| It is difficult to predict how long a laptop battery | | | | stored at 40% charge level. That is every deep |
| charge will last because each computer user has | | | | discharge cycle decreases the capacity of the |
| different habits and needs. The rate at which you | | | | Li-ion batteries. As the Li-Ion batteries are |
| use laptop battery power will determine how long | | | | chemical in nature, charging and recharging is not |
| you can use the battery of your laptop. You can | | | | going to fix the problem once the chemical |
| re-calibrate your laptop battery if the battery's life | | | | reactions stop happening. Therefore the best |
| has gotten shorter over time. Your laptop battery | | | | advice for re-calibrating the Li-Ion batteries is to |
| might need a good calibration if it doesn't seem to | | | | store the battery at 40% charge if it kept |
| be getting the mileage that it should. How to | | | | unused for any unlimited period of time. Also don't |
| re-calibrate laptop battery? The following | | | | leave the battery in the laptop if you don't use |
| paragraphs will give you the answer. | | | | the battery or if you plug the laptop into outlet |
| First put the laptop computer to sleep by turning | | | | power. |
| off the screensaver and other power | | | | You can also re-calibrate your laptop battery using |
| management settings of the computer. Then fully | | | | IBM Thinkpad Battery Maximizer in order to |
| charge the computer and allow it to run all the | | | | maximize your laptop battery's life. If your laptop |
| way down until the computer shuts off | | | | has IBM ThinkPad Battery MaxiMiser and Power |
| automatically. Once the laptop battery has fully | | | | Management features installed, you can verify the |
| drained, charge it back up again and restore the | | | | condition of the laptop battery. You can check the |
| screensaver and power management settings. | | | | status of your battery using the Battery |
| Re-calibrate your battery every month or so by | | | | MaxiMiser Gauge in the taskbar tray. The |
| fully charging, fully discharging, and then fully | | | | ThinkPad's Lithium Ion battery pack that seems |
| charging again. Basically to have a chance to | | | | to be an intelligent battery uses a microprocessor |
| re-calibrate your laptop battery is to turn off all | | | | to monitor its capacity. Then the microprocessor |
| power-saving features completely and then fully | | | | of the battery pack passes the information about |
| recharge them. If it doesn't work for the first | | | | the remaining battery capacity to the laptop. The |
| time then try two more full discharges and | | | | laptop indicates the capacity with high accuracy. |
| recharges. | | | | Using the HP Laptop Battery Learning Utility, a |
| The above way of re-calibrating the laptop | | | | modified version of a Win98 boot floppy, can also |
| batteries works well with laptops using Ni-MH cells. | | | | help you. Just place it in the floppy drive, and then |
| But not with laptops using Li-Ion batteries because | | | | turn on the computer. The re-calibration process |
| deep discharges will actually decrease the charge | | | | is automated and takes about six hours to finish. |
| capacity and lifespan of Li-Ion cells. Moreover | | | | This utility is available in different versions for |
| Li-ion batteries irreversibly lose approximately | | | | different models. You can run the utility every |
| 20% capacity per year from the time of | | | | two months. |
| manufacture at a typical 100% charge level at | | | | If the laptop battery is still bad then it must have |
| 25deg.C, even when unused. Li-ion batteries | | | | developed a memory that cannot be erased |
| irreversibly lose approximately 2%, 4%, 15% at | | | | easily. If calibration doesn't help, then it is the right |
| 0deg.C, 25deg.C and 40deg.C respectively, when | | | | time to purchase another battery. |