Here are some tips to keep your laptop batteries in tip top shape, especially with the new upcoming laptops having non-removable batteries.
1. Simple ways to maximize your battery life
To stretch the run time of your laptop battery, be sure to dim your display when you are not connected to an AC supply. The screen draws the most power from your battery.
In addition, disabling unnecessary processes such as Bluetooth and WiFi network connections when they aren’t being used will save you valuable juice. Disconnecting external devices like USB flash drives will also help extend your run time.
2. Do not constantly charge your battery
A battery constantly kept at full charge will degrade at a faster rate. If you connect your laptop to an AC supply most of the time, reducing the maximum charge threshold will help prolong the lifespan of your battery.
80% is recommended as a starting point, then increasing that percentage if it does not provide the necessary run time when your computer is running on battery power.
3. Keep your battery installed even when your laptop is plugged into a power source
We recommend keeping the battery installed in your computer even if it is always connected to an AC supply. In some cases, the computer may not be operating at 100 percent without the battery installed. In addition, by removing the battery, there is no protection against the power being disconnected accidentally, causing a shutdown and potential loss of data.
4. Store your extra battery well
If you have an extra battery and intend to store it for a long period of time, do get it to a 50 percent charge level before removing it from the computer for storage in a cool environment.
5. Keep your battery cool
Heat causes a battery to degrade at a faster rate, hence it is best to minimize the amount of heat that the battery is subjected to. Ensure that cooling vents are not blocked, and have good power management profiles to keep the system components working as cool as possible.
A good system design also keeps heat from the CPU and system components from impacting the battery. In addition, avoid storing your battery or computer in hot environments, like in a car on a hot day.
6. Lithium ion batteries are free from memory effects
Modern-day lithium ion batteries do not have any memory effects present in other battery types such as NiCd and NiMH, so it is not necessary to do full charges and discharges. However, doing a full discharge and charge cycle periodically will help keep your battery fuel gauge accurate.
7. When to replace your battery
Batteries are a consumable item and their capacity will be reduced due to usage and aging. The fully charged power of laptop batteries will gradually diminish with the number of accumulated charge cycles. As a result, the standby time of your battery will become shorter over time. It is recommend you replace your battery when it cannot hold a full charge, or when its actual run time significantly falls below its original run time (below 75%)
Tips courtesy from Lenovo.
Related posts:
- Windows Phone 7 Tip – How to Show the Top Icons (Wifi, Signal Strength, etc)
- SingTel Accelerate Top 10 Mobile Apps
- Logitech Wireless Mouse M185 – Don’t change your mouse battery for up to 1 year
- Travel Photography Tips by Liz Loh-Taylor for the Sony World Photography Awards 2012 (or in General)
- My Dream Laptop – A Challenge to Manufacturers
-
ntt