T_Wrecks
The Truth Doesn't Make A Noise
Premium
join:2003-08-21
Garden State
| I want to maximize my battery life
Sorry. I'm sure you get this question a lot in this forum. But I searched and couldn't find anything.
Anyway, I bought an Acer Aspire One last week. Great little netbook. I'm really pleased.
I love the battery life (3 cell model not 6 cell). Compared to my 3-year-old MacBook, it seems to last forever...and I'd like to keep it that way.
So, what's the philosophy on maximizing battery life? Is it okay to leave it plugged in 90% of the time? Or am I better off letting it charge, then run down, charge, run down, etc.
Thanks in advance for your expert advice.
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
 ·Comcast
| 
Not too shabby |
5 years later, and on the original battery, I still get over 2 hours without power management.
Currently at 9% wear(91% of original capacity).
The battery has only been removed for me to see the part number.
Machine has sat here or in it's docking station on AC most of it's life.
My VAIO hasn't seemed to mind, neither has the battery.
This is what *I* have done with this machine, and so far, with my other machines as well.
They aren't as old, but they also get remarkable runtimes without management.
Your Milage May Vary
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PeteC2
Got Mouse?
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join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
 ·AT&T Yahoo
| I absolutely agree with dadkins. You can, and will find all sorts of theories on maximizing notebook battery life, and in the end, it is as much a matter of "luck of the draw" as it is any particular way of running your laptop.
Most notebook batteries fare well fro 3 to 4 years, with some hitting up to 7 years...and some crapping out after a year and a half!  Even within the same brands and models of battery, life span can vary quite a bit!
Supposedly, the current popular school of thought is that you initially charge, and fully run down the notebook a couple of times, but after that, you should try to avoid running the battery too far down. Also, that when plugged in to AC, to remove the battery to avoid the heat.
My wife's last notebook, a sony, she did just about everything "wrong"...and got a bit over 4 years useful life from the battery. My brother, who is a battery life "fanatic", got about 3.5 years on his last Dell notebook's original battery...all that effort for the same or less time? I don't see it.
Frankly, life is too damn short to have to be too anal about how you run you notebook, in terms of battery life.
I run my notebook...I did not buy it to run me! 
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T_Wrecks
The Truth Doesn't Make A Noise
Premium
join:2003-08-21
Garden State
| reply to T_Wrecks
Good call, guys. That's ultimately what I did w/ my MacBook -- I just used it. And while the battery is starting to deteriorate now, it's had a pretty good run.
Thanks, all.
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tipstir
join:2004-11-14
Enfield, CT
·Cox HSI
| reply to T_Wrecks
Well all of this depends on the number of cells you have?
3 Cell is rated at 3 hrs
6 Cell is rated at 6 hrs
12 Cell is rated at 12 hrs
Now not at top speed, so all those dual/quad core would have to be reduce in speed to get better battery life. That's while so many PIII Mobile had better battery life than the P4 laptops.
The software shown here is okay to me it's bloated and some features can be dangerous to most users like over clocking the GPU.
AMD has there own smaller software that run in XP/Vista. I am sure Intel as one too. Still thus reducing the CPU by less than 1.8GHz to 800Mhz will increase the battery.
I use 12 Cell I can get 2.6 hours on max speed. Reduce it to max battery then it's 4+hours with standby it's more like 6 hours. |
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast
| I think... the OP is asking about life, not runtime.
Life as in how many years to expect/hope the battery to last before replacement.
*Most* machines have their own power management software/add-ons for runtime.
Performance/Adaptive/Battery Life
Some even allow fan speed management.
The software above was used to show battery wear in percentages.
Thanks for the input!
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T_Wrecks
The Truth Doesn't Make A Noise
Premium
join:2003-08-21
Garden State | reply to T_Wrecks
Thanks for the help, all. |
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stenman
join:2007-03-07
Salinas, CA
 ·Verizon Wireless B..
| reply to T_Wrecks
big difference between NiCads, NiMh, and Lithium Ion batteries. With NiCad they had to be periodically discharged or would get a memory effect and their capacity reduced greatly over a relatively short period of time. With NiMh and Lithium Ion batteries there is no memory effect. Lithium present a much greater fire danger but hold their charge with much less loss of power when not used than a NiMh battery.
The only advantage to minimizing the use of the battery is if you live in a outage prone area as I do and want to have the use of your laptop until power is restored.
What is interesting is that just as notebook battery life is being doubled or even tripled the airports are starting to put in wall plugs everywhere. I have stopped carrying around a 15 foot extension cord on my travels (lighter than a second battery). |
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Tursiops_G
Technoid
Premium,MVM
join:2002-02-06
Norwalk, CT
clubs:
·Optimum Online
| reply to T_Wrecks
Another thing that will help to maximize a Laptop Battery's SERVICE Life, is to just Keep it COOL.. 
If you use a Laptop at your Desk for extended periods, Consider getting a Laptop Cooler base unit to provide better air circulation under the laptop.
-Tursiops_G.
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If You're Unsure, "RTFM"... If You're SURE, "RTFM" Anyway. |
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PeteC2
Got Mouse?
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join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
·AT&T Yahoo
| said by Tursiops_G  :Another thing that will help to maximize a Laptop Battery's SERVICE Life, is to just Keep it COOL.. If you use a Laptop at your Desk for extended periods, Consider getting a Laptop Cooler base unit to provide better air circulation under the laptop. -Tursiops_G. Roger that! That is really the only reason that some recommend not having the battery plugged in during extended AC use, heat.
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Deeds, not words |
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