Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

battery life?

  • 01-10-2008 4:03pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41


    hi guys
    just bought a laptop in pc world
    the battery only lasts 80 minutes or so is this normal?
    i cant get thru on phone to them.
    its the standar pcworld intel laptop 425 euro i think.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Sounds normal to me, for your "standard" cheap pcworld laptop. What laptop is it specifically?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    You have to let the battery get conditioned, google memory effect for why, it won't attain its full capacity for at least 3 - 4 full charge cycles. That means fully charging it fully (and I mean fully until it dies) running for said number of times.

    Why on earth are you using the battery in it anyway if you are near a power source plug it in with the battery out as you will just ruin the battery using it that way.


    MC

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_effect


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 169 ✭✭087dannyboy


    I bought a laptop from dell a while back and id be lucky to get an hour out of the battery.
    I think they just give u a ****e battery with it but then you can buy a better battery aswell but they are fairly pricey as far as i know.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    You have to let the battery get conditioned, google memory effect for why, it won't attain its full capacity for at least 3 - 4 full charge cycles. That means fully charging it fully (and I mean fully until it dies) running for said number of times.

    Why on earth are you using the battery in it anyway if you are near a power source plug it in with the battery out as you will just ruin the battery using it that way.


    MC

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_effect

    Presuming it's a Lithium Ion battery, it doesn't have any "memory effect" as older Ni-Mh would have had, so charging and discharging shouldn't effect it. It's also not recommended that you fully discharge a Lithium Ion battery, as this could ruin the battery.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 41 thejamescaird


    thanks guys ill get the exact name of thelaptop when i go home and let you know tomorrow


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    Presuming it's a Lithium Ion battery, it doesn't have any "memory effect" as older Ni-Mh would have had, so charging and discharging shouldn't effect it. It's also not recommended that you fully discharge a Lithium Ion battery, as this could ruin the battery.


    Memory effect is not the only problem you still must condition the cells for them to attain their full capacity. This applies to all batteries.

    MC


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    Memory effect is not the only problem you still must condition the cells for them to attain their full capacity. This applies to all batteries.

    MC

    Lithium Ion batteries aren't prone to Memory Effect and should not be fully run down. A quick google search will show this. One example HERE


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    Like to see the state of the battery in 1 years time so.... :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    Soundman wrote: »
    Lithium Ion batteries aren't prone to Memory Effect and should not be fully run down. A quick google search will show this. One example HERE


    Did you actually read the article? It says they should be run down every 30 or so charging cycles to reset the power gauge. How :o for you... ;)

    MC


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Soundman


    Except that that has nothing to do with the Memory Effect. It is resetting the meter which can display the battery level incorrectly. It isn't to do with the memory of the cells themselves.
    Lithium ion batteries shouldn't be run all the way down before charging; they respond much better with constant recharges. Battery gauges, on the other hand, are often impacted and display incorrect readings from this practice. This leads some people to believe a memory effect exists, when in fact it's the meter that needs to be reset. Draining the battery all the way down every 30 charges or so can recalibrate the gauge.


  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Given the price of the laptop I'd say the battery has a relatively low capacity so is perfectly normal. If you want to get more from your battery try turning things like the wireless off when you don't need it and turning down the screen brightness.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,093 ✭✭✭✭Esel
    Not Your Ornery Onager


    +1 on leaving the battery out if when using mains power for extended periods.

    Not your ornery onager



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 41 thejamescaird


    thanks everyone
    the machine is called an E-System
    so its normal for it to be 80 minutes battery life then i take it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,761 ✭✭✭Col_Loki


    To be honest im surprised it even lasts that long. Its a very cheap laptop, they have to cut corners somewhere.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,093 ✭✭✭✭Esel
    Not Your Ornery Onager


    If you want to get more from your battery try turning things like the wireless off when you don't need it and turning down the screen brightness.
    The laptop may have power management software installed. Check for this, and see if it has a 'power saving' mode. If not, do as advised in the quote above.

    Also, check on the web for the specs of the actual model you have. If the battery life you are getting is significantly different, you should be looking for a replacement battery. If the shop agrees to replace the battery, it might be a good idea to see if you can pay the difference and get a higher capacity battery.

    Not your ornery onager



  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    I'm pretty sure PC World don't stock any batteries so getting a higher capacity one off them mightn't be that easy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,475 ✭✭✭✭Ghost Train


    likes been said lithium ions will take a few charges to get up to full capacity.

    battery life will depend on how much work the cpu is doing, if youre using wifi, screen brightness setting, dvd drive use, hard disk use etc.

    turning down the screen brightness a bit and making sure the laptop is using the power saving mode (which keeps the cpu speed lower) should give you better battery life

    notebook hardware control nhc is a nice program to use to manage laptop power settings, should work with most laptops


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 41 thejamescaird


    thanks again guys:)


Advertisement