| It may have already happened to you several times when in a very crucial instant when you were working or expecting a vital e-mail, your laptop went dead, as its battery had discharged. In this case the battery should be replaced or re-charged.
Laptop batteries are of 3 types - Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Lithium Ion (LiON). They vary in cost, weight and specifications. However, the charging procedures are identical. The charging time for brand new laptop batteries should average at 14-16 hours. If you are going to re-charge old ones, primarily let them cool off, for overcharging will shorten their life. If purchasing NiMH laptop batteries, keep in mind that they have the so-called "memory effect". Thus, if a NiMH battery is not fully discharged, it will "think" that it has, for instance 50% of its original capacity, and will use only this 50 percent, thus decreasing the number of hours during which you can use your laptop.
Laptop batteries are re-charged differently. The first way is when you use AC power. The so-called "trickle charge" automatically re-charges batteries after a laptop is disconnected. The second alternative is by using an external laptop battery charger. Batteries are put into a charger which is plugged into an outlet.
Batteries' life can also be prolonged if:
- you completely charge and discharge batteries;
- you run programs on your laptop that you truly need. Listening to music, searching on the Net, chatting online along with using other programs can significantly shorten batteries's life.
- you exploit batteries' power reasonably;
- you defragment the hard disk now and then, as it saves space and, hence, power;
- you adapt monitor brightness;
- you make use of coolers (widely available on the market) for the laptop temperature to comply with the established limits;
- you make use of AC adapters whenever it is possible.
No doubt, it is a must to use a laptop and its various devices in accordance with the safety requirements to ensure your laptop will help you long. |
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