Battery issue

Hello,

As I already wrote I got my Aspire 3023WLMi in december. But this is my first laptop and since I did not dealt previously with mobile devices still have things to learn.

What I would like to ask is about the battery.

I really did not knew hot to deal with my laptop. Before I turn it on for first time, I put the battery in and removed it out just one time to read the battery sticker. As You can imagine, when the machine is on AC power, the battery is still in. In begining for a month used to have the machine on AC power for whole days with the battery inside.

Then a friend warned me that this is bad for the battery and I read articles about Li-ion batteries.

As I understood from the articles, the Li-ion batteries are split into casual Li-ion and the newer technology Li-ion Polymer units. That was the time I investigated my unit and as I could examine it, it is not a polymer one. So casual Li-ion unit.

The articles described that some manifacturers advice to remove the battery when the laptop would be on AC power for long time. Other manifacturers advice never to remove the unit, because of dust and moist issues. I am affraid of moisture too. I guess would be wonderful to have a plastic cover for the battery nest, but such was not included in my box.

What I started to do is:
- use battery power, until reach of 10%
- then put on AC power, until recharge and since I am lazy to remove
on time, often leave to work that way for few more hours.

QUESTION1: Is that too bad for my battery? What would be the better solution?


Now another battery issue.

At first, since I did not knew how to deal with the laptop, I used to put it on sleep, before plug/unplug of the AC power cord. Was affraid to do this, while the machine is working. Then discovered, that I can do this while it works.

QUESTION2: What is the right thing -- turn off or sleep the machine, before any cord operations take place OR I can do it with machine working? At least what most of You do? I used to watch my boss's son ( cannot call him "experienced" user ) and one of his friends with their laptops, having them AC powered all the time, as I did in the begining, but not any experienced user I saw.


NOTE: I know this is probably too casual Li-ion battery issue, the problem is that I am new to mobile devices in general. Even got phone too late -- summer 2005, Sony-Ericsson T105 -- but I have heard the phones are in general more resistable to any issues, than laptop machines, so decided to ask anyway.


Thanks for any help.
Regards.

 

Do not do unnecessary deep discharges of the battery if you don't have to, it'll cause more wear and tear to the battery.

Leaving the battery in while on AC Power is only bad if the laptop heats up and also causes the battery to heat up. Heat will also make the battery degrade faster, so avoid leaving the laptop with battery in a car on hot sunny days. If you aren't going to use the battery for a weeks or months, you can discharge it to 40-50% and store it in the fridge. Otherwise, just leave it in the laptop while on AC. Eventually in 2-3 years you'll probably have to replace the battery if you use it moderately.

It's fine to plug and unplug the power jack while the computer is working, no need to standby/hibernate/shut down to switch between AC and DC and vice versa.

You may also find this informative: http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

 

Thanks for replies.

But my Question1 was more about how You use the computer. For example most people I saw put the laptop on the desk and use it for let's say one day. I personally use it for around 8 hrs non-stop work. As You might guess the battery stands for 2.5-3hrs, so I then put it in AC power, but after the battery is charged I read any continued charging leads to over charge and decalibrates the unit software.

But I saw I am not the one doing that.

What most of You do?