Laptop batteries

ttocs29 · Joined: Feb 10, 2009 Posts: 1

I have an old Alienware laptop and the battery that I have no longer carries a charge. I need to be plugged in whenever I use the darn thing. I realise it's not a tremendous deal, but I figured maybe someone here knows of a place I might be able to find a battery. Also, is there a way I can find out if it's the battery or the contacts withing the laptop before spending the money on a new battery? The computer is about 5-6 years old. (I bought it used, so I don't know the true age of it.) Is it worth spending the money? I have been find with it so far, just figured it might be worth asking. Thanks in advance for any help or assistance you can provide. I look forward to chatting and working with all of you on this board. Have a great day!
Scott

goretsky · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:41 am Post subject:

Hello,

If Alienware no longer sells a replacement battery, try using a site such as Froogle or PriceWatch to search on the terms Alienware, {the model of your notebook computer} and battery. Then look at the results to give you an idea of the replacement cost.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

marcerickson · Joined: Dec 27, 2002 Posts: 77

Contacts can be cleaned with an eraser - Pink Pearl or ink eraser, not an art (gum type) eraser. But it's most likely (>90%) that your battery is worn out. They are a consumable on laptops. I'm a technician who has had 2 batteries die just from being old and using them regularly.

atenor · Joined: Jan 30, 2004 Posts: 24

From the reading that I have done about laptop batteries there is virtually no chance that yours is still good.
My reading indicates that as soon as a Lithium battery is produced it starts going down hill. It doesn't matter if it is sitting on the shelf in a warehouse or in your laptop it looses the ability to charge at about the same rate. My suggestion would be that you look for the model of the battery and search for that. I doubt that Alienware designed their own battery, they probably used an off the shelf component.
You should be able to find it at an online store.

AG

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

For odd-ball battery packs, there are several companies around the country (the USA anyway) that will replace the old cells in the pack with brand-new ones.
Usually for a lot less $'s than a brand new pack.

I deal with a company in Orlando, FL, called "Batteries Plus".

I've had them build new battery packs for me, for battery operated power tools.

So if you can't find a factory fresh battery pack that will fit your Laptop, you may want to try to find a company that will rebuild that old pack, using new cells.

It's always an option. Wink

The Doctor Cool