BATTERY TIPS!
HOW LONG DO BATTERIES LAST?
Depending on the type of battery and the way it is used, battery life varies. Generally a battery lasts between 18 and 36 months. You should replace your battery if you are running on 50% capacity. For example, you should replace your battery if your battery gave you 3 hours of output when it was first new and now lasts only 1 1/2 hours.
CAN YOU CHOOSE WHAT BATTERY CHEMISTRY YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE?
Most all laptops have been designed for only one type of battery chemistry. There are a few, however that can take either LI ION or NI MH. Always check your product specifications before buying a battery with a different chemistry.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LI ION and a NI MH BATTERY?
"LI ION" stands for Lithium Ion and "NI MH" stands for Nickel Metal Hydride. LI ION batteries are not only 50% lighter than NI MH but will also run your laptop about 50% LONGER! LI ION batteries are also more expensive.
WHAT ARE VOLTS AND AMPS?
Every battery has two ratings which are volts and amp-hours (Ah). The Ah rating may also be given as milliamp-hours (mAh) which are one-thousandth of an amp-hour (for example, a 2Ah battery is 2000mAh). Amp-hours are a rating of the amount of energy that a battery can store. The higher a battery's amp-hour rating is, the longer the battery's run-time will be, It is not uncommon for some batteries to have higher or lower amp ratings. This will not cause any incompatibilities, however voltage ratings must be within a reasonable range. For instance, your original battery may say 3.6v, but 3.7v is acceptable.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE RUN-TIME OF A BATTERY?
Run times vary for many reasons such as the type of device, the type of applications being used, whether or not you are playing a cd or dvd and the chemistry of the battery. On average, your laptop computer battery should give you 1 1/2 to 3 hours of run time. Again, this does vary for many reasons.
HOW CAN I MAXIMIZE MY BATTERY'S LIFE?
All batteries eventually lose their charge but there are things you can do to prolong the lifetime of your battery.
* New batteries come discharged for safety reasons. It is recommended that you fully charge your battery before first use.
* Notebook batteries can be maximized by optimizing the notebook's power management system. Refer to your notebook user guide as operating systems vary.
* Keep your battery clean by using a clean swab of cotton and alcohol on the conductors to insure a good connection.
* It is recommended that you use the battery at least once a month. If a battery is left unused for prolonged periods of time, recharge as if it were a new battery that has never been used.
* If you do not intend on using the battery for an extended period of time, then store it in a dry, clean and cool place. Do not store acid batteries without fully charging them first.
* Do not use your battery when you have available AC power. Each battery is rated for a limited number of charge-discharge cycles.