- When using a laptop as a desktop replacement the 411462-421 battery should not be left in for long periods of time. The laptop will over time
discharge the 411462-421 battery. Remove the battery ?making sure that it is charged to 40% and store it in a dry, warm place. Ensure that it is wrapped
protectively and nothing will be dropped on it.
- The 411462-421 battery should be re-installed every 3-4 weeks and allowed to fully discharge. Leaving a 411462-421 battery in storage for longer than this
without using could cause the 411462-421 battery to fully discharge as the circuitry of the battery itself consumes power.
- Leaving a 411462-421 battery in a laptop while using an electrical outlet for long periods of time will keep the 411462-421 battery in a constant state of
charging up and that will reduce the life cycle of the 411462-421 battery.
- Remember that when you have removed the 411462-421 battery from a laptop while using with an electrical outlet ?the automatic 411462-421
battery backup is no longer functional. Make sure to plug your laptop into an uninterrupted power source (UPS) not directly into an outlet or surge
protector.
- Power down all nonessential functions. Switch it off if you're not using it. Many business travelers already
know that you don't want to take the DVD player for a spin on the plane, and that every time you hit "save" it can set the hard-drive whirring, which devours
even more power. "But users often also forget to turn off their wireless card when they are no longer using it but are still using their computer," notes
Mike Fuller, executive vice president of PC Laptops, a Sandy, Utah, laptop manufacturer. "When the wireless card is on, it still continually searches for
networks." In Windows XP, click on "Power Options" in your control panel. It allows you to reduce the power consumption of any number of your computer
devices or of your entire system.
- Stay out of extreme temperatures. The technology that powers you battery isn't terribly complicated. But it's important to understand a little bit about
the chemistry behind batteries, and how that can affect your work. Specifically, temperatures can affect the performance of your battery. It's best to use
(and especially charge) your laptop batteries at room temperatures. Extreme conditions can drain your battery
quickly. Also, avoid partial charges and use the battery until it is dead. Battery experts liken partial charges ?and discharges ?to eating a cup of lard
every day. It significantly shortens your battery's life. Considering that a lithium-ion battery can explode if it's improperly used, it could also shorten
your life.
- Let your laptop do the saving. Not every computing device handles a power source in the same way. Some of the more sophisticated laptops, which are
designed with business travelers in mind, are misers when it comes to using power. And that's a good thing ?if you can remember to take advantage of it.
"Most users make the mistake of simply not choosing to use a product's built-in ability to conserve laptop battery
life," says Dan Coffman, a senior product manager for PC manufacturer ViewSonic. How do you harness your PC's built-in ability to save? Consult your user
manual. Often, calibrating your laptop is as easy as double-clicking on the battery icon in the toolbar.
- Always, always carry a spare device that uses batteries. How obvious is that? Well, if you're trying to keep under the onerous new airline weight-
limits, it isn't. But as Rick Thompson, director of engineering at Valence Technology in Austin, Texas, observes, "the availability of 'free' power outside
of your hotel room is not predictable." That's a nice way of say
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