Care and Feeding of Laptop Batteries
Cavuwoman and I recently procured a new Acer Aspire laptop. It's a pretty nice machine with a 3.5 Ghz four-core CPU, 12 GB RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and a 1080 HD 15" screen. It's running Windows 11 which takes some getting used to and a modicum of profanity.
My question involves a dilemma set forth by the manufacturer. On p.56, the owner's manual stipulates: Conditioning a new battery pack
Before you use a battery pack for the first time, there is a conditioning process that you should follow:
1. Connect the AC adapter and fully charge the battery.
2. Turn on the computer and complete setting up the operating system.
3. Disconnect the AC adapter.
4. Operate the computer using battery power.
5. Fully deplete the battery until the battery-low warning appears.
6. Reconnect the AC adapter and fully charge the battery again.
Follow these steps again until the battery has been charged and discharged three times.
Battery pack
Use this conditioning process for all new batteries, or if a battery hasn't been used for a long time.The battery conditioning process ensures your battery accepts the maximum possible charge. Failure to follow this procedure will prevent you from obtaining the maximum battery charge, and will also shorten the effective lifespan of the battery. In addition, the useful lifespan of the battery is adversely
affected by the following usage patterns:
• Using the computer on constant AC power.
• Not discharging and recharging the battery to its extremes, as described above.
• Frequent use; the more you use the battery, the faster it will reach the end of its effective life. An embedded battery has a life span of more than 1,000 charge/discharge cycles."
DEEP BREATH... and then on the same page:
Optimizing battery Life
Optimizing battery life helps you get the most out of battery operation, prolonging the charge/recharge cycle and improving recharging efficiency. You are advised to follow the suggestions set out below:
• Use AC power whenever possible, reserving battery for mobile use.
56 - Battery pack
Use this conditioning process for all new batteries, or if a battery hasn't been used for a long time.
The battery conditioning process ensures your battery accepts the maximum possible charge. Failure to follow this procedure will prevent you from obtaining the maximum battery charge, and will also shorten the effective lifespan of the battery. In addition, the useful lifespan of the battery is adversely affected by the following usage patterns:
• Using the computer on constant AC power.
• Not discharging and recharging the battery to its extremes, as described above.
• Frequent use; the more you use the battery, the faster it will reach the end of its effective life. An embedded battery has a life span of more than 1,000 charge/discharge cycles.
Optimizing battery life
Optimizing battery life helps you get the most out of battery operation, prolonging the charge/recharge cycle and improving recharging efficiency. You are advised to follow the suggestions set out below:
• Use AC power whenever possible, reserving battery for mobile use.
• Remove accessories that are not being used (e.g. a USB disk drive), as they can continue to draw power.
• Excessive recharging decreases the battery life.
Thus I am confronted by this conundrum: should the batteries be subjected to a deep discharge - deep recharge scenario for the life of the system, or should we leave the AC power active at all times. The manual espouses both methodologies! AH! The inscrutable oriental mind! I do have some reluctance to charge Li batteries at night - being awakened in the midst of a conflagration isn't my idea of a good night's sleep. Should a computer be left on 24/7, or should the device be de-energized on occasion?
What advice do you PPRuNe experts have to offer? You have our gratitude in advance as well as that of SNARFY, which is our computer's name,
- Ed