Filter
Top Products
16 Quick Reference Guide
Health Gauge
The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of
charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacity, or battery health. To check the battery
health, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds. If no lights
appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains.
Each light represents incremental degradation. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge
capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery. See "Specifications" in your User’s Guide
for more information about the battery operating time.
Low-Battery Warning
NOTICE: To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a low-battery warning.
Then connect the computer to an electrical outlet, or install a second battery in the media bay. If the battery runs
completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically.
A low-battery warning occurs when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted.
The computer beeps once, indicating that minimal battery operating time remains. During that time,
the speaker beeps periodically. If two batteries are installed, the low-battery warning means that the
combined charge of both batteries is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate
mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level. For more information about low-battery alarms,
see "Configuring Power Management Settings" in your
User’s Guide
.
Charging the Battery
NOTE: With Dell™ ExpressCharge™, when the computer is turned off, the AC adapter charges a completely
discharged battery to 80 percent in about 1 hour and to 100 percent in approximately 2 hours. Charge time is longer
with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer for as long as you like. The battery’s internal
circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging.
NOTE: If you want to use a 9-cell battery to obtain Dell ExpressCharge, you need to use it in conjunction with a
90-W AC adapter.
When you connect the computer to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the computer is
connected to an electrical outlet, the computer checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary,
the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge.
If the battery is hot from being used in your computer or being in a hot environment, the battery may
not charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
The battery is too hot to start charging if the light flashes alternately green and orange. Disconnect
the computer from the electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room
temperature. Then connect the computer to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery.