Laptop battery advice

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message news:OSqde.1436$Q.147@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 14:33:18 GMT

There have been 3 different battery systems used in laptops,
NiCad, NiMH and Lithium. Some of the advice still being given
out (on systems with Lithium batteries) is old, outdated advice
that was only applicable to NiCad (the oldest and by far the
worst of the 3 technologies)...

Hi Barry... Ni-Cad the worst? It depends on the application. As it
is believed among RC enthusiast that Ni-Cad can handle lots of
vibrations and not suffer any damage. Unlike Ni-MH. And many CMOS
batteries for laptops are still using Ni-Cad. So I wouldn't
necessary call it the worst of the three. My Sharp PC-4501 ('89 era)
actually uses the fourth battery type called Lead-Acid (Pb).






Cheers!


________________________________________________________
Bill (using a HP Pavilion AMD 1.2GHZ under Windows 2000)
-- written and edited within WordStar 5.0

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

BillW50 wrote:

> necessary call it the worst of the three. My Sharp PC-4501 ('89 era)
> actually uses the fourth battery type called Lead-Acid (Pb).

My talking Alphie Robot computer from the 80s (taught me how to talk and
count) used a fifth battery type based on zinc-manganese-dioxide called
alkaline. Unfortunately, it exploded when I attempted to recharge it.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Michael Lee" <gte980p@prism.gatech.edu> wrote in message news:d58cdp$3qc$1@news-int2.gatech.edu...
Date: Tue, 03 May 2005 13:29:33 -0400

BillW50 wrote:

> necessary call it the worst of the three. My Sharp PC-4501 ('89 era)
> actually uses the fourth battery type called Lead-Acid (Pb).

My talking Alphie Robot computer from the 80s (taught me how to
talk and count) used a fifth battery type based on zinc-
manganese-dioxide called alkaline. Unfortunately, it exploded
when I attempted to recharge it.

That's very interesting Michael... While I have lots of luck with
the first four rechargeable battery types. But this rechargeable
zinc-manganese-dioxide battery stuff I never had much luck with. It
appears that you haven't either. <sigh> Although 2 out of 4 AA
batteries are still kicking. Those things leak too easy when
recharged for me. Although I never had an explosion. <grin>






Cheers!


________________________________________________________
Bill (using a HP Pavilion AMD 1.2GHZ under Windows 2000)
-- written and edited within WordStar 5.0

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

In my view, NiCads are the worst. Almost unconditionally. Very short
life (both shelf life and use life), memory effect, just overall
terrible. RC may be an exception, as vibration is not a consideration
in almost any other application.

SLA (sealed lead acid) normally isn't used for laptops, so I didn't
include it, but you are correct it's a 4th major category of
rechargeable battery, a derivative, of course, of the automobile battery
but sealed and leakproof. Virtually all UPS' use them.


BillW50 wrote:

> "Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message news:OSqde.1436$Q.147@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
> Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 14:33:18 GMT
>
> There have been 3 different battery systems used in laptops,
> NiCad, NiMH and Lithium. Some of the advice still being given
> out (on systems with Lithium batteries) is old, outdated advice
> that was only applicable to NiCad (the oldest and by far the
> worst of the 3 technologies)...
>
> Hi Barry... Ni-Cad the worst? It depends on the application. As it
> is believed among RC enthusiast that Ni-Cad can handle lots of
> vibrations and not suffer any damage. Unlike Ni-MH. And many CMOS
> batteries for laptops are still using Ni-Cad. So I wouldn't
> necessary call it the worst of the three. My Sharp PC-4501 ('89 era)
> actually uses the fourth battery type called Lead-Acid (Pb).
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Cheers!
>
>
> ________________________________________________________
> Bill (using a HP Pavilion AMD 1.2GHZ under Windows 2000)
> -- written and edited within WordStar 5.0
>

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message news:4277C745.5010403@neo.rr.com...
Date: Tue, 03 May 2005 18:47:33 GMT

In my view, NiCads are the worst. Almost unconditionally. Very
short life (both shelf life and use life), memory effect, just
overall terrible. RC may be an exception, as vibration is not a
consideration in almost any other application.

Hi Barry... I've heard that Ni-Cads will chemically break down after
7 years no matter what. But I still have 30 year old Ni-Cads that
are still kicking. Not good enough to use for practical
applications, since they only have a capacity of 1/10th of what they
are rated for. While those that I have are 20 years old, are about
holding 1/3rd of their rated capacity. So I don't think Ni-Cads are
really the worst. Although they are one of the worst for weight vs.
capacity. But sometimes this isn't an issue.

Ni-Cads and memory effect? I generally drain them pretty low anyway
during use, so I can't comment too much about this. So this could be
indeed a problem for sure, but I can't swear to it. But my Toshiba
2595XDVD laptops use Ni-Cads for the CMOS. And they are now pushing
6 years old and no problems at all. And one of them often never gets
AC or power for 4 to 6 months at a time (it's a backup for the other
one). So it is doing its job for now for 6 years. So I wouldn't
discount Ni-Cad batteries at all.

I do have what is called a Triton battery charger/discharger that is
a really smart charger/discharger (charges all four types that we
have talked about). And when I try to recycle Ni-Cad batteries, the
2nd and sometimes the 3rd cycle, those Ni-Cads really come back to
life. But further cycles only result in much less of a capacity.
This I don't know why?

One of the big benefits of Ni-Cads is that they can take a lot of
abuse. Meaning you can quickly and overcharge them with little or no
effects. Although try that with Ni-MH or lithium and you quickly get
into deep trouble.

SLA (sealed lead acid) normally isn't used for laptops, so I
didn't include it, but you are correct it's a 4th major
category of rechargeable battery, a derivative, of course, of
the automobile battery but sealed and leakproof. Virtually all
UPS' use them.

Yes all true! And I used to think that if you keep them trickle
charged, they would last the longest for this type. Wrong! As you
have to use them once in awhile (every few months) to burn off the
corrosion off of the plates. So anybody running UPS should do this
now and then. Otherwise they won't last as long as they could.
<grin>






Cheers!


________________________________________________________
Bill (using a HP Pavilion AMD 1.2GHZ under Windows 2000)
-- written and edited within WordStar 5.0

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

On 2005.5.3, BillW wrote:




> My Sharp PC-4501 ('89 era) actually uses the fourth battery type
> called Lead-Acid (Pb).

So did the Apple/Sony PowerBook 100. I remember those batteries being
fairly easy to kill. They were also heavy.


--
garglemonster@my-deja.com

Should I get locked in the PRINCICAL'S OFFICE today -- or have a
VASECTOMY??

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Garglemonster" <garglemonster@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:87ekcnponl.fsf@shroud.disorg...
Date: Wed, 04 May 2005 01:04:46 -0400

On 2005.5.3, BillW wrote:

> My Sharp PC-4501 ('89 era) actually uses the fourth battery type
> called Lead-Acid (Pb).

So did the Apple/Sony PowerBook 100. I remember those batteries
being fairly easy to kill. They were also heavy.

Well I knew a great deal about the care and feeding of lead-acid
batteries and mine lasted over 10 years. And at the time, the trick
was to always have it on a trickle charge. Well whenever you can of
course. Also they generally don't like to be left in a discharged
state for too long. 6 to 12 hours is probably okay. But any longer
really does a lot of harm to them.

Although later after the battery died. I also learned that you
should discharge them a bit every few months (all it takes is
running them off of the battery for 5 to 10 minutes should be just
fine). As this burns off the corrosion off of the plates (that white
powder stuff). Then throw it back on the charger again.




Cheers!


______________________________________________
Bill (using a Toshiba 2595XDVD & Windows 98SE)
-- written and edited within WordStar 5.0