Not sure about how long it holds a charge, but you definitely do not have to drain the batter completely before you charge it again. Once you're done with using it on battery, plug it in. Laptop lithium-ion batteries don't have memories.

Definitely don't fully discharge your battery as that can damage it and reduce its lifespan.

See here for some tips on lithium batteries.

Texruss

 

Thanks for the link. I was always told that I should fully discharge batteries before recharging...

Jen

  Half of what he said is true but the other half is incorrect. LI-ion batteries dont have memory, but not fully discharging may also cause problems. Usually you wont see signs till later down the road.

   I have a lithium Ion battery that at 60% dies because of halfway discharging it and then recharging it, my advice is when using outlet power remove the battery at fully charge and store and a cool dry place. Do not discharge completly, but when useing it discharge till advised to hibernate. This is because a full discharge will cause your computer to abruptly shut off and may corrupt system files. On the other hand a very premature recharge over time will shorten the life span.

   When mine discharges to 60 percent ( roughly 15 minutes.) it goes dead. The reason for this is because when you use a LI ION  it has so many cells and if a cell for a long period of time is not discharged and charge it will die. This caused by electrons being corroded off the anode plate creating a paste on the base of the battery, this paste from the electrons that dont completly go to the cathode plate.

  By doing a fairly full discharge your are moving free electrons along with the electrons from the anode plate to the cathode. After followed by a  full recharge you are then sending the electrons in the opposite direction back to the anode wich rebuilds the anodes structure, never to a complete 100%. but by doing this you are also moving the decayed electrons back to a state of use.

Not doing this will eventually leave you with fewer use of cells. This will causes shorter battery life for the remaining cells and shorter time length overall.

My knowledge of batteries is due to extensive training in battery maintnance  for H-60 Helicopters. I hope this advise is helpful and educational. 

 

Message Edited by nw15062 on 03-16-2004 09:45 AM

Im sooooooo confused, thank you all for the input.

>Half of what he said is true but the other half is incorrect LIion batteries dont have memory but not fully discharging may also cause problems

I stand by a shallow discharge for lithium batteries based on 15 years of personal experience as a PC technician and can refer you to many lithium ion articles online from experts in the field of batteries. Lithium batteries are not like NiCad and Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. Lithium batteries die from old age (the decaying process you mention quite well) and also from the effects of recycling charges and discharges. The old strategy of fully discharging worked on older batteries, but not for lithium ion cells.YMMV

All the best,

Texruss

Web articles and Military Publications are two different things one is based on PC users and the other is based on the Manufacturers and Inventors.

But how you treat your batteries is a a personal preference, I on the other hand cant wait for the next type of batteries yet to be released and I am not talking about Hydrogen cells either.

Message Edited by nw15062 on 03-15-2004 09:46 PM

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@nw15062 wrote:

Web articles and Military Publications are two different things one is based on PC users and the other is based on the Manufacturers and Inventors.

But how you treat your batteries is a a personal preference, I on the other hand cant wait for the next type of batteries yet to be released and I am not talking about Hydrogen cells either.

Message Edited by nw15062 on 03-15-2004 09:46 PM

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I would put more faith in information from the end user, rather from the manufacturers trying to sell the product.  Just my two cents though...

 >would put more faith in information from the end user

Try a search on Googlenet for this term: shallow discharge lithium

I think you'll find knowledgeable users (non-vendors) who recommend against a full discharge of lithium ion batteries. YMMV.

Texruss

Hi Matt37b,

You can't leaving me hanging...please tell me how you condition your batteries...

BTW, good point on the not being able to overcharge, etc.

Thanks.