Hacker News Reader

Comment by Alifatisk | Hacker News Reader

Don’t you use the laptop while charging? I only disconnect the charging cable when I need to head somewhere quickly

I often sit on the couch or bed while working.

That'll wear out the battery quickly.

> That'll wear out the battery quickly. Why does this happen? If it's about overcharging, is it impossible to stop charging once the battery is full?

A high cell voltage will ruin lithium ion cells over time.

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-...

I thought that was fine for MacBooks because it will only charge to 80% and won’t increase the battery cycles?

I also disconnect the charging cable during the night because that stresses the battery.

My M1 and M2 Macbooks will happily charge to 100%. How to make them to stop at 80%?

I've seen checkbox somewhere in settings, checked by default. If checked and OS decides that device is connected constantly, it limits change to ~80%

Look up: “Aldente”. Not tested. discovered yesterday for my future laptop as soon as they become affordable

In alternativeto.net you can find FOSS alternatives for Aldente

No, battery life is measured in change cycles. If you don’t discharge the battery, it doesn’t age as much as if you do discharge and then recharge the battery. At least that’s the case for batteries with reasonable charging controllers like those found in $500+ gadgets.

That's what I'm saying, keeping the charger connected reduces the amount of battery cycles therefore keeping the battery health for longer compared to charging and discharging multiple times.

BUT, you have to disconnect the charger when not using the laptop, for example when you're going to sleep.

Not all charge cycles are equivalent. By limiting charge to just 80%, your battery will last many times longer versus to letting it charge up to 100%.

That's also the reason why EV manufacturers set charge limits to similar numbers.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com