| Author |
Topic: laptop battery |
Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
|
Posted 27 Jun 2009 5:46 am |
|
I hardly use my laptop. Should I charge it say once a month or leave the charger on all the time?
ron |
|
|
|
Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
|
Posted 27 Jun 2009 7:55 am
|
|
Ron;
Laptop batteries should be charged to full, then totally depleted, at least three times, when new. This will enable them to retain a full charge. If you are not using your laptop, charge it and disconnect the power cord. Use it when needed until it shuts off due to low power, then recharge it. Leaving it connected all the time will eventually kill the battery's ability to hold a long term charge.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
|
|
|
Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
|
Posted 29 Jun 2009 11:49 am
|
|
Wiz,
I have an HP laptop that I purchased in Aug/2004.Is there anything that I can do to extend the run time on battery mode? It has been at shut down mode(dead battery) a couple of times. I usually "top it off" when I plan on using it on a trip,etc.Should I kill it, and recharge, or just top it off? I do go on line and keep the spyware,etc updated.
Thanks Bill
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
|
|
|
Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
|
Posted 29 Jun 2009 12:37 pm
|
|
Bill;
I have a series of articles on my website all about laptop batteries, along with links to look up and purchase replacement batteries and power adapters. Go to my laptop accessories index page and find the links under the bold words: "Technical articles about laptop batteries." There are links to nine articles in that section. You can find links for you brand under the batteries section on the left side, or better yet, use the search box for your laptop brand and model.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
|
|
|
Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
|
Posted 29 Jun 2009 4:43 pm
|
|
My Ebay battery is less than a year old. I ran it down and recharged it several times as you suggested. After it's charged, the battery icon says 28% when I turn the laptop on. How can this be so low? Is the battery second rate?
ron |
|
|
|
Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
|
Posted 29 Jun 2009 9:23 pm
|
|
| Ron Victoria wrote: |
My Ebay battery is less than a year old. I ran it down and recharged it several times as you suggested. After it's charged, the battery icon says 28% when I turn the laptop on. How can this be so low? Is the battery second rate?
ron |
You probably bought an aftermarket replacement battery. It may be compatible with your laptop, but does not have the exact same electronics inside it as the factory original. Replacement batteries frequently give false readings. One I bought reported that it had 5% capacity left while I tried for two hours to run it down! In reality, it probably had 30% left at that time. The only way to be sure with an aftermarket battery is to disable auto-shutdown, charge to full, then leave the laptop on until it runs the battery dry. Check on it every half-hour to see when it dies. Recharge it and run it down again, comparing the times.
You should get between 6 to 8 hours max on a typical, new replacement battery and 2 to 4 hours on a good used one. Once they drop below 2 hours it is time to replace the battery.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 30 Jun 2009 2:04 am
|
|
| You have to be careful with "aftermarket" batteries as many do not have the safety features that OEM and some "name" batteries have. This is true of rechargeable batteries for items such as cell phones too. |
|
|
|
