2006-12-27 13:42:16 · 4 answers · asked by ink_slave_1 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Laptops & Notebooks
Cycling the battery (fully charging, then fully discharging) extends battery life. Generally speaking. The most important part here being fully discharging.
It depends on how you use your battery, if you use it on the go a lot, it'll fully discharge more than enough, and you shouldn't worry about it.
If you almost always have the laptop plugged in and virtually never use it as portable, it's a good idea to discharge the battery every now and then (like once a month) - or better yet, if you nearly always use it plugged in, discharge the battery and store in a cool (but not cold) place ;)
It also, naturally, depends on the type of battery. If it's a Li-Ion battery, a large part of its lifespan is simply dependant on the date it was manufactured -- it'll constantly degrade, used or not -- faster depending on the amount of charge it has. (A Li-Ion battery at 100% charge will degrade faster than a Li-Ion battery at 25% charge, over time)
Fully discharging is good especially if you know you won't need the battery for a little while. (Note that it's not really "fully discharged" with a Li-Ion, as that would be a bad thing, but I mean using up all the battery will put out)
As for Ni-Cad, etc, diff ball of wax, assuming you are Li-ion.
Temperature also has a huge impact. Being at a higher temperature, at a full charge, shortens it's lifespan considerably.
2006-12-27 13:52:32 · answer #1 · answered by argile556733 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Calibration. In other words, your computer will be more accurate in estimating the remaining juice your battery has.
2. More energy. The first few cycles allows the battery to reach its max capacity.
3. Longer battery life (if you keep on cycling the battery, as opposed to just cycling it the first few times).
Word of advice, if you have a charged battery in your laptop, but plan on using the wall outlet, take your battery out. If you don't plan on using your laptop for extended periods, take your battery out too :D
2006-12-27 21:52:16 · answer #2 · answered by wazlakzz 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes. 2 or 3 cycles are required to reach maximum capacity.
2006-12-27 21:44:31 · answer #3 · answered by Linux OS 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I calibrated my Dell's laptop and it gave me 25 more minutes.
2006-12-27 21:44:33 · answer #4 · answered by J W 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋