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Smitty
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Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 9:57 pm |
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welcoming committee |
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Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:16 am Posts: 199 Location: Lambertville, NJ
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I have a new Dell Inspiron with Win 7.
I have never owned a laptop until now.
I like to know when to plug in the power supply.
I don't think I'll be using it too much where an electrical outlet is not available.
Do I exhaust the battery to a certain level before using the power supply?
Do I try to keep the battery fully charged or less than fully charged?
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jaylach
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Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 10:16 pm |
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Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9438 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
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Opinions on this will vary but I leave my Asus laptop plugged all the time unless I'm taking it somewhere. I do tend to use it almost like a desktop system. It sits on a desk plugged in. The battery has been in it for over two years and there is no issue.
One thing that I do not do is to charge to 100%. If you look at either Advanced Power settings or it may be included software on your system you should find settings as to what % is considered a full charge along with several other battery settings.
Some will claim that leaving the system on AC all the time can harm the battery but I can't see it. If I have the system to turn off the battery charge at 98% the battery is no longer connected to the charging system so how can it sustain harm? The way I have mine set the charge will not hit the battery unless it drops below 95% by just sitting.
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JoanA
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Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 9:38 am |
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Moderator |
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Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:25 pm Posts: 1916 Location: Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK
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I have my Asus plugged in at all times, it usually gets to about 98% and says it's plugged in but not charging. At the moment we're being battered by hurricane force winds, just lost the power but at least the Asus is still working.
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Manny Carvalho
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Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 10:58 am |
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welcoming committee |
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Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:35 am Posts: 715
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I leave it plugged in all the time as well. I've never really seen a definitive study which demonstrates which method is better. Theories, yes but no study.
Funny you should be having bad weather Joan as well. We got blowing snow like crazy around here. Fortunately, it's not ice like it's happening south of us. We in the South don't like or are prepared for weather like this. I hope I don't lose power like you did. Stay warm.
_________________ Best regards, Manny Carvalho MS-MVP since 2002
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MacDuffie
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Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 11:16 am |
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Fearless Leader |
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Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:42 am Posts: 2819
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I can only speak from seeing dozens and dozens of laptops. Almost all my clients leave it plugged in all the time. Within a couple of years the battery doesn't function any longer, so when they need battery power they get none, or only a minute or two. On the other hand, I advised my husband to keep it unplugged until Windows beeps at him (10%, I believe), then plug it in to full charge, then unplug it. His battery lasted 5 years. Probably would have gone longer except he upgraded to Windows 8 and that took quite a toll on the battery. It was a Windows 7 machine.
That was my advice 6 years ago. Today I have come to believe in shorter, more numerous charging cycles, with occasionally running the battery to very low. That's what I've been doing with my phones and with my Surface. Lithium ion seems to like the shorter, repeated chargings. (Like down to 80 or 70%... whatever is convenient. I just charge these devices overnight.)
_________________ Patty MacDuffie Computer Haven Administrator
Live Long and Prosper Mr. Spock
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JoanA
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Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 11:28 am |
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Moderator |
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Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:25 pm Posts: 1916 Location: Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK
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We got power back but then shortly after we lost it again, this time for awhile, not long got it back again and as I'm on the priority list for power they make sure I get power back as soon as possible.
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