New t43: Why aren't my batteries charging all the way?

[Jmmmmm]

Just got my t43 today (75u), and I love it. However, I plugged it into the wall, and the battery charged from ~85, or whatever it was at, to 97%, and just stopped there. It says it's not charging or discharging, and in the power manager, it says "no activity". I left it there for several hours, and it didnt change.

So, I took out the 6cell and put in the extra 9cell I bought. It charged up and well all the way to 100%. Then, I unplugged the power cord for about 2 minutes and plugged it back in. The battery power went down to 99%, but when I plugged it back in, it didn't go back up. Again, it says no activity (no charging or discharging). It's now been at 99% for about 5 hours, and I don't expect it to change.

What is going on here? Is it misreading the % left (and therefore it is correctly not charging it), or did it just stop at 97/99%, and it should still be charging it? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I was lucky to get this computer before I left for school (I got it today, am leaving tomorrow), I'd hate to have to send it back or something...

[wwarlock]

it becuae they are lithium ion. that type of battery will not charge fully the first time it has to be charged then fully discharged and then charged. after the 2nd or 3rd charge you will start seeing 100% charges.

hope this helps
William

[GomJabbar]

Start Access IBM. Type battery in the Keyword Search box at the top. Click on Charging, then on Charging the battery. There you will find the following:
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Note: To increase the life of the battery, the computer does not start recharging the battery if the remaining power is greater than 95 percent.

[mattfromomaha]

Kudos to the two posts above. First, it takes a couple of power cycles to "break in" the battery and calibrate it to read 100% charged. When I say cycle, I mean discharging it to around 10% or so. IBM cautions against fully discharging a lithium battery, as this is very hard on them.

To help preserve battery life, the system also won't "top off" the battery until it reaches a certain discharge point, the default being 95%. Otherwise, the constant recharging of the battery would also be detrimental to its longevity.

Read up on the battery tips in Access IBM. They offer some good advice on maximizing your satisfaction with your battery.