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    Battery Care on my Vaio FW490

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by alstein, Aug 12, 2009.

  1. alstein

    alstein Notebook Consultant

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    I have a couple of questions regarding prolonging the life of the battery on my new Vaio FW490. The battery on my previous laptop (an IBM Thinkpad circa 2004), was always connected to the laptop, and almost always plugged in. I rarely used the battery. After a couple of years, I noticed that the battery could barely hold a charge for more than 15 minutes.

    Is it a good idea to regularly run the laptop off the battery? Is keeping the laptop plugged in for long periods of time OK? What should I do to ensure that my battery lasts. Thanks.
     
    alstein, Aug 12, 2009
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  2. reppaken

    reppaken Notebook Guru

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    You can keep it plugged in, that's what desktop replacements are used for. A couple of years is a good amount of time for a laptop battery to be alive.

    Every now and then (2-4 weeks), I would let it discharge away from the wall outlet.
     
    reppaken, Aug 12, 2009
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  3. micromarty

    micromarty Notebook Enthusiast

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    micromarty, Aug 13, 2009
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  4. alstein

    alstein Notebook Consultant

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    Interesting. They say that one should NOT leave the laptop battery installed when the PC is on AC for extended periods of time.
     
    alstein, Aug 13, 2009
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  5. Derrida

    Derrida Notebook Deity

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    That's because other manufacturers' notebooks usually do trickle current continuously. Sony states that its notebooks do not do that, that the battery is not constantly charging when you are on AC.

    And so, I believe I have read in the FW manual that Sony suggests the battery be left in but that it be set on one of the power/battery saver settings. Just be sure to follow the suggestion that you charge the battery to more than the setting before you start to use the computer on the battery saver setting. It will trickle down to the level (80% or 50% depending on your choice of plans) and then stay there.
     
    Derrida, Aug 13, 2009
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  6. qhn

    qhn Notebook User

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    I keep mine plugged in at all time when being used. When I am not around, everything is being powered down. Keep the bottom elevated for cooling.

    cheers ...
     
    qhn, Aug 15, 2009
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  7. alstein

    alstein Notebook Consultant

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    Do you mean that you unplug the ac cord when the laptop is turned off?
     
    alstein, Aug 15, 2009
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  8. qhn

    qhn Notebook User

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    Yep! Saving electricity :D

    cheers ...
     
    qhn, Aug 16, 2009
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