Battery Charging Problem PacificBattery.com

The Technical information on this page is for customers who have received a new battery for a laptop or notebook computer, but it does not seem to charge or only accepts a partial charge. This also applies to customers who have a new battery that the computer does not recognize (Windows shows no battery).

We believe in helping our customers solve problems, rather than just shipping batteries back and forth, just to have the same problem all over again. This wastes your time and money. We are happy to warranty and replace any battery, but we do ask that you at least try the suggestions on this page before sending a NEW battery back. With a little bit of patience, the suggestions on this page will solve most charging and compatibility issues.

1) Remove the battery and put back in the computer (following laptop manufacturer's instructions for safe replacement). This will ensure the battery is firmly seated and making full contact with computer.

2) Confirm that your AC Power Adapter is properly attached and working correctly. This includes bad connections, frayed cords, etc. AC Adapters do not charge the battery, the laptop charges the battery. The AC Adapter only provides power to the laptop. None the less, it must be in good working order (enough power) or the laptop may not charge the battery.

3) Charge the battery for at least 24 hours. Sometimes batteries are so low in charge that the laptop does not recognize it, but will charge it. Indicator lights may not show that it is charging, but it is.

4) Update/Verify Bios is the latest version (Dell computers only. For other brands, please skip to the next step). A Bios is a tiny program that is unique to your model computer. The Bios controls the basic functions of the laptop, including charging the battery. Dell has the latest Bios updates available for download off their website. These updates may fix charging problems and help the computer to recognize the latest chips used in new batteries. There are some risks involved with updating the bios, however it is generally an easy task. If you have concerns about updating the Bios, please have a technician do the update. If you do update the Bios, please repeat the previous steps before continuing to the next step.

5)Verify Windows see's the battery in the Control Panel under "Power Options". If window's does not show the battery present, it is caused by one of a few things. The Bios is not up to date (See previous step). Windows may also consider the battery as a new device and the "Add New Hardware" function (also in the control panel) can be used to help the laptop see the battery. We are not experts in Windows or related software and if you do not feel comfortable doing this task, please ask for the assistance of a Computer Technician/Shop.

Most people can complete these tasks without being an expert in computers. However, if you do not feel comfortable completing any of the steps above, we recommend you take your computer to a technician. We ask that you print out a copy of this page for their reference.

There are many other issues that can cause a battery to stop charging. These are simply the most common fixes that we have offered to our customers with great success. Many times if these suggestions do not work, it is our experience that there is a VERY strong possibility the laptop has a charging problem unrelated to the battery. If you have experienced the same problems with your old battery, we would recommend having the charging system checked.

We take a great deal of pride in selling the very best batteries. But from time to time, batteries do fail. If you try these suggestions and they do not work, you are welcome to send the battery back into us for warranty evaluation. We can test the battery.