Battery Knowledge , Battery Tips

What is a battery?

In science and technology, a battery is a device that stores energy and makes it available in an electrical form. It converts chemical energy into electrical energy, producing an electric current when connected in a circuit. The finished battery is an electrically connected group of cells (wired in series) that stores an electrical charge and supplies a direct current (DC). We usually call finished battery as battery pack and unfinished battery is called as cell.

What's the "battery memory effect"? how to clean out it?

Ni-cd batteries, and to a lesser extent Ni-MH batteries, suffer from what's called the "memory effect". What this means is that if a battery is repeatedly only partially discharged before recharging, the battery "forgets" that it has the capacity to further discharge all the way down. To illustrate: If you, on a regular basis, fully charge your battery and then use only 50% of its capacity before the next recharge, eventually the battery will become unaware of its extra 50% capacity which has remained unused. The battery will remain functional, but only at 50% of its original capacity. The way to avoid the dreaded "memory effect" is to fully cycle (fully charge and then fully discharge) the battery at least once every two to three weeks. Batteries can be discharged by unplugging the device's AC adapter and letting the device run on the battery until it ceases to function. This will insure your battery remains healthy. Mh and Li-Ion batteries do not suffer the memory effect.

What is the difference between Ni-Cd,Ni-MH,and Li-Ion?

Li-ion (Lithium Ion)
This is one of the newest cell types available. It is also the lightest battery type currently available on a commercial basis and can provide more power than the other main cell types. there are no known problems of memory effect with this battery type and it is the easiest battery type to care for. the downside of this battery is that it has the highest engineering costs and therefore the price is usually considerably higher than other cell types.

Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride)
This cell type is the most common cell type currently available for laptop computers, (although Li-ion is rapidly becoming the most popular) this battery type is relatively cheap to manufacture and therefore tends to be cheaper than Li-ion. this cell type is prone to memory effect,so it is important to take good care of your Ni-MH battery to ensure that you obtain the best runtimes.

Ni-Cd (Nickel Cadmium)
This is one of the oldest cell types and is generally only found in older laptops. the main pro for this cell type is its ability to handle higher loads, and therefore is more commonly found in portable power tools or devices that need a lot of power to work efficiently. the main downside of this cell type is that it is notorious for suffering from memory effect so good care must be taken with this battery type to ensure most effective use of battery.

How to charge your new replacement battery?

Your new battery comes in a discharged condition and must be charged before use (refer to your computer manual for charging instructions). Upon initial use (or after a prolonged storage period) the battery may require two to three charge/discharge cycles before achieving maximum capacity.

When charging the battery for the first time your computer may indicate that charging is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is a normal phenomenon with rechargeable batteries. Simply remove the battery from the computer and repeat the charging procedure.

It is important to condition (fully discharge and then fully charge) the battery every two to three weeks. Failure to do so may significantly shorten the battery's life (this does not apply to Li-ion batteries, which do not require conditioning). To discharge, simply run your device under the battery's power until it shuts down or until you get a low battery warning. Then recharge the battery as instructed in your user's manual.
If the battery will not be in use for a month or longer, it is recommended that it be removed from the device and stored in a cool, dry, clean place.

It is normal for a battery to become warm during charging and discharging.

A charged battery will eventually lose its charge if unused. It may therefore be necessary to recharge the battery after a storage period.

The milliamp-hour (mAH) rating of the laptop battery dot org batteries will often be higher than the one on your original battery. A higher mAH rating is indicative of a longer lasting (higher capacity) battery and will not cause any incompatibilities. An laptop battery dot org battery will, in most cases, outperform the original by 30% to 50%.

Actual battery run-time depends upon the power demands made by the equipment. In the case of notebook computers, the use of the monitor, the hard drive and other peripherals results in an additional drain upon the battery, effectively reducing the battery's run-time. The total run-time of the battery is also heavily dependent upon the design of the equipment. To ensure maximum performance of the battery, optimize your computer's power management features. Refer to your computer manual for further instructions.

How Can I Maximize My Laptop Battery Performance?

There are several steps you can take to insure that you get maximum performance from your laptop battery:

Breaking In New Batteries - new batteries come in a discharged condition and must be fully charged before use. It is recommended that you fully charge and discharge your new battery two to four times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity.

Preventing the Memory Effect - Keep your 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 Your Batteries 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 your portable device.

Exercise Your Battery - Do not leave your battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If a 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 battery for a month or more, we recommend storing it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. Ni-Cd, NiMH and Li-ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to break them in before use. Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries must be kept at full charge during storage. This is usually achieved by using special trickle chargers. If you do not have a trickle charger, do not attempt to store SLA batteries for more than three months.

For Notebook Users - To get maximum performance from your battery, fully optimize the notebook's power management features prior to use. Power management is a trade off: better power conservation in exchange for lesser computer performance. The power management system conserves battery power by setting the processor to run at a slower speed, dimming the screen, spinning down the hard drive when it's not in use and causing the machine to go into sleep mode when inactive. Your notebook user's guide will provide information relating to specific power management features.

Battery Do's & Don'ts

Do's
1. Properly "condition" (fully charge/discharge for first 3 cycles) the battery when it is new.
2. Keep the battery and the contact terminals clean.
3. Avoid exposing the battery to extreme heat and cold.
4. Use the battery. If possible, avoid letting your battery sit dormant for long periods of time.
5. Use only the phone options and accessories that you really need.
6. Charge and re-condition a battery after an extended idle period.
7. A new battery comes in a discharged condition and must be charged before use (refer to the devices manual for charging instructions). Upon initial use (or after a prolonged storage period) the battery may require three to four charge/discharge cycles before achieving maximum capacity.
8. When charging the battery for the first time the device may indicate that charging is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is a normal phenomenon with rechargeable batteries. Remove the battery from the device, reinsert it and repeat the charging procedure.
9. It is important to condition (fully discharge and then fully charge) the battery every two to three weeks. Failure to do so may significantly shorten the battery's life (this does not apply to Li-Ion batteries, which do not require conditioning). To discharge, simply run the device under the battery's power until it shuts down or until you get a low battery warning. Then recharge the battery as instructed in the user's manual.
10. If the battery will not be in use for a month or longer, it is recommended that it be removed from the device and stored in a cool, dry, clean place.
11. It is normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charging and discharging.
12. A charged battery will eventually lose its charge if unused. It may therefore be necessary to recharge the battery after a storage period.
13. The milliamp-hour (mAH) rating of the Hi-Capacity? battery will often be higher than the one on the original battery. A higher mAH rating is indicative of a longer lasting (higher capacity) battery and will not cause any incompatibilities. A Hi-Capacity?battery will, in most cases, outperform the original by 30% to 50%.
14. Actual battery run-time depends upon the power demands made by the equipment. In the case of notebook computers, screen brightness, the use of the CPU, the hard drive, and other peripherals results in an additional drain upon the battery, effectively reducing the battery's run-time. The total run-time of the battery is also heavily dependent upon the design of the equipment. To ensure maximum performance of the battery, optimize the computer's power management features. Refer to the computer manual for further instructions.

Don'ts
1. Toss, drop, or otherwise abuse the battery as this may result in the exposure of the cell contents, which are corrosive.
2. Short-circuit the battery, A short-circuit may cause severe damage to the battery.
3. Open and expose the cell contents.
4. Modify the battery casing and/or housing.
5. Allow the battery to be exposed to rain or excessive moisture.
6. Incinerate a battery. Properly dispose of a used battery.