How to test a laptop battery with a multimeter
One of the most looked specs when buying a laptop is the battery. The battery will allow you to use the laptop for some time when there is no power source and you will always like to use it for a long time. As time goes on, the battery of the laptop may lose its efficiency and you will want to test its voltage. I know you will take it to a technician but this blog was written to teach you when and how to test for a laptop battery with a multimeter. This skill will go a long way to saving and even help you gain a lot of money. You can also learn how to test for a distributor with a multimeter.
When do you know how to test a laptop battery with a multimeter
- Overheating
- Charging slowly
- The intermittent shutdown of the laptop
- System report indicating a bad battery health
- Overused laptop battery
- Decreased use time of the laptop
- Swollen battery
A step-by-step guide on how to test a removable laptop battery with a multimeter
Charge the battery
The battery should be charged fully to ensure that there is enough power in it to enable accurate testing of the battery.
Remove the battery
Although most laptop brands are now resorting to built-in batteries, there are still removable batteries on the market. Make sure the laptop has been shut down with the power disconnected before removing the battery. Turn the laptop upside down. Find the latch and move it as it has been directed with the arrow. Gently pull it away from the laptop.
Allow the battery to cool down
The battery may be very hot after charging so allow it to cool. As you wait, inspect the battery if you can find any physical damage on it.
Check the voltage of the battery
This is very important because the voltage of the battery will be compared to what will be read on the multimeter after testing it. For example, 10.8V
Locate the battery connectors
Connectors are small slots in the batteries that link the battery to the laptop to allow the flow of current when charging. These slots can be found either in the middle or close to the middle of the battery.
Test the battery
The first thing you do is to check for the continuity of the multimeter. Configure the multimeter by rotating the knob to the Voltage. Now attach the red test probe to the positive side and the black test probe to the negative side.
Observe the readings on the multimeter and compare them to the voltage of the battery. If the readings on the multimeter are close to the voltage of the battery, then the battery is in good working condition. That is, it should be greater or equal to 80% of the voltage of the battery.
If the readings are, less than 80% then you need to change your battery.
A step-by-step guide on how to test a built-in laptop battery with a multimeter
Charge the battery
The battery should be charged fully to ensure that there is enough power in it to enable accurate testing of the battery.
Remove the battery
How then do remove a built-in laptop battery? This process is far different from removing the detachable ones. This may require screwdrivers and a flat tool like a spatula.
- Turn the laptop with the case of the monitor facing downwards.
- Remove all the screws behind the laptop to remove the case.
- Gently remove it. You can also put the spatula in the spaces between the cases to allow more space which will make removal easy.
- Disconnect the battery from the motherboard. You can do this by gently the extended connector. This is in a form of wires attached to the motherboard. It will not come out easily so you can use a small spatula to allow space. You can also wriggle the wires to loosen the attachment. You can now pull the connector from the motherboard.
- Batteries may either be screwed or glued to the laptop. If it is the former, use your screwdriver to loosen and remove the screw. If it is the latter, push your spatula beneath the battery and gently scrape it to remove the battery.
You can follow the subsequent steps in the procedure of how to test a removable laptop battery with a multimer to test the built-in battery.
Conclusion
You have learned something here today. This procedure of how to test a laptop battery with a multimeter should be fingertips. This will help you to know the condition of your battery without calling a technician. Another skill that should be at your fingertip is testing for dryer sensor moisture and tuning an amplifier.