Laptop Battery renewal

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 06:42

I need a new laptop battery, here the cost is prohibitive so i am ordering from UK.

When looking for the right one i came across this piece of information that some may find useful.

When using your laptop on mains power (as i do at home) remove completely the battery it extends its life considerably.

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 06:45

And when you get a power cut you lose all of your work



Just make sure you run the battery down periodically, batteries have memories.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 06:57

And make use of a UPS and then when you get a power cut you don't lose all your work...



A UPS cleans the power, regulates the voltage and costs very little in comparison to the value of your equipment and the potential damage poor quality electric supply and sudden outages can do.

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 07:07

How much would a UPS cost?

swyflot


Joined: 07/11/2008
Posts: 916

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 07:28

got a spare one, 150ytl

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 08:14

RE msg 1, Hippo: Modern rechargeable batteries (Li-ion) have NO memory problem. They only become weaker during a long time of use and recharge.

UPS: don't buy a cheap (Turkish made) UPS. They only last about a year. I've learned my lesson a couple of years ago. Buy the strongest (USA made, sorry...) you can find here. They last longer and you can connect your computer, screen(s) and some peripherals. I don't have the time now (Nicosia Walk today), but can give you specifications this evening.

R.C.T.Man.



Joined: 27/03/2009
Posts: 746

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 08:21

Maybe a silly question ,but does the batterie get used when the Laptop is plugged into the mains ? !!!

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 08:31

Not quite true Hans, even modern batteries have what is called a digital memory. If you never fully discharge the battery, the gauge will not work correctly. About once in every 30 charges should be fine.



Li-ion batteries should obviously never be fully discharged, but down to the point allowed by a laptop before it shuts down is fine.

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 08:33

Don't you wish there was an edit button on this board? You know what I mean.

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 09:09

This might interest you but be warned!!! Use this software (you can find it free by the way if you look hard enough) with the greatest of care. If you have already bought a new battery then feel free to "play" with the old one but do not leave yourself in a hole with no battery by trying to save a few bob!



http://www.brighthub.com/computing/hardware/articles/50844.aspx

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 09:19

Yenibob.....messag 4, forgive me for correcting you but I think you will find it is "an" UPS not "a" ups..................Yes agree an edit button would be very useful for those little spelling mistakes especially if your notebook does not have a spell checker...........

andy2b123


Joined: 21/12/2010
Posts: 141

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 11:17

I brought a new laptop battery for my Dell from e-bay. It came from Hong Kong and cost a little over £20 including postage. Dell wanted over£90

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 17:17

Modern batteries (Li-ion) do NOT suffer from a memory leak - or "digital memory", as someone here wrongly likes to call it - the capacity to store power after recharging will only DROP after many recharges (and then the battery will not last as long as a new one). The memory problem only existed with pre-Li-ion batteries.



RE msg 7, R.C.T. man: (...) Maybe a silly question ,but does the batterie get used when the Laptop is plugged into the mains ? !!! (...)

▶ Yes, but very little: the battery will keep recharging and only takes command if for instance a power cut occurs.

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 17:24

Shrimp, if you knew what UPS stood for you would realise that "a" is the correct term.



Many laptops lack spell checkers until one puts one on.



Silly argument, but I have lots of time.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 17:59

RE msg 14: (...) "what UPS stood for" (...)

▶ It still stands for what it stood for: Uninterrupted Power Supply.

▶ Shrimp: forget the poster who keeps stalking you - he's obviously "a" ex-Army man. Not exactly the profession to learn or teach languages. Or spelling.

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 18:03

already forgotten Hans, x

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 18:11

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries



http://www.intel.com/learn/practical-advice/computer-maintenance/system/extend-laptop-battery-life



Personally I would not recommend a UPS with a laptop, all you really need is a decent surge protector I would say. For a desktop in the TRNC a good UPS is a must have in my opinion.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 18:25

RE erolz: (...) Personally I would not recommend a UPS with a laptop (...)

▶ I use a good UPS (USA made) which keeps my peripherals live when a power cut occurs (they happen in TRNC, would you believe it..?). Then I log out and shut down the regular way (20 minutes to do it). Erolz, how would you do that without an UPS?!

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 18:35

Not sure what you mean Hans to be honest.



If you want back up power for peripherlas then by all means use a UPS if it is approriate for those Peripherals, though things like a laser printer should not be used with a UPS , as they draw too much power on start up.



My point is that a LAPTOP does not need UPS, which is basically a combination of surge protecter, voltage regulator and battery back up as it already has its own in built battery back by very nature of being a laptop. So if you add the surge protector , then in my view you have necessary protection with a laptop.



You seem to be talking about using the UPS to protect and power not your laptop in case of power failure but perhiperals. Thay may or may be sensible depending on the perihperals and how you use them but its not the same thing as protecting the laptop. I stand by my statement that for a laptop a surge protector is sufficent where as for a dfesktop a full UPS would be my recommendation.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 18:55

RE msg 19, erolz: This is my list of essential peripherals, connected to my Mac PowerBook G4, which should NOT be forcefully shut down by a power cut: three 1Tb drives (two with files and one for an hourly back up with TimeMachine) and my second screen.

AND! About protecting the laptop: the UPS protects my expensive Mac, ESPECIALLY when Kibtek, after a power cut, provides us with electricity again and comes back with xxx Volts, where it only should be 220-240 V. If Kibtek once again does not control its voltage all I suffer is a burned fuse in my UPS (costs 1 TL or so) - instead of a blown up computer.

P.S. Yes, I know when to disconnect my computer, waiting for better times, but that is not always possible.

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 19:29

If kibtek is putting out incorrect voltages to your latops power brick / transformer such that the transformer is unable to output in turn the correct DC voltages to the laptop, then the laptop will automatically switch to battery usage, in same way as if power was cut totaly. The only thing the voltage regulator element of UPS is protecting is not your laptop but your laptops power brick. Running this power brick on under volts or over volts MAY shorten its life (which is probably way longer than the laptop in any case) but it will not cause the laptop to blow up or even the power brick.



Blown fuses are indicative of surges (large spikes) rather than undervoltage comming from mains. Undervoltage would not cause a fuse to blow.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 19:42

Erolz, I bow to your technical knowledge, but my equipment has survived more than seven Cyprus years my way and I feel safe to stick to my guns! Better safe than sorry, isn't it? Have a nice evening!

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 19:54

In your senario DC a UPS is suitable, because you want battery back up power for external hard drives.



For someone with just a laptop or a laptop and non power critical peripherals then I still suggest a surge protector is all thats necessary.



For a desktop I would say decent properly sized UPS is essential.



For expensive items that have sensitive electronics but no actual 'data loss' issues, like a LCD TV then a decent voltage regulator (which will include surge protection) is recommended



Example of voltage regulator



http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=LE1200I



example of UPS



http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=UP-012-AP&groupid=702&catid=55&subcat=1208



example of surge protector



http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=UP-044-AP&groupid=702&catid=55&subcat=1209

laptarunner



Joined: 02/11/2009
Posts: 217

Message Posted:
18/02/2011 20:06

The advice when using a Battery is too charge up the Battery fully, then use the Battery on the laptop until its almost discharged. Then recharge and start again, or as been suggested, remove battery.



Battery life is shorten by leaving battery in place, while running mains power.