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Using Batteries and Module Bay Devices 31
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" on page 89 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 module 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
on low-battery alarms, see the
Dell Inspiron help file. To access the help file, see "Accessing
Help" on page 65.