Using a Battery. Dell 1400

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Using a Battery

Battery Performance

NOTE:

For information about the Dell warranty for your computer, see the Product

Information Guide

or separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer.

For optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell™ portable computer with the main battery installed at all times. One battery is supplied as standard equipment in the battery bay.

NOTE:

Because the battery may not be fully charged, use the AC adapter to connect your new computer to an electrical outlet the first time you use the computer. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view battery charge status, place the mouse cursor over the battery icon in the Windows notification area.

NOTE:

Battery operating time (the time the battery can hold a charge) decreases over time. Depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used, you may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer.

NOTE:

It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to media.

Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions. Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to, the following:

• Using optical drives.

• Using wireless communications devices, ExpressCards, media memory cards, or USB devices.

• Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other powerintensive programs such as complex 3D graphics applications.

•

Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see "Configuring

Power Management Settings" on page 60 for information about accessing

Windows Power Options Properties, which you can use to configure power management settings).

Using a Battery

You can check the battery charge before you insert the battery into the computer. You can also set power management options to alert you when the battery charge is low.

CAUTION:

Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from

Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer.

CAUTION:

Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds a charge, call your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery (see "Battery Disposal" in the

Product Information Guide).

CAUTION:

Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn.

Do not puncture, incinerate, disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65°C (149°F). Keep the battery away from children. Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury or equipment damage.

Checking the Battery Charge

You can check the battery charge on your computer using any one of the following methods:

• Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

• Battery charge/health gauge located on the battery

• Low-battery warning pop-up window

• Microsoft

Windows

XP battery meter icon located in the notification area

• Microsoft

Windows Vista

battery meter icon located in the notification area

Dell QuickSet Battery Meter

To view the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter:

• Double-click the Dell QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and then click Battery

Meter or

• Press <Fn><F3>

Using a Battery

The Battery Meter displays the status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your computer.

For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon, and then click Help.

Charge Gauge

By either pressing once or pressing and holding the status button on the battery charge gauge, you can check:

• Battery charge (check by pressing and releasing the status button)

• Battery health (check by pressing and holding the status button)

The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacity—or battery health. Therefore, a battery can show a status of charged, but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health).

Check the Battery Charge

To check the battery charge, press and release the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge indicator lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights are on, the battery has no charge.

Check the Battery Health

NOTE:

You can check battery health in one of two ways: by using the charge gauge on the battery, as described below, and by using the Battery Meter in Dell QuickSet.

For information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the notification area, and then click Help.

To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds to illuminate the health indicator lights. Each light represents incremental degradation. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery

(see "Battery" on page 206 for more information about the battery operating

time).

Using a Battery

Low-Battery Warning

NOTICE:

To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a low-battery warning, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet. If the battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically.

A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately

90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level.

You can change the settings for the battery alarms in Dell QuickSet or the

Power Options window (see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 60).

Microsoft

Windows

XP Battery Meter

The battery meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the battery meter, double-click the icon in the notification area.

Microsoft

Windows

Vista Battery Meter

The battery meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the battery meter, double-click the icon in the notification area.

Conserving Battery Power

To conserve battery power on your portable computer, do any of the following:

• Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible; battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and recharged.

• Configure the power management settings using Microsoft Windows

Power Options to optimize your computer’s power usage (see "Configuring

Power Management Settings" on page 60).

• Use the Standby or Sleep Mode power state when you leave the computer

unattended for long periods of time (see "Standby and Sleep Mode" on page 59).

Using a Battery

Power Management Modes

Standby and Sleep Mode

Standby mode (sleep mode in Microsoft Windows Vista™) conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a predetermined period of inactivity (a time-out). When the computer exits standby or sleep mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering standby or sleep mode.

NOTICE:

If your computer loses AC and battery power while in standby or sleep mode, it may lose data.

To enter standby mode in Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn off computer, and then click Stand by.

To enter sleep mode in Windows Vista, click the Windows Vista Start button

, and then click Sleep.

Depending on how you set the power management options in the Power

Options Properties window or the QuickSet Power Management Wizard, you may also use one of the following methods:

• Press the power button

• Close the display

• Press <Fn><Esc>

To exit standby or sleep mode, press the power button or open the display, depending on how you set the power management options. You cannot make the computer exit standby or sleep mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad.

Hibernate Mode

Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits hibernate mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering hibernate mode.

NOTICE:

You cannot remove devices or undock your computer while your computer is in hibernate mode.

Your computer enters hibernate mode if the battery charge level becomes critically low.

Using a Battery

To manually enter hibernate mode in Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn off computer, press and hold <Shift>, and then click Hibernate.

To manually enter hibernate mode in Windows Vista, click the Windows

Vista Start button , and then click Hibernate.

Depending on how you set the power management options in the Power

Options Properties window or the QuickSet Power Management Wizard, you may also use one of the following methods to enter hibernate mode:

• Press the power button

• Close the display

• Press <Fn><Esc>

NOTE:

Some ExpressCards may not operate correctly after the computer exits

hibernate mode. Remove and reinsert the card (see "Removing an ExpressCard or

Blank" on page 95), or simply restart (reboot) your computer.

To exit hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may take a short time to exit hibernate mode. You cannot make the computer exit hibernate mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad. For more information on hibernate mode, see the documentation that came with your operating system.

Configuring Power Management Settings

You can use the QuickSet Power Management Wizard or Windows Power

Options Properties to configure the power management settings on your computer. For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar and click Help.

Accessing Power Options Properties

Windows XP

Click the Start button, point to Control Panel

→ Performance and

Maintenance, and then click Power Options.

Windows Vista

• Click Start

→ Control Panel→ Hardware and Sound→ Power

Options, and then select a power plan in the Select a power plan window.

Using a Battery

• Click the icon in the notification area, click Power Options, and then select a plan in the Select a power plan window.

Charging the Battery

NOTE:

Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer for as long as you like. The battery’s internal circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging.

When you connect the computer to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, the computer checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge.

If the battery is hot from being used in your computer or being in a hot environment, the battery may not charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet.

The battery is too hot to start charging if the battery light flashes alternately blue and amber. Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room temperature, then connect the computer to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery.

For more information about resolving problems with a battery, see "Power

Problems" on page 140.

Replacing the Battery

CAUTION:

Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace the battery only with a compatible battery purchased from

Dell. The battery is designed to work with your Dell computer. Do not use batteries from other computers with your computer.

CAUTION:

Before performing these procedures, turn off the computer, disconnect the AC adapter from the electrical outlet and the computer, disconnect the modem from the wall connector and the computer, and remove any other external cables from the computer.

NOTICE:

You must remove all external cables from the computer to avoid possible connector damage.

Using a Battery

NOTICE:

If you choose to replace the battery with the computer in Sleep state, you have up to 1 minute to complete the battery replacement before the computer shuts down and loses any unsaved data.

To remove the battery:

1 Ensure that the computer is turned off.

2 Turn the computer over.

3 Slide and click the battery release latches to keep them open.

4 Slide the battery out of the bay.

1 2

1 battery 2 battery release latches (2)

To replace the battery, follow the removal procedure in reverse order.