And now, in the news–yet another exploding laptop. All right, this may sound downright silly, but the issue of exploding laptops has surfaced again and again in some of today’s popular gadget and tech rumor sites, particularly The Register and even Gizmodo.
Is this a reason to fear buying laptops and using them right where they’re supposed to be–on your lap?
Probably not. Exploding laptops are isolated cases. They’re the exception rather than the norm. And the theory that they’re caused by overheating processors doesn’t hold water either. It’s mostly due to flaws in the battery or power supply circuitry. In some cases, this is due to poor design, and laptop manufacturers have been quick to recall faulty batteries.
Here are some tips to avoid the possibility of your laptop exploding. Okay, you’re not supposed to be worried about your laptop exploding, but these tips are for general battery maintenance. Hey, it helps to take care of your laptop. We wouldn’t want thousands of dollars of equipment–and even thousands more of data and information–down the drain would we?
- Follow the manual. Your laptop’s user manual would indicate what type of batteries your laptop has. Most probably, it’s Lithium-Ion (save for some that use thinner Lithium-Polymers). These don’t exhibit “memory effect,” so you can charge and recharge even without waiting for them to run flat.
- Stay cool. Heat is an enemy of all types of battery chemistries. So be sure to charge your laptop in a cool environment. Excessive heat would degrade battery life significantly, because power cells tend to change chemistry if they become too hot.
- Use only certified equipment. As much as possible, purchase original accessories. If you decide to go for aftermarket battery packs, you would likely be voiding your laptop’s warranty. If you must, be sure you purchase batteries from reputable sellers.
There you have it folks. Just take care of your equipment well, and they’ll take care of you the same way. We do hope we won’t be experiencing any laptop explosions ourselves!