How to Rehab Your Laptop’s Battery

11/30/09  Print This Post Print This Post    6 Comments      Written by Julie Schwietert
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Photo: Ed Yourdon

For a writer there’s nothing worse than your laptop battery punking out when you’re on the road. Except when your backup laptop’s battery punks out, too.

I was really at wit’s end last week, when not just one but both of my laptops died the night before a trip. “I’m going to walk over to Staples to check out laptop prices,” I told my husband, who reminded me that we weren’t exactly in the market for making a big purchase.

He fancies himself something of a handy man, so he logged on to YouTube and entered the search phrase: “laptop battery hack.” He found this video, then bought replacement Lithium batteries and a soldering kit for about $20.00. Thirty minutes later, voila: a laptop battery almost as good as new… and for a price that was a lot more comfortable than the cost of a new laptop.

Community Connection:

There’s another reason why the battery hack trick is good: it keeps dead batteries out of landfills. To get some perspective on where your e-waste goes, check out the photo essay, “Intolerable Beauty: Chris Jordan Photographs American Mass Consumption.”


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About the Author

Matador ID: collazo

Julie Schwietert is the managing editor of Matador Network. She contributed a chapter to the recently published book, The Voluntary Traveler, and is currently working on five features for Fodor's Puerto Rico, 6th Edition.

6 Comments... join the discussion!

  • vmcalves replied on November 30, 2009

    Thanks Julie – perfect timing for me, as my laptop battery has been lasting about, hmmm, 2 to 3 minutes lately. Will look into the same solution!

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  • Michelle replied on November 30, 2009

    This is exactly the kind of thing I wish I could just come up with. I never would have thought of just building my own battery. Very smart.

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  • Turner replied on November 30, 2009

    Again, good timing – I get about 10 min on this thing.

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  • Ryukyu Mike replied on December 1, 2009

    Excellent piece. THe Dell in the video looks just like the piece of crap sitting on the bar next to me. Battery died about a year ago, so, I just keep it plugged-in allthe time. Costs alot more to get the battery shipped from US to Japan. I can probably save over $100. You do have to be careful soldering on a lithium battery, though. Not just eye protection; they can explode and castrate you. Maybe I’ll teach the wife to solder !

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  • Julie replied on December 1, 2009

    Glad this proved so timely for several readers! And Mike- thanks for the warning… fortunately, both laptop and husband are intact! :)

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  • kimayou Meigui replied on December 2, 2009

    Great tip to save all of us chained to the computer while travel frustration against the dead battery! I just wish I trusted myself not to cause the batteries to explode! I might find a friend who does things like this as a hobby…

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