The 6400 is more on the order of 2-3 years old - not one year; it went end of life long before that. The battery is designed to last 300-500 charge cycles or 18-24 months, so it's completely normal to need a new one on a 2-3 year old notebook. Replace the battery.
Well, this is not a reply to an existing forum post but rather a new post or thread. Dell's Forun setup seems to lack the ability to create a thread, either that or they are hiding it.
Maybe there is a moderator who can move this post and make it a new thread???
My niece has a new Dell Inspirion that she has had for about 6 months. The battery is dead, reading 0%. She almost exclusively uses the power cord. Dell tech support has told her that you can not keep the battery connected to the computer and not use it or it will have memory effects and discharge and kill the battery. Personally I think with Li-ion batteries this news is complete bogus, but I am here to get another opinion. First off I believe that some, if not all the charging circuitry is included in the battery pack. And if not there, it is in the computer. An I would also assume that this circuitry bears some resemblance to external battery chargers, first by charging to them to their full potential and then maintaining a safe trickle charge, one that will not damage the battery nor let it discharge to zero!.
Q1: does the battery pack have the complete charge management system,while the computer is just the interface for informing the user of the battery status?
While diagnosing her computer the bad battery was indeed at 0% charge and not charging. I took the battery out and turned the computer on. Then I checked the power cord out, bending, twiddling and although there was some cracks near the reinforced input connector, the computer remained on and did not flinch. So after removing the adapter power I put the new battery in that Dell sent us. The battery monitor icon registered the battery and stated it was at 38%, and that it was NOT Charging!.
Now given my uncertainty with the charge management system I am not sure if the computer has an issue or the new replacement battery circuitry is faulty. By the way, the computer did run on the new battery and the % charge did decrease, but the battery still did not charge with power attached.
Q:3 Given what you know, do you think it is a faulty computer, or a second battery with bad circuitry?
If I were a gambling man I would say that there was faulty circuitry in the computer from the get-go!
Charge management is indeed in the battery. Dell keeps telling people not to keep the battrey in the computer if not being used, but this is BOGUS. My wiife's E1705 is nearly 2 years old, witht he battery in the whole time. It shows 100% charge and 100% condition. Mt daughter has a E6000 over three years old, and the battery is at about 85% condition (until the system board recently failed and nothing works). See THIS for a good Lithium battery primer.
The battery should be in the machine always. The worst thing is to discharge the battery and then let it sit uncharged for too long. The battery will continue to discharge and the battery circuit will see a very low voltage and think the battery is DOA and refuse to charge it.
If you computer works OK plugged in but the battery will not charge, the battery is dead, or the charger is bad, or the battery info circuit is bad. The latter is the small wire in the adaptor plug. If this is bent or broken, or the lead in the adaptor wire is damaged, the charger may not charge the battery.
Two things to do: try the battery in another similar computer, or try another (borrowed) adaptor in yours. The last problem could be a faulty system board socket or a bad connection on the system board. The socket on some Dells can be a real problem. It can be repaired by someone with above average skills, or done at a repair shop ($200) or fixed by replacing the system board ($400).
Note, there is a "Start a New Thread" selection at the top of each page in the Forum's subsections.
You need to check out all possibilities to determine the problem. A new adaptor is easiest and cheapest, a new batytery is next, and system board work the most expensive.
Well, the computer is under an extended warranty, but whether or not the power adapter is covered is unknown to me. I would expect that the motherboard is covered.
We do have another dell with power supply that we will check out with the new battery. We'll be checking this senario out soon.
It looks like a system board failure as both the batteries are not charging. Possibility of both batteries going bad is remote. You can also test the battery with the battery charge indicator on the outer surface of the battery and BIOS has a battery health TAB.
All Hardware components on the computer are covered under the warranty, Except battery. Battery has only 1 year warranty from the INVOICE Date irrespective of the duration for computer warranty. :emotion-11:
It looks like a system board failure as both the batteries are not charging. Possibility of both batteries going bad is remote. You can also test the battery with the battery charge indicator on the outer surface of the battery and BIOS has a battery health TAB.
All Hardware components on the computer are covered under the warranty, Except battery. Battery has only 1 year warranty from the INVOICE Date irrespective of the duration for computer warranty. :emotion-11:
I was begining to suspect the same thing. She will need it for another month at college and then we will arange to send both the power coard and computer back for repair/replacement while she is off on recess. In the interm she will not use the new battery we received from DELL as we have no way to charge it. Her brothers power supply hase a different connector than hers and we could not test this failure option out.
husky0894
1.6K Posts
0
November 27th, 2008 03:00
The battery is at the end of its useful lifespan - given the age of a 6400 (more than two years),it's normal to need a replacement.
fresh prince_bc5cfc
5 Posts
0
November 27th, 2008 07:00
its the end of my first year .. are there any thing that can help me
husky0894
1.6K Posts
0
November 27th, 2008 09:00
The 6400 is more on the order of 2-3 years old - not one year; it went end of life long before that. The battery is designed to last 300-500 charge cycles or 18-24 months, so it's completely normal to need a new one on a 2-3 year old notebook. Replace the battery.
fresh prince_bc5cfc
5 Posts
0
November 27th, 2008 11:00
ok
how do i know its from tha battery an not from the charge
husky0894
1.6K Posts
0
November 27th, 2008 12:00
Unless the battery isn't charging at all, which doesn't sound like it's the problem, the battery is faulty.
If the battery isn't charging at all, it could still be the battery - or the adapter, or the mainboard.
NZtreker
4 Posts
0
November 28th, 2008 11:00
Well, this is not a reply to an existing forum post but rather a new post or thread. Dell's Forun setup seems to lack the ability to create a thread, either that or they are hiding it.
Maybe there is a moderator who can move this post and make it a new thread???
My niece has a new Dell Inspirion that she has had for about 6 months. The battery is dead, reading 0%. She almost exclusively uses the power cord.
Dell tech support has told her that you can not keep the battery connected to the computer and not use it or it will have memory effects and discharge and kill the battery. Personally I think with Li-ion batteries this news is complete bogus, but I am here to get another opinion. First off I believe that some, if not all the charging circuitry is included in the battery pack. And if not there, it is in the computer. An I would also assume that this circuitry bears some resemblance to external battery chargers, first by charging to them to their full potential and then maintaining a safe trickle charge, one that will not damage the battery nor let it discharge to zero!.
Q1: does the battery pack have the complete charge management system,while the computer is just the interface for informing the user of the battery status?
While diagnosing her computer the bad battery was indeed at 0% charge and not charging. I took the battery out and turned the computer on. Then I checked the power cord out, bending, twiddling and although there was some cracks near the reinforced input connector, the computer remained on and did not flinch. So after removing the adapter power I put the new battery in that Dell sent us. The battery monitor icon registered the battery and stated it was at 38%, and that it was NOT Charging!.
Now given my uncertainty with the charge management system I am not sure if the computer has an issue or the new replacement battery circuitry is faulty. By the way, the computer did run on the new battery and the % charge did decrease, but the battery still did not charge with power attached.
Q:3 Given what you know, do you think it is a faulty computer, or a second battery with bad circuitry?
If I were a gambling man I would say that there was faulty circuitry in the computer from the get-go!
kirkd
4 Operator
•
5.2K Posts
0
November 28th, 2008 15:00
Charge management is indeed in the battery. Dell keeps telling people not to keep the battrey in the computer if not being used, but this is BOGUS. My wiife's E1705 is nearly 2 years old, witht he battery in the whole time. It shows 100% charge and 100% condition. Mt daughter has a E6000 over three years old, and the battery is at about 85% condition (until the system board recently failed and nothing works). See THIS for a good Lithium battery primer.
The battery should be in the machine always. The worst thing is to discharge the battery and then let it sit uncharged for too long. The battery will continue to discharge and the battery circuit will see a very low voltage and think the battery is DOA and refuse to charge it.
If you computer works OK plugged in but the battery will not charge, the battery is dead, or the charger is bad, or the battery info circuit is bad. The latter is the small wire in the adaptor plug. If this is bent or broken, or the lead in the adaptor wire is damaged, the charger may not charge the battery.
Two things to do: try the battery in another similar computer, or try another (borrowed) adaptor in yours. The last problem could be a faulty system board socket or a bad connection on the system board. The socket on some Dells can be a real problem. It can be repaired by someone with above average skills, or done at a repair shop ($200) or fixed by replacing the system board ($400).
Note, there is a "Start a New Thread" selection at the top of each page in the Forum's subsections.
You need to check out all possibilities to determine the problem. A new adaptor is easiest and cheapest, a new batytery is next, and system board work the most expensive.
NZtreker
4 Posts
0
November 28th, 2008 16:00
Well, the computer is under an extended warranty, but whether or not the power adapter is covered is unknown to me. I would expect that the motherboard is covered.
We do have another dell with power supply that we will check out with the new battery. We'll be checking this senario out soon.
GARAMVADA
49 Posts
0
November 28th, 2008 16:00
It looks like a system board failure as both the batteries are not charging. Possibility of both batteries going bad is remote. You can also test the battery with the battery charge indicator on the outer surface of the battery and BIOS has a battery health TAB.
All Hardware components on the computer are covered under the warranty, Except battery. Battery has only 1 year warranty from the INVOICE Date irrespective of the duration for computer warranty. :emotion-11:
NZtreker
4 Posts
0
November 28th, 2008 17:00
I was begining to suspect the same thing. She will need it for another month at college and then we will arange to send both the power coard and computer back for repair/replacement while she is off on recess. In the interm she will not use the new battery we received from DELL as we have no way to charge it. Her brothers power supply hase a different connector than hers and we could not test this failure option out.
Thanks for the info