New laptop battery..

[Griff]

My new laptop battery has just arrived and it's partially charged, well 51% to be exact.

Should I charge it now or let the laptop run the battery flat first?

 

[Final Maxim]

i think you should post on cliosport and ask

 

[Lagerlout]

They usually come completely discharged.

I'd flatten/fully charge a couple of times to condition it.

It may show 50% but new batteries can behave erratically.

 

[Peperami]

Charge it for 24 hours without use? Isnt that the case with most electronic things? They always have a bit of charge in them.

 

[Darren S]

I always thought a complete discharge before you use it first time round, was the best method?

Could be wrong though.

D.

 

[Lagerlout]

It's always wise to fully discharge and fully charge a new battery several times. Partial charges and discharges are what causes it's life to shorten.

 

[Griff]

Cheers peeps..

I've literally drained the new battery flat and I'm now charging it fully. I'll repeat the process tomorrow.

 

[Scutch]

Bloody batteries!

 

[Munson]

Griff, you strike me as a guy who knows better than to ask such a question on CS. I would just use it like a normal battery. When it dies it dies. The end.

 

[Scutch]

To be honest, I'd so they same. Plug it in right away and charge while I'm using. Didnt even realise you should drain them first. What a stupid f*cking idea. Surely sell a battery that works best when you charge it, not zap the power from it multiple times first. Ridiculous.

Anyway, like I said, out of box, plug in to laptop, charge. Job done.

 

[Griff]

Griff, you strike me as a guy who knows better than to ask such a question on CS. I would just use it like a normal battery. When it dies it dies. The end.

I'll be working from Spain for 10 days so I don't want any problems with a dodgy battery while I'm out there.

Wrongly or rightly I was led to believe you can severely reduce the efficiency of Li-on batteries by not charging them properly. Could be a load of crap but it doesn't hurt to check.

 

[Nigel]

Griff, you can damage Li-on batteries. I'm sure you not supposed to fully deplete the battery. Quite how much of a reduction in battery life this has, I don't know. Also using your laptop plugged in to the mains whilst it's fully charged is bad for it. It's reccomended to take the battery out.

Me personally I can't be arsed with all the faffing, so i'll just replace it when the battery life becomes poor.

 

[Griff]

Griff, you can damage Li-on batteries. I'm sure you not supposed to fully deplete the battery. Quite how much of a reduction in battery life this has, I don't know. Also using your laptop plugged in to the mains whilst it's fully charged is bad for it. It's reccomended to take the battery out.

Me personally I can't be arsed with all the faffing, so i'll just replace it when the battery life becomes poor.

Cheers Nige..

The old battery would literally last about 25 minutes at most which obviously made a "portable" laptop pointless as I had to keep it plugged in all the time.

With the new battery arriving yesterday I'm just a bit paranoid about being able to work (Via Wifi) without the fear of the bloody thing turning itself off after half an hour. Either that or I learn Spanish for "where can I plug this piece of s**t into the mains please". lol

 

[Lagerlout]

Griff, you can damage Li-on batteries. I'm sure you not supposed to fully deplete the battery. Quite how much of a reduction in battery life this has, I don't know. Also using your laptop plugged in to the mains whilst it's fully charged is bad for it. It's reccomended to take the battery out.

Me personally I can't be arsed with all the faffing, so i'll just replace it when the battery life becomes poor.

All li-ion batteries are equipped with a circuit to stop them dropping below a certain voltage (Li-ion are f**king dangerous!). They begin to lose life actually from the moment they are manufactured, not just from their first charge. The don't suffer a memory effect like other batteries either.

Just charge it when it needs it, but not before. But as said, it'll eventually die anyway. Don't get me started on the portable technology/battery divide. My N95 has all the bells and whistles but if you actually use them as intended you flatten you battery in 2 hours. lol.