subject: How to Maintain a Notebook Battery [print this page] How to Maintain a Notebook Battery How to Maintain a Notebook Battery
Like all rechargeable cells, laptop and notebook batteries eventually lose their ability to hold a charge. Even though Lithium-ion dell laptop batteries are not affected by "memory effect," every battery has a limited number of charge cycles. The good news is, there are a few things notebook owners can do to maintain and prolong the life of their portable computer battery packs.
Take the battery out when the notebook is plugged in. Heat is one of the biggest detriments to the health of battery cells. Since laptops are usually set to run at full power when plugged in, the extra heat generated will eventually diminish the life of your battery.
Drain the toshiba laptop battery pack to about 45 to 50 percent before removing it for extended storage. (Check the battery monitor in your operating system's task bar.) Store the battery in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Use the notebook until the power runs down before charging it again (the Power/Standby light will blink and/or an alarm will sound). This minimizes the number of charge cycles, which will prolong the life of the acer notebook battery.
Set your operating system's power options to maximize battery life. In Windows XP, for example, click on the "Start" menu, then "Control Panel," "Performance and Maintenance," "Power Options," and then "Power Schemes." Select "Portable/Laptop," then click "OK."
Restart the computer and enter the BIOS (usually by pressing the "F1," "F2" or "Delete" key). Most newer notebooks have advanced BIOS features that control the amount of power used by internal components like the CPU. Set the power options to maximize battery life (refer to your owner's manual if necessary).
