Battery life

[steveb]

After reading threads on the forum regarding battery maintenance, I thought I should fully discharge the battery on my laptop.

 

I surfed the web for about two hours before the final warning message, there was enough juice left to shut down properly.

 

I suppose different tasks use more of the battery than others and some questions are, 'How long is a piece of string?'

 

Approximately how much longer use would I get from a new battery, if I used the laptop to just surf?

 

And would a once a week stint on battery only be enough to maintain max life from it?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Which type of battery do you have Steve?

 

Types Of Laptop Batteries

[Dalo Harkin]

The 'best' way to maintain battery life is:-

fully charge it when you buy the laptop (as recommended in the handbook)

then use the battery until it completely drains.

Then fully recharge it.

do the above when needed and thats it.

there are some 'uprated' batteries you can buy, but I would not bother.

[steveb]

Thanks for the replies Wolfey and Dalo.

 

It's a Li-ion 14.8v 4400mAh

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Have a read of this Steve.

 

How to prolong lithium-based batteries

[steveb]

Have a read of this Steve.

 

How to prolong lithium-based batteries

 

Interesting and easy to understand - you've come up trumps once again!

 

Although application of the battery rule of thumb, is easier said than done, if I take into account my awful memory.

 

I have only started putting the laptop into service because I have bought a new DSLR and the laptop is handy to view pics as you take them, so the battery will be getting lots of small discharges.

 

Two bags to carry now - I'll be looking for a donkey on eBay soon!

 

Back to my original post. I suppose two hours use from a battery must mean that its still got plenty of life in it.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Well that's roughly what I get on my Acer Steve yes.

 

Obviously the more system intensive apps that are running the shorter the operating time.