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Thread: Laptop Batteries

  1. #1
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    Default Laptop Batteries

    I've had my laptop for a little more than two years. The battery used to last for a couple hours but now I'm lucky if I last more than 30 minutes on one charge. I need it for longer during one of my classes. Is it that the battery is just old and needs to be replaced? Is there a way to make the batteries last longer?
    Quote Originally Posted by Benetto View Post
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    Quote Originally Posted by pnbronco View Post
    dang it go drink some Fireball and find your own dang chicken....

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    Probably. Probably not.

    I'm still in mourning over the death of my laptop.
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    Your battery is probably a NiCd (nicad). Over time, if you don't let them discharge all the way before recharging they develop a "memory". What that means is that they will only charge and discharge for part of the battery's capacity.

    For instance: It may only discharge to 50% before it's dead. That means the battery is effectively cut in half as far as how long it will last.

    This can be rectified by someone who knows what they're doing but in your case you are probably going to need a new battery.

    Sorry.. :^(

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    Quote Originally Posted by frauschieze View Post
    I've had my laptop for a little more than two years. The battery used to last for a couple hours but now I'm lucky if I last more than 30 minutes on one charge. I need it for longer during one of my classes. Is it that the battery is just old and needs to be replaced? Is there a way to make the batteries last longer?
    Every time you charge the battery, it loses capacity. Worse, depending on your system, if you keep it plugged in a lot, and the system constantly trickle charges it, it will reduce life. Further, if you leave it turned off for extended times, but with the battery left in that is hard on them.

    So, a massive decrease in life over two years isn't that unusual.

    There is something you can do that might revive it. If your laptop has a battery refresh/maintenance utility, it will do it for you, but you want to fully charge it, then unplug it and run it completely down, and then FULLY charge it again.

    Some times the computer/battery are confused as to the actual charge level, and this full charge, full drain, full charge will regain as much capacity as possible.

    Also, there should be a battery/power utility somewhere that might tell you what you batteries design capacity is and what it's current capacity is. It's nice to look at that before doing the cycle trick, to see if it changed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tned View Post
    Every time you charge the battery, it loses capacity. Worse, depending on your system, if you keep it plugged in a lot, and the system constantly trickle charges it, it will reduce life. Further, if you leave it turned off for extended times, but with the battery left in that is hard on them.

    So, a massive decrease in life over two years isn't that unusual.

    There is something you can do that might revive it. If your laptop has a battery refresh/maintenance utility, it will do it for you, but you want to fully charge it, then unplug it and run it completely down, and then FULLY charge it again.

    Some times the computer/battery are confused as to the actual charge level, and this full charge, full drain, full charge will regain as much capacity as possible.

    Also, there should be a battery/power utility somewhere that might tell you what you batteries design capacity is and what it's current capacity is. It's nice to look at that before doing the cycle trick, to see if it changed.
    So if I've tried the bolded part and nothing changes, does that mean it's pretty much toast?

    With a new battery, is it best to charge it completely, unplug, run it down completely, charge it completely, etc?
    Quote Originally Posted by Benetto View Post
    Orton can't single left handedly ruin everything on O.
    We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time. - Vince Lombardi

    *****************
    "I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
    — Marilyn Monroe

    Quote Originally Posted by pnbronco View Post
    dang it go drink some Fireball and find your own dang chicken....

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    Quote Originally Posted by frauschieze View Post
    So if I've tried the bolded part and nothing changes, does that mean it's pretty much toast?

    With a new battery, is it best to charge it completely, unplug, run it down completely, charge it completely, etc?
    Yes

    and

    Yes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by frauschieze View Post
    So if I've tried the bolded part and nothing changes, does that mean it's pretty much toast?

    With a new battery, is it best to charge it completely, unplug, run it down completely, charge it completely, etc?
    Most likely it's toast.

    As to what is best, a lot depends on how you use it plugged in vs. on battery, and if your laptop has a utility to extend battery life. Lenovo's for instance will have utilities so if the battery is at 95 or 96% (nearly fully charged), when you plug it in, it powers the laptop, but doesn't charge the battery.

    Every time you charge the battery, it generates heat which impacts the life of your battery (same with cell phones).

    It also depends on whether it is LiON (Lithium Ion) or NiCad (Nichel Cadium). If NiCad, then as Deacon said, you have the added issue of memory, and for NiCad you probably always want to run it down and recharge.

    However, one of the worst things you can ever do for a rechargable battery, is to leave it installed (whether in laptop, or any other device) in a discharged state for an extended period of time. Even if the battery is drained and the laptop powered off, the electronics and are still 'trying' to draw power, and this constant draw on the discharged battery will quickly ruin it. If you ever find yourself where you won't use your laptop for an extended period of time (weeks or months), remove the battery from it.

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    Okay....so I need to buy a new battery then. I have a Dell Inspiron E1705. Does it matter what kind of battery I get? What's better: LiON or NiCad? Do extended life batteries really work and are they work the extra money? Are non name brand batteries okay or do I need to get a Dell brand battery?
    Quote Originally Posted by Benetto View Post
    Orton can't single left handedly ruin everything on O.
    We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time. - Vince Lombardi

    *****************
    "I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
    — Marilyn Monroe

    Quote Originally Posted by pnbronco View Post
    dang it go drink some Fireball and find your own dang chicken....

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    Quote Originally Posted by frauschieze View Post
    Okay....so I need to buy a new battery then. I have a Dell Inspiron E1705. Does it matter what kind of battery I get? What's better: LiON or NiCad? Do extended life batteries really work and are they work the extra money? Are non name brand batteries okay or do I need to get a Dell brand battery?
    That model only uses a LiON battery.

    Your choice will be 6 cell or 9 cell. The 9 cell typically will have about double the batterly life as the 6, but might stick out the back of the laptop and add some weight.

    Your other option is genuine Dell or afternarket.

    Here is one, http://www.amazon.com/Brand-Dell-Ins.../dp/B000L3DYFE , but you can just google Dell Inspiron E1705 battery.

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    Looking at pictures, it looks like the battery goes in teh bottom, and even has one of the rubber feet/bumpers on it, so that would look like neither the 6 or 9 cell will extend out the back, so the only difference is 6 cell will be lighter, 9 cell will be 50-100% longer batttery life than 6 cell.

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    Keep talking computer lingo T. It's turning me on.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tned View Post
    Looking at pictures, it looks like the battery goes in teh bottom, and even has one of the rubber feet/bumpers on it, so that would look like neither the 6 or 9 cell will extend out the back, so the only difference is 6 cell will be lighter, 9 cell will be 50-100% longer batttery life than 6 cell.
    You're the best Tned. I am mostly computer retarded but I know enough to get me into big trouble so I'm gun-shy anymore.
    Quote Originally Posted by Benetto View Post
    Orton can't single left handedly ruin everything on O.
    We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time. - Vince Lombardi

    *****************
    "I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
    — Marilyn Monroe

    Quote Originally Posted by pnbronco View Post
    dang it go drink some Fireball and find your own dang chicken....

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    Quote Originally Posted by gnomeflinger View Post
    Keep talking computer lingo T. It's turning me on.
    I try and be selfless and put the other person's needs first when I am giving tech...

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    Quote Originally Posted by frauschieze View Post
    Okay....so I need to buy a new battery then. I have a Dell Inspiron E1705. Does it matter what kind of battery I get? What's better: LiON or NiCad? Do extended life batteries really work and are they work the extra money? Are non name brand batteries okay or do I need to get a Dell brand battery?
    Looks like the 9 cell (which I would go with) goes for around $70 give or take.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tned View Post

    There is something you can do that might revive it.

    try showing it boob pics. . . .
    “When we do find that guy, we’ve got to have the continuity on the offensive side to where we can train him and develop him and get him there. This is our fourth offense in probably three or four years. Quarterbacks need to be developed. You don’t find one ready-made. We got to have a solid system in place for when we do go after whatever guy it may be, a young guy or a trade or whatnot.”
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