LG X200 - Battery Charge Failure

xterm

I have an LG X200 Netbook that I dusted off the other day. The machine works fine if plugged in but as soon as you pull out the plug it shutsdown.

It seems the battery is not charging and I want to fix that.

1) Are there any steps I need to do before thinking of changing the Battery?
2) Any idea how much a battery would cost ?
3) Do you know where I can find such a battery?

It's honestly not worth paying for the device so I'm trying to do the strict minimum for it to work.

Thanks.

mesa177

First of all, you have to identify if it's a battery charger problem or a battery problem. To do that, you need a multimeter and use it to measure the voltage being emitted by the laptop battery charger (the rails where the battery fits in). Compare the voltage to the rating written on the battery pack: if it is within 5%, then the battery charger is fine. If not, then you need to maintain the battery charger.

If the charger is emitting the same voltage as the one identified on the battery pack, then either the lithium ion batteries are defected and need change or the thermal fuse is defected and needs change. For that, you need to open the battery pack and check the connectivity on the batteries. The thermal fuse is very easy to change if need be, but changing the lithium ion batteries is a pain in the a$$ and should be performed by someone who has experience in them. Depending on the number of cells composing the battery pack (4 or 6 in your case), each set of batteries would be connected in parallel forming a rung and according to voltage rating, multiple rungs would be present. Usually, each battery would have a rating of 3.6V or 3.7V, so a rung would read 3.6V or 3.7V (parallel -> same voltage). Having 4 or 6 cells means each 2 are connected in parallel, and you have either 2 or 3 rungs respectively.

Each rung has the same current rating since they are then combined in series. Thus, each rung has a current rating of 2000 mAh. Since in parallel current is added, a current rating of 2000 mAh would mean that each battery has a current rating of 1000 mAh.

Katranji most probably doesn't have Li-ion batteries with that rating, but there's a place called Kubi Brothers in the midst of Burj Brajneh who might. Last time I bought them they cost 5,000 L.L a piece.

If you can provide me with the name of the battery, I can check if it's found at Katranji.

In the end, if you find all this mumbo-jumbo hard to follow, I'm glad to take a look at it.

xterm

Thanks a lot mesa!

My knowledge of such is limited, I'll see what I can do. Will provide the name of the battery tonight.

AvoK95

Try removing the battery for a few minutes while the laptop is off and the adapter removed. Then plug everything back and see if it's working.
Didn't work ? Update your BIOS.
Didn't work ? Try removing and reinserting the battery while the laptop is on.
Didn't work ? Fully drain it as much as you can and try to see if starts to charge.
Didn't work ? I give up just get a new battery already. It would cost about 60 to 80$. You can find it at the new LG location facing City Mall in Dora .

scorz

I had a similar issue a few years ago.
I didn't knew what was the problem in details, but re-installing another system resolved it.
And it's still running!

If you want, try booting any linux distro and give it a try.
(If you don't use linux, I suggest DSL small d/l size, fast boot..)

xterm

scorz wroteI had a similar issue a few years ago.
I didn't knew what was the problem in details, but re-installing another system resolved it.
And it's still running!

If you want, try booting any linux distro and give it a try.
(If you don't use linux, I suggest DSL small d/l size, fast boot..)

That was already tried, it's running Ubuntu 12.04 now.

xterm

AvoK95 wroteTry removing the battery for a few minutes while the laptop is off and the adapter removed. Then plug everything back and see if it's working.
Didn't work ? Update your BIOS.
Didn't work ? Try removing and reinserting the battery while the laptop is on.
Didn't work ? Fully drain it as much as you can and try to see if starts to charge.
Didn't work ? I give up just get a new battery already. It would cost about 60 to 80$. You can find it at the new LG location facing City Mall in Dora .

I'll try those, except for the last. We don't really use this netbook and paying 80$ to get a battery for a 200$ netbook hardly seems worth it.

AvoK95

xterm wrote
AvoK95 wroteTry removing the battery for a few minutes while the laptop is off and the adapter removed. Then plug everything back and see if it's working.
Didn't work ? Update your BIOS.
Didn't work ? Try removing and reinserting the battery while the laptop is on.
Didn't work ? Fully drain it as much as you can and try to see if starts to charge.
Didn't work ? I give up just get a new battery already. It would cost about 60 to 80$. You can find it at the new LG location facing City Mall in Dora .
I'll try those, except for the last. We don't really use this netbook and paying 80$ to get a battery for a 200$ netbook hardly seems worth it.

The battery doesn't necessarily cost 80$
Average notebook batteries cost 60$ , you can get a dual battery for 80 or 100$
Netbook batteries should cost less around 40$ but I guess you can find a Chinese copy at some shops for cheaper.

Metalloy

do not be afraid of buying chinese copies, they are just as fine as the original ones, ive bought 3 different batteries for 3 different laptops ( Dell, toshiba, hp) from the same vendor that i found on elmazad the sells chinese batteries, and no problems so far.

shant

lithium batteries age as soon as they are produced, even when it is not being used, so if buying a laptop battery check for production date not expiry date, they have a maximum lifetime of 3 years when used properly with its specifications, less lifetime if not taken care of properly

yasamoka

@Metalloy: Oh God. Please refer to this: http://www.lebgeeks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=12213
Read it thoroughly.

Metalloy

@yasamoka: i read it, and i would lije to point out that this risk are much bigger with mobile batteries being small havimg small shells. Chinese laptop batteries are evrywhere and no one is complaining, im not for sure, however if any of the batteries i bought had a problem ill make sure to share with you guys.

yasamoka

@Metalloy: that is true, but the dangers from a large battery, though less probable to happen, are much higher.
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/129764-tech-wrecks-lessons-from-some-of-the-biggest-hardware-screw-ups/2