Laptops are designed to be portable, meaning that the average laptop battery life lasts for up to six hours before needing to be charged again. Therefore, it is more than likely that you will need to keep your laptop charger, also commonly known as an AC adapter, with you at all times to give your laptop the top up it needs.
Unfortunately, throughout our travels, our laptop charger can become damaged by getting wrapped up too tightly, stuffed into a small laptop case, stepped on, yanked apart, and more.
There are, however, ways in which you can reduce the casualties your laptop charger faces and maximise its lifespan. Here are a few simple ways to care for your AC adapter.
Handling your laptop charger
A lot of people tend to leave their laptop chargers lying around when they have no use for it. Your laptop charger should not be exposed to hot or freezing cold temperatures. An example is leaving your charger in the seat of your car all day long. Another important care tip to remember is to not get your charger wet or expose it to harmful chemicals as this will damage the charger. When you are not using the laptop charger, store it away in your laptop bag. If you do not have a laptop bag, then other solutions can include a small box or pouch. Do not, however, wrap the cord too tightly or place the charger on top of the laptop. Applied pressure will result in your screen breaking.
Using your charger
To preserve the life of your laptop charger, it is recommended that you charge your laptop when it is powered off. The reason for doing this is that the AC adapter will be able to charge the laptop quicker, as well as produce less heat, which can be a problem with most laptop chargers.
Faulty power outlets
At all times, you must avoid faulty power outlets when using your charger. Faulty power outlets are those that are not protected by a circuit breaker. If you plug your charger into a faulty power circuit to charge your laptop, the high voltage will go directly through your charger which can burn it and cause major damage to your laptop.
Get a backup
It's always handy to have a plan B, and the same goes for having a spare laptop charger in case of an emergency. Battery chargers vary depending on the model and brand of the laptop, we have created a very easy to use search wizard to help you identify and find the perfect laptop charger for the make and model of your laptop.
Other care tips
Whilst the main care tips have been covered, here are a few more that you can implement. Don't leave chargers on the carpet or bed; don't pull on the cord when removing the charger, and keep it away from where it can be stepped on.
