Maximum battery life for battery you don't use often

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avrecko
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Maximum battery life for battery you don't use often

#1 Post by avrecko » Fri Jan 26, 2007 9:30 am

I very rarely use the battery to power my TP 43 since I have a power source available everywhere I usually go (Office, University, Home).

What to do with the battery? Right now, I charge it to full capacity then leave it on a shelf for a month then I use the battery to power my laptop until it is almost completely drained only to be recharged again and left for a month on a shelf only to complete the process again. Is that ok? Should I charge it only to 60 % of capacity? Is it ok if I would leave it more than a month withount any activity?

Suggestions, Comments highly apprichiated.

ambientscape
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Re: Maximum battery life for battery you don't use often

#2 Post by ambientscape » Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:56 am

avrecko wrote:I very rarely use the battery to power my TP 43 since I have a power source available everywhere I usually go (Office, University, Home).

What to do with the battery? Right now, I charge it to full capacity then leave it on a shelf for a month then I use the battery to power my laptop until it is almost completely drained only to be recharged again and left for a month on a shelf only to complete the process again. Is that ok? Should I charge it only to 60 % of capacity? Is it ok if I would leave it more than a month withount any activity?

Suggestions, Comments highly apprichiated.
You might want to check it out on this website : http://www.batteryuniversity.com
-Thinkpad T23 1.2Ghz (2647-4RG) with Docking Station (2631)
-512MB RAM
-60GB Western Digital HDD
-3Com X-Jack Wireless A/B/G
-Imation External Combo DVD/CDRW
-Windows XP Pro SP2
-External 160GB Maxtor HDD

Ken Fox
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Re: Maximum battery life for battery you don't use often

#3 Post by Ken Fox » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:26 am

avrecko wrote:I very rarely use the battery to power my TP 43 since I have a power source available everywhere I usually go (Office, University, Home).

What to do with the battery? Right now, I charge it to full capacity then leave it on a shelf for a month then I use the battery to power my laptop until it is almost completely drained only to be recharged again and left for a month on a shelf only to complete the process again. Is that ok? Should I charge it only to 60 % of capacity? Is it ok if I would leave it more than a month withount any activity?

Suggestions, Comments highly apprichiated.
If you can, just leave it plugged in even when you are not using it. The thinkpad has an overcharging prevention circuit. Each time you let it run down counts as a battery cycle and shortens the remaining life of the laptop battery. The electrical usage will be so negligible that it will be unnoticeable.
Ken Fox

_Jake_
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#4 Post by _Jake_ » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:22 pm

Li-ion batteries lose capacity over time by their very nature. If you store them at a lower charge level, like 40%, you will reduce the rate of capacity loss during storage.

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