How to Extend Your Laptop’s Battery Life

Laptops tend to lose their charm quickly when you’re constantly looking for the nearest power outlet to charge up. How do you keep your battery going for as long as possible? Here are 15 easy ways to do so.Hopefully it would be a little help for you!

1. Defrag regularly - The faster your hard drive does its work - less demand you are going to put on the hard drive and your battery. Make your hard drive as efficient as possible by defragging it regularly. (but not while it’s on battery of course!) Mac OSX is better built to handle fragmentation so it may not be very applicable for Apple systems.

2. Dim your screen - Most laptops come with the ability to dim your laptop screen. Some even come with ways to modify CPU and cooling performance. Cut them down to the lowest level you can tolerate to squeeze out some extra battery juice.

3. Cut down on programs running in the background. Itunes, Desktop Search, etc. All these add to the CPU load and cut down battery life. Shut down everything that isn’t crucial when you’re on battery.

4. Cut down external devices - USB devices (including your mouse) & WiFi drain down your laptop battery. Remove or shut them down when not in use. It goes without saying that charging other devices (like your iPod) with your laptop when on battery is a surefire way of quickly wiping out the charge on your laptop battery.

5. Add more RAM - This will allow you to process more with the memory your laptop has, rather than relying on virtual memory. Virtual memory results in hard drive use, and is much less power efficient. Note that adding more RAM will consume more energy, so this is most applicable if you do need to run memory intensive programs which actually require heavy usage of virtual memory.

6. Run off a hard drive rather than CD/DVD - As power consuming as hard drives are, CD and DVD drives are worse. Even having one in the drive can be power consuming. They spin, taking power, even when they?re not actively being used. Wherever possible, try to run on virtual drives using programs like Alcohol 120% rather than optical ones.

7. Keep the battery contacts clean: Clean your battery’s metal contacts every couple of months with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol. This keeps the transfer of power from your battery more efficient.

8. Take care of your battery - Exercise the Battery. Do not leave a charged battery dormant for long periods of time. Once charged, you should at least use the battery at least once every two to three weeks. Also, do not let a Li-On battery completely discharge. (Discharing is only for older batteries with memory effects)

9. Hibernate not standby - Although placing a laptop in standby mode saves some power and you can instantly resume where you left off, it doesn’t save anywhere as much power as the hibernate function does. Hibernating a PC will actually save your PC’s state as it is, and completely shut itself down.

10. Keep operating temperature down - Your laptop operates more efficiently when it’s cooler. Clean out your air vents with a cloth or keyboard cleaner, or refer to some extra tips by LapTopMag.com.

11. Set up and optimize your power options - Go to ‘Power Options’ in your windows control panel and set it up so that power usage is optimized (Select the ‘max battery’ for maximum effect).

12. Don’t multitask - Do one thing at a time when you’re on battery. Rather than working on a spreadsheet, letting your email client run in the background and listening to your latest set of MP3’s, set your mind to one thing only. If you don’t you’ll only drain out your batteries before anything gets completed!

13. Go easy on the PC demands - The more you demand from your PC. Passive activities like email and word processing consume much less power than gaming or playing a DVD. If you’ve got a single battery charge - pick your priorities wisely.

14. Get yourself a more efficient laptop - Laptops are getting more and more efficient in nature to the point where some manufacturers are talking about all day long batteries. Picking up a newer more efficient laptop to replace an aging one is usually a quick fix.

15. Prevent the Memory Effect - If you’re using a very old laptop, you’ll want to prevent the ‘memory effect’ - Keep the battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries (which most laptops have) which do not suffer from the memory effect.

how many Cells Are In A Laptop Battery?

Question from a reader: "How many cells are in the Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 Laptop Battery? The battery is for a Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 and its technical ratings are 10.8 volts 8800 mAh, Lithium Ion."

The question from the reader is a great question for it gets to the heart of battery manufacturing and begins to unravel the power of a battery. The answer is simply: 12 cells. But what does the answer mean and how does the number of cells relate to the overall value of a battery? Let’s find out…

18650 is a 3.6V cylindrical Li-Ion cell. 18650 has no memory effect (distinguish between digital memory effect) and longer storage life than NiMH battery cells. 18650 is light weight and has a high energy density. It is in effect perfect for building batteries for laptop and other portable power devices.

The additional technical specifications for the 18650 battery cell include:

• Nominal Voltage Average 3.7 V – the concept of nominal voltage is that voltage range exists depending on the number of cells in the battery.
• Nominal Capacity - 2200 mAh (above 2200 the stability of lithium based cells is called into question)
• Max. Charging Current - 2.4 Amps Max.
• Max. Discharging Current - 4.6 Amps max.
• Dimensions (DxH) 18.3 mm (Max 18.4) x 64.9 mm (Max 65.1)
• Weight 46.5 g (1.64 oz)
• Internal Impedance: less or equal to 90 ohms
• Cycle Performance is 80% of initial capacity at 300 cycles

Now as stated above the reader asked how many cells were in the Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 Laptop Battery? The battery is rated at 10.8 volts and a capacity of 8800 mAh.

As I mentioned above the nominal voltage average is 3.7V. Some manufacturers may use 3.6V and some may use 3.7V. In the case of a laptop battery with 10.8V the nominal voltage rating used is 3.6V. Thus if we divide 10.8V by 3.6V we get 3. Thus 3 cells in a series. We also know that the batteries capacity is 8800 mAh. We know the nominal capacity is 2200 mAh. Therefore if we divide 8800 mAh by 2200 mAh then we get 4 in parallel.

Therefore we have 3 cells in series X 4 cells in parallel equals 12 cells in total.

ACER Laptop Battery Articles & Maintenance Tips

Upgrade my ACER Laptop Battery from Ni-MH to Li-ion

Ni-Cd, Ni-MH and Li-ion ACER Laptop Battery are all fundamentally different from one another and cannot be substituted unless the laptop has been pre-configured from the manufacturer to accept more than one type of battery chemistry. Please refer to your manual to find out which rechargeable battery types the laptop device supports or use our ACER Laptop Battery Finder above to find all the compatible Laptop Battery for your device. It will automatically list all of the battery chemistries supported by your specific device. If your device does allow you to upgrade the battery from Ni-MH to Li-ion, you will typically get longer run times.

For example, if your laptop uses a NI-MH battery that is 9.6 Volts, 4000mAh and the new Li-ion laptop battery is 14.4 Volt, 3600mAh, then you will obtain longer run time with the Li-ion battery.

Example.

Li-ion: 14.4 Volts x 3.6 Amperes = 51.84 Watt Hours
Ni-MH: 9.6 Volts x 4 Amperes = 38.4 Watt Hours
The Li-ion is stronger and has longer run time.

How can I maximize the performance of my ACER Laptop Battery ?

There are several steps you can take to help you get maximum performance from your Laptop Battery:

Prevent the Memory Effect - Keep the Laptop Battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-ion batteries which do not suffer from the memory effect.

Keep the ACER Laptop Battery Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and the portable device.

Exercise the Battery - Do not leave the battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If a Laptop Battery has not been used for a long period of time, perform the new battery break in procedure described above.

Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the Laptop Battery for a month or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. Ni-Cd, Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to recharge the batteries before use.

What is the run time of e-batteries's Laptop Battery?

ACER Laptop Battery have two main ratings on them: Volts and Amperes. Because size and weight of Laptop Battery is limited when compared to larger batteries such as car batteries, most companies show their ratings with Volts and Mill amperes. One thousand Mill amperes equals 1 Ampere. When buying a battery, select batteries with the most Mill amperes (or Ah). Batteries are also rated by Watt-Hours, perhaps the simplest rating of all. This is found by multiplying the Volts and the Amperes together. For example:

14.4 Volts, 4000mAh (Note: 4000mAh is equal to 4.0 Amperes).

14.4 x 4.0 = 57.60 Watt-Hours

Watt-Hours signifies the energy needed to power one watt for one hour. This ACER Laptop Battery can power 57.60 watts for one hour. If your laptop runs at 20.50 watts, as an example, this Laptop Battery could power your laptop for 2.8 hours.

Understanding your ACER Laptop Battery Needs

We strive to make you Laptop Battery purchases easy. Since we understand that finding the right batteries for your needs can be overwhelming and confusing at times we developed a Laptop Battery finder tool to help find the right size for the make and model of your equipment. We also offer educational articles and tips to help you conserve your batteries and understand common problems. By us providing education you are able to make the right purchasing decisions as well as provide proper care for all of your electronics.

《10 things you can do to make any battery last longer》

As far as battery maintenance goes, I'm the worst ever. I can't even begin to count the number of times I've needed to jump on my lap-top, use my cell phone or any other portable electronic device, only to find myself in the unenviable position of having no juice left on the battery. Simply put, I overuse, poorly maintain, and all in all just wear down all of the batteries I need like it's going out of style. These bad habits usually leave me powerless when I most need power, so I asked around and came out with these 10 simple things you can do to make any battery last longer.

1. Use the lowest brightness settings on screen displays. This will not work in bright areas like out doors, but sure works well indoors. Cell phones, lap-tops, and even watches have brightness controls that will help stretch the life of any battery.

2. Fully charge and discharge all of your batteries. Try to avoid "topping off" the battery if there's enough of a charge in there to get by, then remove the battery or unplug from the charger only after it has had a chance to trickle charge at 100%, and your battery will last 2 or 3 years easily.

3. Use programs that take less RAM and keep useless programs closed. A lot of laptops come with cluttered programs since the day you take them home from the store. Stuff like Yahoo messenger or Firefox with 20 tabs open takes a lot of RAM and eats up batteries super fast.

4. Keeping the volume level on all of your music playing devices is key to a longer battery life. You'll be amazed at how much life loud music sucks out of your battery. This will also do wonders in preserving your ear-drums as well.

5. To go with #4, also turn down the volume on your cell-phone ringer. Long ring-tones may sound cool, but hearing your favorite song play every time your phone rings will drain your battery in a hurry.

6. Turn off your Bluetooth whenever you're not using it. This can be an easy one to forget about if you're often switching between using a Bluetooth, and the phone's ear piece. Most people use their Bluetooth way too much anyhow, so cutting back on it's use will lengthen the life of your battery.

7. I've always heard that when you get a new laptop, or anything with a rechargeable battery for that matter, you should charge it over night. Pull that bad boy out of the box and give it a nice, long, healthy charge. Even if it says full, leave it in and charging for a while.

8. When I was little I would always find batteries in my grandmother's fridge. I always wondered why, turns out she was onto something. If you have extra batteries for your phone, laptop, or anything else, go ahead and store those in the refrigerator. Just make sure not to freeze them.

9. Programs that are run from a CD or DVD can be copied to and run from the hard drive, which typically consumes less power than an optical drive. If you have music and movies you know know you'll be playing numerous times, just rip them onto your hard drive and you'll be styled!

10. Lastly, just using basic common sense will help extend the life of all of your batteries. If you're not using it, turn it off! If you don't need it, get rid of it! This is probably the most practical and applicable way to get the most out of all of your batteries.

How to select a laptop batteries?

Finding your laptop Brand & Model

Your owner's manual should have the brand and model on the front cover. If you don't have your owner's manual then almost every laptop has a manufacturer's label on the bottom of the computer. This label should have the brand and model number on it.

Once you have the Brand and model of your laptop, use the Search Wizard to select your Brand and Model. Once this is done it will display the compatible Battery and AC Adapter under the Product column.

Here are some models from the major brand laptops:

COMPAQ: Armada, Business Notebook, Evo, OmiBook, Pavillion, Presario
SONY: VAIO
DELL: Inspiron, Latitude, Precision, XPS
IBM: Thinkpad
TOSHIBA: Satellite, Satellite Pro, Dynabook, Portege, Qosmio, Tecra
APPLE: MacBook, iBook, PowerBook
HP: Pavilion, Armada, COMPAQ Presario

For Windows 98 - Vista Only

If all else fails, turn on your computer and follow these instructions:

1. Go to your desktop.
2. Click 'Start' on the bottom left of the screen.
3. Mouse over 'Programs' > 'Accessories' > 'System Tools'
4. Click on 'System Information'.
5. Your computer's manufacturer, model, etc. will be listed on the following page.

Selecting the correct AC Adapter -

Before purchasing an AC Adapter you need to make sure make the AC Adapter will give you the correct voltage and suitable current output.

To find out the voltage & current, turn your laptop over and look for a label, sticker or writing which shows the voltage and current, it should look something like the examples below. The voltage figure will have a "V" after the number i.e 19V and the current will have a "A" or "mA". i.e 3.15A. You can also find these shown on your original AC adapter if you have it. The Voltage must be within 10% of your original AC Adapters Voltage. The Amps may be higher but they cannot by lower.

If you are purchasing a universal AC Adapter or Car Charger you will need to work out the Watts of your original AC Adapter and select the universal AC Adapter or Car Charger with the same Watts or next highest Wattage. You can work out the Wattage by multiplying the Voltage by the Amps i.e 20V X 3A = 60 Watts. There is no 60 Watt AC Adapter so you will need to select the next step up which is the 70 Watt AC Adapter.

PLEASE NOTE: If the wattage requirement for your laptop is lower than the 60W or 90W output of the adapter, it will not damage your laptop, your laptop will only take the amount of power it requires. I.E. If your laptop needs 45W, then either the 60W or 90W will work OK. If your laptop needs 80W then you will need the 90W one as the 75W one will not be powerful enough.
If in doubt please email us on our contacts page.

Once you have selected you Brand and Model from the Search Wizard it will display the compatible AC Adapters under the product column. Once you have clicked on the battery you will be redirected to the page displaying alllt he information about the AC Adapter. Click on the photo of the AC Adapter to enlarge the image and view the tip dimensions to ensure they are similar to your original AC Adapters tip dimensions.

Selecting the correct Battery -

Batteries have two main ratings on them: Volts and Amps. Because laptop batteries do not carry a very large amount of power when compared to larger batteries such as car batteries, most companies show their ratings with Volts and Milliamps. One thousand Milliamperes equals 1 Ampere. When buying a battery, always go for the battery with the most Milliamperes (or mAh).

Once you have selected you Brand and Model from the Search Wizard it will display the compatible batteries under the product column. Once you have clicked on the battery you will be redirected to the page displaying alllt he informationa about the battery. Ensure the battery is the same shape as your original and most importantly the Voltage is within 10% of you original batteries specified Voltage.

Laptop Batteries Maintenance & Care Related Articles:

Finding Value in Replacement Laptop Batteries