Laptop Six Months Old - Not Charging Propery. Help Please!

[moggie 939]

My Acer is not very old but has developed a fault in charging - it works perfectly well otherwise. As I am elderly and not sure how to reset it can anyone please assist?

From nearly empty it used to take 90 mins to full charge but lately the orange charge light never goes off until I unplug it and after 2 hours it only reaches say 80%! If I then plug it in again for another hour it says 88% and charging and also says 2 hrs to full charge. Apart from this it is fast but I only get about 90 mins of use unplugged.

If I take it back to Currys under guarantee goodness knows when I will gwt it back and it cost me over £300 new.

I remember once being told I can go into the background somewhere and reset it and that this might solve the problem - is that correct? Please bear in mind that I am in my 80s but am quite computer savvy.

Thanks everyone

Moggie

[barry1010]

I doubt very much that resetting your laptop to factory default will help with your charging problem.
Are you using the charger and cable that was supplied with your laptop?

[douglas9401]

Ah, Currys. They used to be a good retailer.

Good luck.

[moggie 939]

Yes Barry1010
Have always used the charging lead that came with the laptop
moggie

[Atheist]

I think batteries can be recalibrated. I've never done it and it all sounds a bit long-winded; but if I had your issue that's what I'd try. I think it involves running the battery flat and removing it and replacing etc and so on. I don't think it would do any harm, so you might wish to try; should be instructions findable online. Good luck
Maybe someone else here can give you more info on this.

[moggie 939]

I will try that and let this forum know the result

[Togo]

With the laptop plugged in and charging, remove the battery with everything still running, including being on line. Wait for a minute or so and still with everything running, put the battery back in. It should now charge fully.

[Atheist]

Togo; very interesting. If I ever have to do that, do I need to keep the laptop lid open when I upturn it to get at the battery?

[Togo]

Yes if closing the lid turns off the laptop. Not too difficult on any of the machines that I have performed this trick on.

[moggie 939]

Thanks everyone - but on my latest Acer the battery is inside and to get to it means removing all the screws on the back! However - I just looked on the manual and there is a little pin hole hardly visible and it says to insert a paperclip and push down until it clicks for 4 secs so I did that, ran down the battery with normal use until it completely switched of and then charged it up. It worked somewhat in that it charged to 80% in about 2 hours and after than, if I left it on charge it reached 90% eventually.
So I will leave it like that until the new year (it is only 6 months old) and then see what Currys say.
Thanks again everyone
Moggie

[moggie 939]

Hello everyone who answered my query
Well - after trying everything I charged it from empty for about 2 hrs and checked it and it showed only 82%.
I then left it charging for another 90 mins and it then showed full charge of 100%!
So - will it hurt leaving it plugged in for that length of time? Do not feel like returning it as it is only 6 months aold and Currys will probably say it is ok.
Moggie

[calmck]

Have you checked that your cable is not bent or showing wear where it goes into the machine. Also how low do you let your battery go before charging. I was always told the lower the better. Have you also checked that it is always charging when it is plugged in and that the cable has not come loose

[moggie 939]

Yes cable is ok - tight fit and shows charging. Have let it go right down to about 3% before charging but must admit over previous charges I recharged it at 10%! Pressing the little pin hole button in the back does not seem to do anything.
Moggie