Batteries are the embedded power-source of a component such as a notebook. It is composed of cells of chemical elements that store energy.
92
votes
9answers
28k views
Is it better to use a laptop on battery or on AC power?
When I'm at home, is it better to use the laptop plugged into AC power, or with just the battery, for the overall battery life?
28
votes
8answers
3k views
How can a CMOS battery store data?
How does a CMOS battery store information on it? I know it stores information such as the time, date, passwords and drive configuration, but how? How can a battery store data?
18
votes
8answers
659 views
What are some good practices for making sure my laptop battery serves its full life?
Basically, I'm looking for some do's and don'ts. Is it bad to keep my laptop plugged in when I'm not using it (majority of the time)? Is it bad to plug it in once I've finished using it (with it ...
17
votes
8answers
662 views
Is a UPS a good investment for a home machine?
Is it worth the money to invest in a battery-backed UPS unit for a home machine? Or is it a waste of money? The purpose of the UPS would be to prevent a "meltdown" of the computer due to bad power ...
15
votes
4answers
3k views
Can I run a computer using DC power?
I always thought that using a conventional UPS with a PC is highly inefficient. Power goes from AC -> DC -> AC in UPS and then AC -> DC in PC SMPS. Since PC works only with DC (12, 5 and 3 volts) It ...
15
votes
3answers
8k views
Software to hold battery at 50% charge level
My Sony Vaio laptop has a built-in program called "Sony Battery Care" which provides a functionality to hold battery at certain levels of charge while operating. For example, I've set it to 50% and ...
12
votes
3answers
2k views
Laptop Battery Technology
My laptop battery has finally taken the plunge and I'm looking online for a new one. However I'm getting lost in all of the specs of the batteries that are out there. I'm looking to gain a better ...
12
votes
2answers
3k views
How long do Lithium Ion batteries normally last?
On the laptop I have, I've had to buy a new Li-Ion batter roughly every year. I do use this computer quite a lot, but I'm wondering if this is normal.
Right now, my battery is completely dead (it ...
12
votes
3answers
2k views
Are notebook batteries generally hot-swappable?
I have a new HP Compaq 610. Most of the time I use it plugged and with the battery removed, to avoid wearing it. Sometimes I need to move it to somewhere else - currently I hibernate the machine, move ...
12
votes
1answer
743 views
Is it safe to store a battery in the freezer?
Of course, assuming you wrap it in a tight plastic bag to avoid humidity.
I have a laptop battery at my office that's not currently in use, and also won't be used at least for the next several ...
12
votes
2answers
9k views
Can I run my MacBook in clamshell mode without being connected to power?
At home, I run my MacBook in clamshell mode (closed lid, external display).
This works fine when you're connected to the power adapter, but it doesn't work when running on battery. That's how it's ...
11
votes
8answers
4k views
Do newer laptop batteries still need to be drained before recharging?
10 years ago when I was doing hardware support it was best practice to fully drain a laptop battery prior to recharging in order to maximize its life. Is this still the case or can a battery now be ...
11
votes
2answers
707 views
My Macbook is a Battery Denier
I have a four year old Macbook rev 1,1 (the original Intel Core Duo). Just recently it has begun denying the existence of its battery while still happily running unplugged. I get the X battery icon ...
10
votes
3answers
8k views
Is it OK for the laptop to always be plugged in? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it better to use laptop on battery or on AC power?
If I stay near a power source is it recommended to always have my laptop plugged in?
Or should I use the battery ...
10
votes
3answers
7k views
Should I remove my laptop battery? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it better to use laptop on battery or on AC power?
I keep my Thinkpad T60 laptop plugged in all the time. Should I remove my battery or if not, should I drain it ...
9
votes
3answers
4k views
Using a higher current charger on a laptop which requires a lower current [duplicate]
Possible Duplicates:
Laptop power supplies, does current matter?
Can I use a power adapter with more current but lower voltage on another laptop?
I have an ASUS K50IN laptop which ...
9
votes
7answers
8k views
Should I set my laptop to sleep/standby or hibernate when the battery is nearly dead? [closed]
I know the question seems very simple at a first glance, but please hear me out before responding. I did my own research, and want to hear your thoughts/opinions. If you don't care, and just want ...
9
votes
6answers
8k views
What is the impact of leaving a laptop in “sleep” mode (while on battery power)? [closed]
How much battery would leaving my laptop at "sleep" mode consume? is the consumption low enough so that it would be safe to leave the laptop sleeping at nights regularily and using it tommorow?
...
9
votes
2answers
289 views
Buying a Laptop Battery - OEM vs. 3rd Party
Looking at a replacement 9-cell battery for my Dell 1525 I've noticed that the OEM batteries that Dell sells are up to 3x more expensive than batteries sold by a 3rd party vendor. Is the Dell premium ...
8
votes
4answers
567 views
How to rebuild a Li Ion laptop battery?
I have an aging Gateway NX560XL laptop. The battery is toast and a new one, even aftermarket, starts at $130. So, to experiment, I began tearing apart the old battery to see what can be done. I ...
8
votes
6answers
3k views
Why Ubuntu eats more power than Windows?
I play full screen video with maximum volume or
browse the Web with WiFi.
Under Windows 7 my laptop works ~5 hours.
Under Kubuntu 10.10 only ~2 hours.
I've got Acer Aspire 1810TZ. Battery wear ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Reviving a dead laptop battery
Is there any way to revive a dead laptop battery?
I have a three year old Dell Latitude laptop that I've been using pretty intensively. After a year or so, the battery dropped dead - if I plug the ...
7
votes
4answers
3k views
Is it a bad idea to keep a Macbook pro always on? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it better to use laptop on battery or on AC power?
I never turn off a macbook pro I've at home. It's always connected with the power source, but with the lid closed.
...
7
votes
6answers
3k views
MacBook Pro: Should I put my battery out?
I'm quite new to Mac and OSX. I have my MacBook Pro now for about 4 month and I know there are a lot of battery-related questions around. I just noticed that after 4 month I have the following battery ...
7
votes
3answers
118 views
Is there a way to automatically disconnect a notebook from the eletrical power-supply?
I know this looks like weird and useless, but let me explain...
I'm running Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) to make some tests on Windows 8 Preview. One of it's assessment is the ...
6
votes
2answers
912 views
What is an easy way to drain a laptop battery to 0?
I need a way to kill my battery in my Ubuntu laptop. Is there any mind numbing tasks I can Ubuntu do that will eat up the battery? I have already shut off the power management options.
The battery is ...
6
votes
2answers
188 views
Battery stops charging at 84% and gets very hot
My laptop battery always charges to about 84% to 87%. Once it reaches a charge level in that range, it stops charging, but Windows says it is "plugged in and charging". Because it has not reached ...
6
votes
5answers
588 views
Are OEM batteries the best way to go?
I have a two year old of which the battery just died - the laptop will only work if plugged in. Are non-OEM batteries just as good as OEM batteries?
5
votes
4answers
4k views
Should I use UPS with my laptop to extend the battery life?
I recently bought a new Vaio laptop which has a 4400 mAh battery. I will use it at home most of the time, and I have an unused uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Should I remove the battery and ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
Fastest way to drain battery
I'm using Mac OS X 10.7.1 on a Macbook Core 2 Duo.
What's the fastest way of draining the battery without crashing the system and preferable by using some sort of a script?
5
votes
5answers
11k views
Should I disconnect the power cable when the battery is full? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it better to use laptop on battery or on AC power?
I bought a new laptop (a Sony Vaio) and I am used to working on it while the power adapter is connected.
Now that ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Is it a good Idea to switch to a SSD to use less battery?
I am thinking of buying a SSD for my laptop, mainly for the purpose of extended operating time when running on battery.
At the moment I use a Hitachi HTS545032B9A300 (320GB) (Datasheet) as main drive ...
5
votes
4answers
729 views
Control charging and discharging of laptop battery
Just heard that if Li-ion battery is kept at 40~60% charged, its lifetime will be longer. Is this correct? If so, are there some applications, respectively for Windows XP, Windows 7 and Ubuntu, that ...
5
votes
5answers
9k views
Can you plug-in the battery while laptop is on AC only?
I'm using my laptop at home with battery removed and only connected to the AC power. However I'm lacking the mobility as my power cord is kinda short. Is it safe from electrical point of view to plug ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
Thinkpad T60 does not turn on
When I plug in the charge, the battery symbol and the charge symbol will light up green.
Then, when I try to press the power button, the lights turn off and nothing happens.
After this, the only ...
5
votes
1answer
62 views
Why do I have 3 batteries In Windows 7 Power Management?
Look at this:
I do not remember having 3 batteries. Is this a bug?
5
votes
3answers
11k views
Laptop Battery Diagnostics Software?
My Compaq CQ50-215CA laptop with Windows 7 Ultimate RC 32-bit recently told me to replace my battery for fear of sudden shutdowns. Is there any good diagnostics software that anyone has used to test ...
5
votes
1answer
438 views
Preparing to use new laptop battery
I have received a new laptop battery as my old one became useless. In the instructions provided by the shop I got the battery from (not from the instructions provided by the battery manufacturers), ...
5
votes
1answer
164 views
Why my notebook battery discharged itself alone?
I have a Samsung notebook with a dual boot configuration with Windows 7 and Kubuntu 12.04, and I mostly use Kubuntu.
Last night I fully charged its battery to 100%. After that I shut it down.
The ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
when my laptop battery is fully charged should i unplug charger and let the battery discharge? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it better to use a laptop on battery or on AC power?
I was wondering if when a laptop battery is full charged if one should unplug it and let the battery discharge or ...
5
votes
2answers
995 views
I cannot boot Ubuntu 10.04 on battery power. What do I do?
Okay, so as the title says, I run Ubuntu 10.04. The problem is that when I boot it on battery, it doesn't come on. I see a blank screen completely. Sometimes, the Ubuntu splash is visible for a couple ...
4
votes
5answers
3k views
Logitech M705 Wireless Mouse: Are the batteries dying, or does the device have a hardware failure?
I have a Logitech M705 wireless mouse. I'm first time using a wireless mouse, so I don't have much experience with the hardware features and behavior.
It is rated that it runs for 3 years with the ...
4
votes
5answers
5k views
My laptop's battery drains when in hibernate mode. How can I troubleshoot / fix?
I've got a Sony Vaio VGN-Z21VN. When I put it into hibernate (not sleep) the battery drains - after 24 hours or so the battery is dead.
Any ideas on how to troubleshoot or fix this?
UPDATE: It turns ...
4
votes
6answers
3k views
Laptop dies when unplugged
I was on the road and had my laptop plugged directly in the wall without a surge protector. A storm hit, the lights flickered and my laptop made a popping sound (scary).
Everything works fine when ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Is it safe to replace a 4400mAh laptop battery with a 8800mAh battery?
I have an Acer Aspire 5536G. My battery is having problems so I am thinking of replacing it. I have searched online through many sites and I found some good deals. However, currently my laptop has a ...
4
votes
4answers
202 views
Anyone have any experience with bargain laptop batteries?
I've got an oldish D820 that's got a 100% dead battery.
I know that I could, in theory, take it apart and replace bad cells in the battery. I'm not really comfortable with doing that.
I also know ...
4
votes
2answers
500 views
Why is keeping my Mac battery 40%-80% charged advantageous?
This article from Lifehacker notes that keeping my Mac battery 40%-80% charged is advantageous. ...
4
votes
2answers
296 views
My Acer Aspire One D255 show only one cell in power meter, and in the specification it says 3 cells. Explain
My Acer Aspire One D255 show only one cell icon (picture of cell) in the power meter display, and the specification says 3 cells.
What does a 3 cell battery mean? And should my power meter show me 3 ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Is a laptop damaged by always keeping it plugged in?
If I keep the power cord plugged in all of the time, will it damage my laptop?
4
votes
3answers
792 views
How to check if power cable is connected from the command line?
I'm running ubuntu on my notebook and I need a way to check (from the command line) if the power cable is connected. Is there any system file that keeps log of this? or is there a bash command that ...
