Battery Threshold Manager Question

[Tõnis]

I have two nine cell batteries, one with 103 cycles, the other with almost three times that many. Thus far, I have let the ThinkPad automatically manage the charging thresholds. My question is this:

If I manually set the threshold on one of the batteries (to, for example, 20/80), is the TP battery manager "smart" enough to recognize/allow a different setting for the other battery or will the setting remain the same for both?

I realize I could perform the experiment myself, but I just thought I'd check to see if someone already knew the answer. TIA for your replies ...

Tõnis

(I'm not sure which version of PM I'm running, but it's from July of '08)

[archer6]

When you make adjustments for the threshold, you are making them in the power management software for the computer, not the individual battery. Thefore any battery you use, will be charged based on the settings you have chosen.

[Tõnis]

Thank you, Archer6!

Tõnis

[Tõnis]

An Update:

I started using a custom charging threshold setting (30/90) for my older battery. I'm pleased to report that my version of Power Manager not only recognizes one battery from the other (via battery serial numbers), it also memorizes the charging thresholds for each of my batteries even after the computer has been rebooted. I have not yet set a custom charging threshold for the newer battery, so I don't know if it will perform the same way should I decide to use one, but I may just give it a try and see what happens.

[anthrax_letter]

Hello archer6.

You are experienced ThinkPad user, so I'm sure You could easily answer me a question: I've searched Internet and nowhere there is an explanation, which models of ThinkPad have the possibility to set battery charging thresholds at all. I assumed that when it's a ThinkPad, it by definition has it, and bought a SL500 model, which seems not to have this precious function at all.

I would like buy some older cheaper model for working outside home - please give me advice, which models have the thresholds setting function. There are e.c. T20 available quite cheap - do they have the function?

[yak]

The following is what I've learned here on the forum throughout the last 2,5 years of being a member. I can't confirm all that personally.

The first model featuring Battery Charging Thresholds was T42. I had a T41 that was missing this, I still remember researching the topic. Since then, all ThinkPads, except the SL-series, had it. This includes T-, R- and X-series released during that time. The feature seems to be gone from new ThinkPads, T410, T510 and W510, which use SL-series batteries by the way. Lenovo probably wants to sell more batteries .

It should still be there on X201 but that's just by guess given that it's a rather minor update to the X200 which definitely has this feature (I have one here).

I don't know about X100e or Edge but I guess given that they are totally new models that were released more or less at the same time as T410, they don't have it.