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Battery Meter: Desktop Mode Explanation/How It Works
Hi everyone,
Running Dell XPS-12 (i7 version).
I'm hoping someone can provide me with a plain English explanation of "Desktop Mode" in the battery meter options. I have activated it, and it's working. If i navigate to the Battery Status Tab it clearly says "Battery Charging Disabled" (with the current charge at 100%), no grey box or activation problems here as per other threads.
I have searched these forums for how Desktop Mode works and each thread trails off with no clear cut explanation. The dell staff seem to think quoting what is written on the "Desktop Mode" tab is useful....well it's not. The wording makes no sense and is too similar to the Longevity Mode to distinguish the difference. So please please please, can someone explain without quoting the "Battery will only charge between 50 and 100%" BS what enabling this actually does:
- Once charged, does my laptop then stop charging the battery completely, which is the equivalent to physically removing the battery, thereby only running on mains power but with the added advantage of having a battery backup if the power is interrupted? (I hope this is the case, and it makes sense as this is truly a "desktop mode" for a laptop).
- When turned off/sleep mode, is it OK to leave the cable plugged in? Does the computer 'remember' that it's not supposed to be charging the battery? Would unplugging it be stupid as then the laptop will trickle power from the battery over night as it's not off, just in a low power sleep state?
- Why does the battery show 100% charge all the time? Surely, if the battery is not being charged then it should slowly deplete? Or does 'topping up' the battery periodically extend the life of it, and all this is done automatically? I do also have longevity mode enabled; is that what's topping it up?
Thanks all, just want to maximize my battery life and hopefully help others by getting some clear answers!
Tom.
===============================
Message to dell:
There really should be more of a manual shipped with these machines like the old days. Paying £1.8k for a laptop and to only have one A4 piece of paper as my instruction manual seems a bit tight, Dell.
The least you guys need to do is provide hyperlinks from the power options menu so FAQs like the above can be answered, and also change the wording of the power options, as it is obviously written by a tech who knew what he meant but nobody else does!
Kind regards,
Tom.
FattyFish
13 Posts
6
May 28th, 2013 12:00
So I FINALLY got around to calling Dell and cashing in my Premium support for the below. Posting back here in case anyone else wonders/stumbles here in the future.
To answer my own questions:
Desktop mode only kicks in after 2 weeks. (yeah i know, it doesn't say that anywhere but the tech support guy even rang a superior to double check this). So you plug your laptop in, enable desktop mode and don't unplug it. Ever.
See above. Don't unplug it. Ever.
Topping it up will increase longlevity, plus desktop mode doesn't kick in until 2 weeks after the laptop has been plugged in constantly.
There is no conflict in enabling both longevity and desktop mode provided your laptop allows it (mine does, others may not but you'll know if yours cannot do both simultaneously as the option to enable one will be grayed out if the other is enabled).
Hope this helps someone, please let me know if it does, just so i know.
FattyFish
13 Posts
0
March 23rd, 2013 07:00
Bump
FattyFish
13 Posts
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March 23rd, 2013 13:00
Bump
FattyFish
13 Posts
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March 23rd, 2013 17:00
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MicroTest
934 Posts
0
March 23rd, 2013 18:00
BatteryCare - CNETInfo
download.cnet.com/.../3000-20430_4-10964408.html
BatteryCare - portable version : direct download from the authors webpage without CNET ads....
batterycare.net/.../BatteryCarePortable.zip
======================================
Download the portable version,run it as Admin, visit the authors webpage(click "Help" - button") ,read the "Guide" section and FAQs
All about batteries here:
www.batteryuniversity.com
======================================
A GENERAL (!) and comprehensive Guide for Dell computers
downloads.dell.com/.../inspiron-560_Reference%20Guide_en-us.pdf
FattyFish
13 Posts
0
March 26th, 2013 12:00
Thanks for your reply.
Doesn't really help though as this is not the software shipped with my XPS12, and i do not really want to install extra software to potentially do something that the factory shipped software can do just because Dell didn't include a manual to save money (for them).
Does anyone else know the answers to my above questions?
Thanks,
nuffa
1 Message
0
April 20th, 2013 08:00
I'm having the same problem. Everywhere, I see the same text seen in the Battery Meter window copy pasted as the answer. I'd also like a real explanation of what 'Desktop mode' and 'Longevity mode' does and How they help to improve battery health.
DELL-Sujatha K
Community Manager
Community Manager
•
3.3K Posts
0
April 25th, 2013 07:00
Hi nuffa,
The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacity (battery health). That is, a battery can show a charged status but maintain a reduced charge capacity.
In case you disconnect and connect the Ac adapter very often this option will only avoid charging the battery every time the system is connected to the Ac adapter. This option controls the way battery gets charged, thus giving good life to the battery.
You may also go through this link for more information:
http://dell.to/10CqETo
Lyx
2 Posts
0
June 8th, 2013 20:00
Hi FattyFish, I don't understand the answers from Dell support because English is not my first language.
Both desktop and laptop modes sound useless to me because I normally use my laptop for the whole day and continuously plug in my laptop. Because continuous charging is harmful for the battery (my battery status always show "Fully charged (100%)" all the time), do I need to unplug and plug in manually? Thank you.
izumitelj
6 Posts
0
September 20th, 2013 12:00
FattyFish thanks for the explanation. I totally agree Dell should rewrite incomprehensible explanation under power options. And it just gets repeated all over web.
This is best info on this topic so far, but I would like to clear-up one more thing.
When laptop goes in 'Desktop mode', it gets discharged to a degree. So, after around 2 weeks mine started discharging til 75%. For the last few hours it says 'plugged in, charging', but it is not charging at all.
Is this a normal behaviour?
izumitelj
6 Posts
0
September 21st, 2013 10:00
Now (day after) it says "plugged in, NOT charging". It doesn't discharge neither – it stays at 75%.
Everything might be working fine, but notifications are confusing and inconsistent. Can someone from Dell confirm this is normal behaviour in 'Desktop mode'.
Thanx
FattyFish
13 Posts
0
September 25th, 2013 05:00
Not sure about the "not charging" bit...mine has always said charging and it either stops at 75% (half way between the 50-100% described in the power options menu) or it stops at 100%. Maybe try the steps below, and if it still says "not charging" then maybe that's normal behaviour for your laptop:
To resolve "plugged in not charging" notification: (from cnet forms):
1. Open Device Manager (start menu, type device manager, click on it. If on W8 press start button, type "device manager" to perform a search, click settings on the right hand side and click device manager)
2. Expand the Batteries category.
3. Under the Batteries category, right-click the Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery listing, and select Uninstall .
WARNING: Do not remove the Microsoft AC Adapter driver or any other ACPI compliant driver.
4. On the Device Manager taskbar, click Scan for hardware changes .
Alternately, select Action > Scan for hardware changes .
Windows will scan your computer for hardware that doesn't have drivers installed, and will install the drivers needed to manage your battery's power. The notebook should now indicate that the battery is charging.
FattyFish
13 Posts
0
September 25th, 2013 05:00
Charging to 75% is normal, as is charging to 100%. The laptop charges, then trickles the battery to keep it topped up (which is what these types of battery like rather than being depleted completely) and runs direct from the mains. So it doesn't charge the battery any more (apart from a trickle) as it's now in desktop mode.
Such bad info out there, and such bad description in the power options menu it's a joke. Should just say "Battery will be trickle fed to maintain charge between 50 to 100%, but power will be drawn from the mains. Has the same effect as pulling out your battery and putting it on a charger whilst leaving you laptop plugged in to the mains"
izumitelj
6 Posts
0
September 25th, 2013 18:00
I can confirm the same behaviour, so I guess we can agree this is normal. Thanx Dell for replying us and giving us clear explanation.
To summarize. After 2 weeks plugged-in, laptop goes to "desktop mode" and DIScharges somewhere between 50 and 100%. This is apparently better for battery health than being fully charged constantly. When that happened mine dropped at 75% saying "charging" even though it stayed fixed at 75% charge. From the next boot-up on, it said "not charging". Battery level was still fixed at 75%. As you said battery probably gets trickled from time to time to keep the charge constant. After few days like that, I've unplugged and plugged the power cable. Charge went to 100% as expected, and I suppose this ended "desktop mode".
FattyFish
13 Posts
0
September 26th, 2013 13:00
I do hope sarcasm = on. Dell have been next to useless with help on this issue.
Yep. If you unplug it then you have to wait another 2 weeks for desktop mode to kick in. I have no idea why you need to wait two weeks or why this delay isn't written in to the instructions of the power option menus.
Message to Dell, for nearly £2k of laptop I do expect better documentation even if it's download only, better beta testing (with non technophiles who didn't write the code for which they are reviewing) and better response within your own forums! I think this will be the last laptop I buy from you, having purchased every high end laptop every 3 years for the last decade...I think i'll be switching to (much cheaper) Android Tablets and build my own upgradable PC, between the two I can now get everything an ultrabook could do with the power of a desktop to back me up. RIP the ultrabook era.