normal wear pattern and about all I can advise is you triple check things such as wifi/bluetooth off if possible and make sure you didn't install something like Spybot or set the antivirus to scan daily.
Bob

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