Newbie question about current users hardware running GIMPS

[kladner]

I like a case I can get my hands inside, with airflow to match.

[De Wandelaar]

Originally Posted by ATH

Then you should remove the battery or it will be ruined with time, unless they improved laptop batteries substantially in the last 6 years. Because I ruined the batteri in my laptop from 2011 by leaving it plugged in all the time without using the battery.

Not so easy : you need to open the laptop with a screwdriver to reach the battery.
I'll keep it as is to avoid the risk of losing the warranty.

[storm5510]

Originally Posted by kladner

I like a case I can get my hands inside, with airflow to match.

I have two 120MM fans plus a liquid cooler which has its own 120MM fan in mine. It's a little bit noisy when running, but I do not mind. The sound says everything is working as it should be

Originally Posted by De Wandelaar

I'll keep it as is to avoid the risk of losing the warranty.

A very good idea!

[retina]

Originally Posted by storm5510

That's quite a setup for a laptop. Controlling the temps in this way, in theory, you could run it nonstop indefinitely. Do you periodically 'cycle' the battery or leave it plugged all the time?

IME the batteries get ruined anyway, plugged in or not. They age with time and that can't be stopped. But it can be slowed by putting the battery in a chiller (e.g. a refrigerator). But you also have to keep them at a medium level of charge, so they require periodic attention to replace the lost charge. All-in-all current battery technology is terrible.

Some unsolicited advice: Always buy a system that has an easily replaceable battery, and replace it (the battery) with a new one when the runtime gets too annoying. But beware of those square Li-poly things, the internal cells are almost impossible to find in the right size and you are forced to buy old stock from the manufacturer (if they still have any). Instead look for packs with the cylindrical cells (usually 18650 size), they are easy to find in lots of places. Unfortunately laptops with battery packs using 18650 cells are becoming rarer as manufacturers now like to use "integrated" batteries (with the custom sized Li-poly square cells inside), they even claim it as a selling point. But in reality my natural cynicism tells me it is just an in-built obsolescence ploy.

Sorry, [/battery rant]

[bgbeuning]

I am currently number 6 on the "top producers page".

I have 18 machines (most 4 core but one 24 core) running prime95
and 8 GPU (various models from Nvidia 760 to 980) running mfaktc.

During the winter I run more because of free cooling.
Add 4 machines (with 8 core each) and 16 GPU to the list.

But we all do this for the fun of it. I have been playing around
with prime numbers for about 40 years.

[storm5510]

Originally Posted by retina

IME the batteries get ruined anyway, plugged in or not. They age with time and that can't be stopped. But it can be slowed by putting the battery in a chiller (e.g. a refrigerator). But you also have to keep them at a medium level of charge, so they require periodic attention to replace the lost charge. All-in-all current battery technology is terrible...

I've never seen two laptop batteries that were the same for different brands. Simply put, they are all proprietary. The same can be said for Uninterruptable Power Supplies. I have an APC. They recommend replacing the battery every two years. I have witnessed laptops having battery issues which are just a few months old, so I guess two years is not all that bad.

I know of individuals who believe their laptops will shut down once the charge level drops below 80%. I try to explain, but it was a waste of time.

[retina]

Originally Posted by storm5510

I've never seen two laptop batteries that were the same for different brands. Simply put, they are all proprietary.

If they have 18650 cells inside then they can be replaced. Use the existing proprietary outer case and put in the new cells. However, if you have the Li-poly cells (the flat packs) you've no chance.

[VBCurtis]

Originally Posted by storm5510

I know of individuals who believe their laptops will shut down once the charge level drops below 80%. I try to explain, but it was a waste of time.

At the end of my ~2011 gaming laptop's battery life, this was true. The percent-left indicator did not change its scale for the reduced battery capacity; it counted down normally from 100 to 80 (well, more like 70-75), and then the laptop died suddenly and without warnings from the OS.

[henryzz]

Originally Posted by VBCurtis

At the end of my ~2011 gaming laptop's battery life, this was true. The percent-left indicator did not change its scale for the reduced battery capacity; it counted down normally from 100 to 80 (well, more like 70-75), and then the laptop died suddenly and without warnings from the OS.

I have had a phone battery start plummeting beyond about 80%. For some reason it would discharge normally below about 15% as well. When you plugged it in it would very quickly(30 seconds) go to 70-80%.
My Nexus 9 battery behaves perfectly normally unless you let it run down. If you let the battery go flat then it can take several hours of charging to be able to turn it on again. Then it will start charging properly from near 0%. In that first period it doesn't even show the charging animation when you plug the charger in. I have thought it has died on a few occasions. Now I panic if it gets below 20%. Fortunately the battery life is actually pretty good even if it does take all night to charge. I have to be careful to use a fast charger otherwise the battery level will actually go down.
This is a similar technology just a different scale.

[thyw]

On Windoors you can check battery wear level, designed capacity and full charge capacity by hwmonitor. Ubuntu has a built in program for this too.

[storm5510]

Originally Posted by henryzz

I have had a phone battery start plummeting beyond about 80%. For some reason it would discharge normally below about 15% as well. When you plugged it in it would very quickly(30 seconds) go to 70-80%...

I had a smaller Samsung which had the same issues. Near the end, I had to leave it plugged to use it.

The one I am using now is a Hauwei H95L. It is big and had has a big battery. I've had it since November of 2015 and have had no real issues with it, beyond what is expected. When it was new, it would stay charged for four days, with moderate use. That's down to two days now. This is probably due to age and recharge cycles. It's discharge is gradual, no jumps.