Laptops Charging battery before first use

[Arjun]

Had ordered my first laptop from flipkart, link to the model - http://www.flipkart.com/asus-x54h-sx136d-pentium-dual-core-2-gb-320-dos/p/itmd4bw9nfczv3pk , received it today

Can i just plug in the power adapter & start using it or should i let it charge for a few hours before i start installing the OS?

And what is the correct way to charge the laptop to prolong the battery's life? Should i let the battery discharge completely every time before recharging?

When both battery & power adapter are plugged in, is the laptop running off the AC power or the battery ? should i remove the battery when the adapter is plugged in?

 

[dOm1naTOr]

Best practice is to remove battery when you are using it for long hours. Else the battery keeps charging and discharging and will reduce its life. Get a UPS to use the lappy without battery whn at home.

ALso it good to discharge before plugging in the charger, but dont discharge it fully. Plug in say, at 10~15%% battery level and charge fully in a single stretch.

 

[vivek.krishnan]

When the battery is between 10 ~ 90/100 % levels use on battery. When below 10%, put for charging. When above 90%, either remove charger or keep it till charged to 100% and then remove power.

Do not let it go till 0%.

Also, if you want to store the battery, charge fully and then remove it from laptop if you plan to do so.

 

[Neo-N]

^^ I am no expert on batteries but from what I have heard, a Li-ion battery must be fully discharged before long term storage.

 

[Arjun]

What about first time use , can i start using it or let it charge first?

Get a UPS to use the lappy without battery whn at home.

Is the UPS really needed , even with the adapter i will be using it in

different rooms in the house , i cant keep moving the UPS to every room where i have to use the laptop & i dont get frequent power cuts here

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Found this on storing & recharging

http://www.techrepub...attery-life/289

3: Allow partial discharges and avoid full ones (usually)

Unlike NiCad batteries, lithium-ion batteries do not have a charge memory. That means deep-discharge cycles are not required. In fact, it’s better for the battery to use partial-discharge cycles.

There is one exception. Battery experts suggest that after 30 charges, you should allow lithium-ion batteries to almost completely discharge. Continuous partial discharges create a condition called digital memory, decreasing the accuracy of the device’s power gauge. So let the battery discharge to the cut-off point and then recharge. The power gauge will be recalibrated.

4: Avoid completely discharging lithium-ion batteries

If a lithium-ion battery is discharged below 2.5 volts per cell, a safety circuit built into the battery opens and the battery appears to be dead. The original charger will be of no use. Only battery analyzers with the boost function have a chance of recharging the battery.

Also, for safety reasons, do not recharge deeply discharged lithium-ion batteries if they have been stored in that condition for several months.

5: For extended storage, discharge a lithium-ion battery to about 40 percent and store it in a cool place

I’ve always had an extra battery for my notebook, but it would never last as long as the original battery. I know now that it’s because I was storing the battery fully charged. That means oxidation of lithium-ion is at its highest rate. Storing lithium-ion batteries at 40 percent discharge and in the refrigerator (not freezer) is recommended

 

[vivek.krishnan]

^^ I am no expert on batteries but from what I have heard, a Li-ion battery must be fully discharged before long term storage.

Well, had read up on this earlier and Wikipedia says too

Avoid storing the battery in full discharged state. As the battery will self-discharge over time, its voltage will gradually lower, and when it isdepleted below the low-voltage threshold (2.4 to 2.9 V/cell, depending on chemistry) it cannot be charged anymore because the protection circuit (a type of electronic fuse) disables it.

Link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-ion_battery