eLaptopBattery.co.uk's Blog

Your Best Source for Laptop Batteries & AC/DC Adapters

While the portability of laptops is the main reason they’ve grown increasingly popular, that portability comes a price, namely rechargeable batteries. Not only do these batteries limit how long you can use the computer away from a power outlet, they gradually lose their ability to hold a charge.

Battery Health Monitor: Another freeware option, not quite as pretty as CoconutBattery, but gives you most of the same information. Battery Health Monitor has a grid at the top that shows you the power status of the laptop. When plugged in, the word “A/C Power” is bold for example; when on battery power, the word is grayed out.

Other indicators include “Battery Depleted” and “Not Chargeable,” neither of which you’ll want to see bolded. Battery Health Monitor also tells you how many charge cycles the battery has gone through as well as the current voltage the battery is delivering.

SlimBatteryMonitor: This piece of freeware is essentially a fancy replacement for Apple’s laptop battery icon.

While it does not provide any of the supplemental data the other options do, SlimBatteryMonitor’s main attraction is that it takes up less space in the menu bar than Apple’s built-in version and is much more customizable, particularly in the colors you can choose for the battery icon…

CoconutBattery: Perhaps the most elegant of the freeware options, CoconutBattery offers a single gray window with three panes and lime green indicator bars. One pane shows the current battery charge and another current battery capacity, indicating how much of your original capacity your battery has lost since you’ve owned it.

A bottom pane of “Additional Info” shows you “battery load cycles” and the age of your Mac laptop in months. CoconutBattery even has a Dashboard Widget available…

You’ve probably been in this situation. You’re out and about, having a great time and then suddenly notice that you have one bar of power left on your phone. When that last bar starts blinking, it’s a crucial situation. Without your cellphone you can’t get in touch with friends or family, find phone numbers, listen to music, or retrieve urgent information. When your cell phone battery goes dead and you don’t have a regular charger handy, there is a way that you can get a little extra power until you get home.

Instructions

Although new cell phone batteries can have a slight charge when purchased, this is usually from quality control testing—most batteries ship uncharged and require a full day, or at least overnight, charging before use. Thankfully, manufacturers have designed cell phone batteries and battery chargers for quick and easy charging in a “3-cycle” charging process that helps you to condition your batteries to work at the highest possible level of performance.

Instruction

Select a charging method, as you can charge new cell phone batteries–depending on the manufacturer’s preferences or design specs–a wide variety of ways. Put your battery or batteries inside your phone and charge with a direct line AC power supply cord that plugs into your phone and an electrical wall socket; or place the phone in a phone charger; or insert the battery/batteries directly into a battery-only charger.

Charge the batteries using your chosen method. If charging the battery/batteries inside your cell phone, turn the phone off before charging unless otherwise directed by any manufacturer’s instructions. Charge your cell phone for 12 to 24 hours depending on the type of battery your phone uses and/or the manufacturer’s instructions. For example, NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries require a longer charging period than Li-ION (Lithium Ion) batteries.

The battery in your laptop is the device that stores and supplies power to your laptop computer. Most laptop batteries in use today are lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are used for laptops due to their efficient energy density. If you have noticed your laptop’s battery is no longer holding a charge, you will have to replace it. It will take about ten minutes to replace the battery in your laptop.

What battery to buy:

Purchase a new compatible laptop battery online or at a computer electronics store. Your laptop’s user manual will list the type of battery currently used in your laptop. You may purchase the same battery or search for a compatible battery of a different brand. If you decide to use a non-factory battery, you must make sure the new battery meets all the charge requirements of your laptop. You must also make sure your new battery will physically fit into the battery chamber. Laptop battery chambers are a very tight fit. Aftermarket batteries will usually list the laptops they are compatible with both in size and charge.

Step 1: Turn off your laptop and remove the power cord. The power cord is the cable that connects from your wall outlet to your laptop.

Step 2: Turn over your laptop and find the battery chamber. The battery chamber will be clearly marked by a battery icon. Take note of the lid removal method once you have found the cover.. Laptop battery chambers are secured by screws or by a latch that can be released with your fingers.

Step 3: Remove the screws to the battery chamber lid or depress the latch and remove the cover with your fingers. You will now be able to see your laptop’s battery. Place the screws in a small cup as you will need them later to replace the cover.

Step 4: Remove the old battery from the battery chamber. Make sure you do not touch the battery contacts in the laptop with your fingers. Your fingers hold oils that can corrupt the connection between the battery and your laptop.

Step 5: Carefully slide the new battery into your laptop. Make sure the contacts on the battery align with the contacts on your laptop. Replace the battery cover once the battery has been inserted.

Step 6: Reconnect the power cord to your laptop computer. Allow the laptop battery to fully charge. If your laptop does not have a light indicator for a fully charged battery, allow the battery to charge for at least eight hours.

If you want to prolong the battery‘s effective use of time, in addition to the quality of the charger should be guaranteed, the correct charging technique is also essential, because the poor quality of the charger or charging the wrong methods will affect battery life and cycle life The following is the author of sorting out the charging techniques:

1. Battery factory, manufacturers have carried out active treatment, and conduct a pre-charging, the battery have more than electricity, a friend said rechargeable battery in accordance with the time period of adjustment, standby is still a serious shortage, assuming the battery is indeed the genuine battery, then this case adjustment period should be extended a further 3 to 5 times fully charge and discharge.

2. If you buy a new phone battery is a lithium-ion, then the first 3 to 5 times a charge commonly referred to as the adjustment period, more than 14 hours should be sufficient to ensure the full activation of lithium-ion activity. Lithium ion batteries have no memory effect, but there is a strong inert, should be fully activated in order to ensure the future use to achieve the best performance.

3. Some automated intelligent rapid charger when the lights change, said only 90 percent full.Charger will automatically change with the slow charging the battery is full. Best use of the battery is full, otherwise it will reduce the use of time.

4. Before charging, lithium batteries do not need special discharge, discharge improper battery will be damaged. Charging as much as possible to slow enrich my knowledge, to reduce the fast charge mode; time should not exceed 24 hours. After three to five times the battery fully charge and discharge cycles of its internal chemical substance will be all “activated” to achieve the best results.

5. Please use the original or the reputation of a good brand chargers, lithium batteries use lithium battery charger, and follow the instructions, otherwise it will damage the battery, or even dangerous.

6. Many users are often in charge Shihai the phone open, in fact, it will hurt the mobile phone life very easily, because in the charging process, the mobile phone circuit boards will be fever, at this time if there are external phone, may produce an instant return current, the phone’s internal parts damage.

7. Battery life depends on the number of repeated charge and discharge, it should try to avoid charging the battery is more than power, it will shorten battery life. Phone off more than 7 days, should be the first mobile phone battery is fully discharged, adequate electricity and then use.

8. There cell phone battery self-discharge Ni-MH battery when not in a day by about 1% of the remaining capacity of the discharge, lithium batteries a day by 0.2% to 0.3% of the discharge.Charging the battery, try to use a dedicated outlet, do not share the charger socket with TV and other appliances.

9. Although the mobile phone network coverage area, but the phone off when charging the phone has been unable to accept and make calls. At this point, you can use the phone did not pass transfer function, will be transferred to the side of the fixed-mobile phone to prevent calls lost, this method for the mobile phone network coverage area or signal is weak and can not be connected when they apply.

10. Do not expose the battery in hot or cold, like a dog day, not the phone in the car, stood in the scorching sun exposure; or get air-conditioned room, where on the air blowing straight. When charging, the battery a little heat is normal, but can not make it hot Jinshou “suffering.” To avoid this from happening, it is best at room temperature for charging, and do not cover anything on the phone.

11. Nickel-cadmium (N iCd) before the battery must ensure that the battery is completely discharged, then charge must ensure that the battery is fully charged.

12. If the phone battery is too long without use, it is best to apply to cell phone service departments to make a living process, you can own a DC barostat, adjust voltage of 5 ~ 6V, current 500 ~ 600mA reverse battery connector . Note that touch open up to repeat three times, after such treatment, then the original charger “adjustment” charge.

13. Charging is not longer, and there is no protection circuit of the battery is full charge should be stopped immediately, otherwise the battery overheating due to heat or impact performance.

14. Dedicated lithium-ion battery charger must be selected, otherwise it may not reach saturation, impact on its performance. After charging, the charger should avoid placing more than 12 hours or more, long-term without the battery and the phone should be separated.

Cell phones run on batteries that are recharged through connection to an electrical socket when they are drained of power. Cell phone batteries are square, flat, installed in the back of the device and covered by a protective cover. Since cell phones are left on for most of the day, the battery is in almost constant use. Cell phone batteries do not last forever and it is important to identify the warning signs that indicate a battery needs to be replaced.

Instructions