Priority Electronics Blog

No matter how much technology increases and battery life extends it’s an inevitable fact that one day your laptop’s power source will need to be replaced. It becomes obvious pretty quickly when you need a new battery: Your notebook will no longer be able to hold a charge and power down quickly even after long periods of recharging. The silver lining is that replacing a laptop battery is easy and relatively inexpensive.

Disposing of Old Batteries

Don’t throw a laptop battery away with the rest of the trash. In many communities batteries and other computer electronics are considered toxic waste. Depending on where you live, the fine for throwing away a battery could be pretty steep. Often your old batteries can be returned to the retailer where the equipment was purchased. Many automotive stores also take used batteries. To find places that recycle batteries in your area, click here.

How to Replace a Laptop Battery

Replacing a battery on a laptop isn’t as difficult as you may think. Follow these steps to safely replace a battery:

• Turn off your laptop and disconnect the AC adapter.

• Release the latch and other devices that hold your battery in place.

• Slide the old battery out of its storage bay.
• Avoid touching the contacts on the battery itself or inside the bay. Oil on your fingertips could end up reducing the charge.

• Make sure the new battery is the correct model for your laptop.

• Slide it into its compartment.

• Close the computer’s latch to lock the battery into place.

• Connect the AC adapter and give the battery a full charge before use.

Ordering The Right Replacement Battery

Make sure the battery you order is compatible with the manufacturer and model type of the specific laptop you own. For example, if you own a Dell Inspiron 1300 you’ll want to purchase a 312-0416 laptop battery to ensure compatibility.

Browse PriorityElectronics.com to find a compatible battery for your ailing laptop and finally put the old one to rest. We promise you won’t miss it. The improved performance and extended use of your computer will quickly pay off the cost of a replacement and keep your laptop operating smooth again.

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Power Rating Terms

Every laptop battery is given a power rating in order to show you, the consumer, about how long your battery should last before it needs to be recharged. These electrical specifications are given using volts (V) and milliAmps (mAh). For example, you may see your battery is given a rating of: 10.8V, 4000mAh.

Volts and milliAmp hours are used because they measure the amount of energy used by a laptop battery. A volt (V) is a measurement used for the amount of pressure the positive and negative electrodes produce in a battery during the process of discharging energy. Amps (A) measure the amount of resistance the energy in your battery produces in order to power a laptop.

Think of volts and amps in terms of a shower. When a shower is turned on half way, the water that goes through the pipe produces a certain amount of pressure. When you turn it on to its full amount, the water produces more pressure in the pipe. This pressure, or power, is similar to the volts a battery uses. If a laptop is running simple programs, little power is needed to discharge energy into a laptop. However, if a laptop is running a DVD movie or other high energy consumption applications, more power will be needed to discharge the necessary amount of energy to run the DVD movie.

You may also notice that increasing the size of the pipe and shower head without having to open the faucet all the way will produce similar results. This is an example of the amount of resistance in the flow of energy. Measuring this resistance is measured in terms of amps. In terms of a battery, the amount of resistance is dependant on the size of the battery and the amount of energy inside.

Battery life: A Few Things to Consider

Laptop ratings are given in terms of amp hours (Ah). Amp hours measure the length of time a battery will discharge energy before it needs charging. In order to adequately measure battery life, manufacturers use milliAmp hours (mAh). This means that every 1000mAh is equal to 1Ah. What does this mean for your new battery? If your original battery is measured at 2500mAh and your replacement battery is measured at 5000mAh, then your battery run time will double.

Keep in mind that technology constantly changes. Your old battery may be rated at a lower run time than a newer one because of technological advancements that have produced longer lasting batteries.

Additionally, your battery’s run time depends on the programs you use. Some programs require more energy to run than others. Examples are: the screen (particularly if set at the brigh test setting), hard drives, CD and DVD drives, and wireless network cards. Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to the question, how long exactly will my laptop battery last? The key factor is how and what you use your laptop for.

One way of conserving power is to go to your Power Management settings icon in the Control Panel. You can shut off settings or programs you do not use. Also consider dimming your screen and shutting off your wireless card when you don’t need it.

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A laptop battery works in much the same way as batteries that go into portable CD players, remote controls, and shower radios. Just like the batteries used in these household items, laptop batteries come in different sizes based upon the size of the laptop. Laptop batteries however, contain within them complex charging circuitry that works together with a laptop’s hardware.

Inside each laptop battery are internal power cells. These power cells are arranged in a series and are parallel to each other. This is done in order to maximize the voltage level for the battery as a whole. In addition these cells are controlled by a circuit board. The circuit board regulates how the cells work for both the process of discharging and recharging energy. It makes sure that your battery is not overcharged when charging, and it makes sure that each cell drains the same amount so you can have a longer run time.

Inside each battery there are also positive and negative electrodes. In order to power your laptop, a chemical reaction occurs with both the positive and negative electrodes. This reaction flows in a specific way in order to discharge energy. Plugging in your adapter reverses this process in order to recharge your battery. The process of reversing the chemical reaction occurs for both positive and negative electrodes. To make both the discharge of energy as well as recharge process work, this process must be exact. If not, then a short-circuit may occur. This process is basically the same whether your battery runs on Lithium Ion (Li-Ion), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), or Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly).

This process is then regulated by hardware within your laptop. The hardware in your laptop ensures that the cells are functioning to their capacity. This is what also allows you to check the life left on your laptop battery before it needs to be recharged. A battery symbol is typically displayed on the right corner of your task bar. This symbol graphically shows how much energy has been discharged as well as how much is left.

Although a laptop battery is rechargeable, it does have a limited life span. A typical battery usually lasts for about 500-700 charges before it will no longer be capable of recharging, and a replacement is necessary. The amount of charges can vary depending on the main use of your laptop. Some functions require more energy then others. Using functions such as a DVD player or using the brigh test screen setting can drain the battery quicker, thus requiring it to be charged sooner. The more often you need to charge your battery, the sooner the battery will be drained of its life span.

Manufacturers will additionally custom tailor their laptop batteries based upon the needs of each laptop model. A few things that impact the appearance of a battery are the overall size and weight of a laptop. After all, a small notebook would be difficult to carry if the battery weighed an additional two pounds. These factors account for their varying sizes. One size does not fit all in the world of laptop manufacturing. Overall functionality is the key.

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When purchasing a battery for your notebook computer, the first thing a consumer should look for is the reputability of the product at mind. If the product is made by the manufacturer of your laptop (i.e. Sony, Compaq, Dell, etc), you can usually be sure it is a quality product. However, many manufactures do not actually manufacturer, instead they are the brander of the product. For example, if you open up a genuine Sony laptop battery, you may find that the power cells inside are actually made by Toshiba, Panasonic, or a similar big name company. Sony in this case has just made the plastic case of the battery. This goes to show that the brand of the battery you are buying does not necessarily mean that the quality is superior. Many third party brands use the exact same power cells as original manufacturers. Using a third party manufacturer is often a good way to go when buying a battery, as there are usually many extra benefits. For instance, most third party batteries are much lower in price than original manufacturers’ batteries. Secondly, they usually offer a superior warranty, as they realize that in order to win the consumer’s confidence; they must stand behind their product. A one year warranty is a must. Don’t buy any battery with a warranty less than one year. Batteries have been known to die early, and a three month warranty could leave you high and dry.

The next main thing a consumer should look for is the type of battery. Batteries can be made using several chemicals. For laptops, there are four main types. They are Ni-Cad, Ni-MH, Li-Ion, and Li-Poly. There is no major manufacturer that still makes Ni-Cad laptop batteries, as they are a very old and primitive type of power. Ni-MH is newer and more advanced, but is not as good as its Li-Ion and Li-Poly counterparts. If we compare the last three types (Ni-MH, Li-Ion, Li-Poly), we find that Ni-MH batteries weigh more than the other two, but produce less current than the other two. Li-Ion and Li-Poly are the most advanced types of batteries on the market, and you should try to get one of these two types if possible. Most laptops that come with one type of battery can not use any other type of battery, meaning that if your laptop came with a Ni-Cad, it must be replaced by another Ni-Cad. The same goes for the other types. Please note that in some cases, this does not apply. Some laptops that come with a Ni-MH battery can be replaced with a stronger Li-Ion one.

Lastly you must look at the power rating of the item you’re buying. As technology advances, so do power ratings. The battery you bought last year may be twice as strong this year, and might even be the same physical size. Batteries have two main ratings on them: Volts and Amperes. Because laptop batteries do not carry a very large amount of power when compared to larger batteries such as car batteries, most companies show their ratings with Volts and Milliamperes. One thousand Milliamperes equals 1 Ampere. When buying a battery, always go for the battery with the most Milliamperes (or mAh). Batteries are also rated by Watt-Hours, perhaps the simplest rating of all. This is found by multiplying the Volts and the Amperes together. We will now show you an example of finding the Watt-Hours for our example battery.

Our example battery is 14.4 Volts, 3600mAh
(remember that 3600mAh is equal to 3.6 Amperes).

14.4 x 3.6 = 51.84

This battery has 51.84 Watt-Hours. The term Watt Hour signifies the energy needed to power one watt for one hour. Thus this battery can power 51.84 watts for one hour. Suppose your laptop runs at 25.92 watts (this may be unlikely, but let’s use this just for simplicity). This battery could power your laptop for 2 hours. People usually associate the word ‘Watts’ with light bulbs, and yes, this battery could power a 40 watt light bulb for about an hour and 18 minutes, a 60 watt light bulb for about 52 minutes, or a 100 watt light bulb for 31 minutes; it’s the same idea.

The reason we have shown you watt-hours is because oftentimes the volts and Amperes vary. For example our laptop that uses a Li-Ion 14.4 Volt, 3600mAh battery may use a NI-MH battery that is 9.6 Volts, 4000mAh. Now let’s do the math and find out which battery is stronger.

Li-Ion: 14.4 Volts x 3.6 Amperes = 51.84 Watt Hours
Ni-MH: 9.6 Volts x 4 Amperes = 38.4 Watt Hours
The Li-Ion is stronger.

Should I get a used battery?

This is a very valid question that every bargain shopper will encounter. Your first option is to purchase a new battery that naturally has new power cells inside. Performance will be at 100%, and it usually comes with a 1 year warranty. However, many companies will either skip that first option by offering only a used or refurbished battery, or they will give you both options: the choice of a new or a used/refurbished. Be skeptical when you see used/refurbished. Usually the warranty on this type of battery is very minimal. Now if you do not use your laptop very much, then this may be a great alternative vs. purchasing a new battery in upwards of $100.  Refurbished batteries do not hold as much power when compared to new batteries. Also, they can kick the bucket on you randomly since you really do not know how old the battery is. Our recommendation is to stick with a new battery, or be very careful who you buy your refurbished battery from.

Once I get my new battery, what do I do with my old one?

A question that might arise for many people is what they are supposed to do with their old laptop battery. We recommend contacting RBRC (Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation). You can visit their website at http://www.rbrc.org. We are not affiliated with them; however we have heard that they will take care of your recycling needs. They are also a non-profit company.

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Question: How long will my laptop battery power my computer for?
Answer: This is the most famous consumer question, and is the hardest one to answer. This answer depends on the exact laptop model that you have. Some laptops can run for 5 hours or more off of their battery, while others may last less than 2 hours before they need to recharge the battery. Generally, you should contact the manufacturer of the laptop in question, and they should be able to give you an estimate. Remember that the size of the screen, the power of your processor (PIII, P4, etc), your hard drive, and many other things such as the programs you are running (DVD, CD-Burning, Word Processing) will all effect your time away from the wall, making this a very hard question to answer.

Question: What do I do when the power runs out?
Answer: Recharge the battery. All laptop batteries are rechargeable. To recharge them, simply plug in your AC power adapter. This will charge the battery even while the laptop is still on (you can also turn the laptop off to charge the battery faster). You can literally keep your laptop on all the time, and use it on battery too if you just recharge it when the battery runs low.

Question: What do I need to do to get the most out of my battery?
Answer: There are several ways of increasing the battery life and getting the most out of your investment. It is recommended to charge your battery up to 100%, each time you charge it. Then, when you use it, do not plug it back in until the power is very low (usually between 5%-15%). Though Li-Ion, Li-Poly, and newer Ni-MH batteries do not require this step, we have found that it does usually help extend the life of the battery.

Question: How do I increase my run time (the length I can use my laptop on battery power)?
Answer: Run time can be increased or decreased depending on the applications and tasks that you have your laptop doing. For example, if you are playing a DVD movie, much power is being used. If you are burning a CD-R/CD-RW or playing a full screen 3D video game, much power is being used. All these things take more power and in effect lessen the amount of time that you have in “portable” mode. It is best to try to plug the laptop into the wall if possible in these situations. Remember that you can also get car power adapters for your laptop; this will charge your battery and power your laptop while you are on the road. Programs that take little power (giving you longer battery life) include word processing programs like Microsoft Word or Corel Word Perfect, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Outlook Express, Internet Explorer, AOL, CompuServe, or any similar programs. Even the colors displayed on your screen can affect your battery life. Lighter colors take more power to produce. External connections such as USB Mice, USB Scanners, Memory Cards, Zip Drives, etc. all take more power from your precious battery life. Keep these things in mind when power is of the essence.

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