Acer AcerNote 950 User manual
Operating on Battery Power 2-1
Chapter 2
Operating on Battery Power
This chapter contains the information you need to know to operate the
notebook on battery power.
2.1 Battery Pack
Whenever possible, use the AC adapter. The battery will come in handy
when you travel or during a power failure. It is advisable to have an extra
fully-charged battery pack available for backup. The battery pack is installed
in the power bay. Before removing the battery pack, make sure that you turn
off the notebook and close the LCD display properly. Place the unit in an
upside-down position and unlock the power bay lock to release the battery
pack as shown in Figure 2-1.
Figure 2-1 Removing the Battery Pack
1
1If a CD-ROM drive / battery pack unit is installed in the notebook, you need to remove the whole unit
from the accessory and power bays. Then, detach the battery pack from the CD-ROM drive module.
Battery pack
Power bay lock
2-2 User’s Manual
Do not expose battery packs to temperatures below 0ºC (32ºF)
or above 60ºC (140ºF). This may adversely affect the battery
pack.
Currently, there is no defined standard for measuring battery life. Several
factors have made it almost impossible to compare the battery life of
different notebooks based on specifications alone. These factors include
different implementations of power saving/management systems,
applications in use, the user’s “usage pattern”, hard disk capacity and access
frequency, LCD size and brightness, system form factor and weight.
If the system is to be stored for more than two weeks, we
suggest that you remove the battery pack. Battery power (from
a fully charged battery pack) depletes in roughly ten days with
the notebook in standby mode. When the power switch is off,
battery power depletes in one month.
2.1.1 Battery Pack Characteristics
The battery pack has the following characteristics:
•
Battery pack self-discharge
Battery packs self-discharge slowly, which
may result in a low battery power condition after being stored for weeks.
•
Memory effect
This is a phenomenon wherein charging finishes in one-
third the normal charge time. This leaves the battery pack not fully
charged due to inactive status after over-charging or long-term aging.
This situation can usually be improved by conditioning the battery pack
three times or more. Please refer to section 2.4.2 for details on how to
condition the battery pack.
•
Battery-low indicator (icon)
When the battery level becomes low, the
battery-low icon ( ) on the status LCD appears. This informs the user
that the battery power is critically low. You can correct this situation by
recharging the battery pack.
Operating on Battery Power 2-3
2.1.2 Installing a Secondary Battery Pack
The notebook’s modular design allows you to use two battery packs at the
same time. The primary battery pack is inserted into the power bay and a
secondary battery can be inserted into the accessory bay when you need it.
When the Accessory Bay Houses a Diskette Drive
Follow these steps to install a secondary battery pack.
1. Make sure the system power is
off. Remove the internal diskette
drive by unlocking the accessory
bay lock and pulling the drive out.
Set aside the diskette drive.
2. Extend the battery cover plate of
the secondary battery pack.
3. Insert the secondary battery pack
into the accessory bay and click it
into place.
2-4 User’s Manual
When the Accessory Bay Houses a CD-ROM Drive
When the 6-cell Li-Ion battery pack is installed in the power bay,
do not install a secondary battery pack.
Follow these steps to install a secondary battery pack.
1. Make sure the system power is
off. Remove the CD-ROM drive /
battery pack unit by unlocking the
accessory bay lock and CD-ROM
drive lock. Then pull the drive
out. Set aside.
2. Insert the primary NiMH battery
into the power bay.
3. Extend the battery cover plate of
the secondary NiMH battery pack.
4. Insert the secondary NiMH battery
pack into the accessory bay and
click it into place.
Operating on Battery Power 2-5
2.2 Charging the Battery
Place the battery pack inside the battery compartment and plug the AC
adapter into the notebook and an electrical outlet.
The adapter has three charging modes:
•Rapid mode
The system uses rapid charging when the notebook (with a battery pack
installed) is turned off and a powered AC adapter is connected to it. In
rapid mode, a fully depleted NiMH battery gets fully charged in
approximately two hours. The battery LEDs light up as it is being
charged to indicate the level of charge.
•Charge-in-use mode
When the notebook is in use with the AC adapter plugged in, the
notebook also charges the battery pack if installed. This mode will take
longer to fully charge a battery than rapid mode.
•Trickle mode
When the battery is fully charged, the adapter changes to trickle mode
to maintain the battery charge level. This prevents the battery from
draining while the system is in use.
2-6 User’s Manual
2.3 Checking the Battery Level
The system features battery-low warning signals that are both audible and
visible. When the battery pack is low, the system emits warning beeps at
regular intervals. You can turn off this feature by disabling the Battery-low
Warning Beep parameter in the Setup utility (refer to section 4.6.5). In this
situation, a battery-low icon ( ) appears on the status LCD.
There are two ways to check the battery charge level:
•Onscreen battery gauge utility
•Battery-level LEDs on the battery pack
Using the Battery Gauge
To access the onscreen battery gauge, press -R. The following screen
displays:
Phoenix NoteBIOS v4.0 Battery Gauge Manager
Copyright (c)1995 Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
(%) Empty 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Full
R-Pack
L-Pack Battery Disconnected
The onscreen battery gauge indicates the present battery level.
R-pack refers to the primary battery installed in the power bay, while L-pack
refers to the secondary battery housed in the accessory bay.
Operating on Battery Power 2-7
Using the Battery LEDs
To check the battery using the battery LEDs:
Press the battery level button near
the battery LEDs to check the
charge level of the battery pack.
The LEDs light up to indicate the
battery level. Each LED signifies 20
percent. For example, if three LEDs
light up, it means the battery has 40
to 60 percent of its maximum power.
Refer to Table 2-1.
Table 2-1 is a battery-level chart.
Table 2-1 Battery-level Chart
Battery LEDs LEDs Lit Charge Level
v
v
v
v
v
five 80%~99%
v
v
v
v
four 60%~80%
v
v
v
three 40%~60%
v
v
two 20%~40%
v
one 0%~20%
When the battery is fully charged (100 percent), the battery
LEDs turn off automatically. If you press the battery level
button, five LEDs light up.
2-8 User’s Manual
2.4 Optimizing Battery Life
This section helps you get the most out of battery operation. Optimizing
battery life prolongs the charge/recharge cycle and improves recharge
efficiency.
2.4.1 Maximizing Battery Power
Follow these suggestions to maximize battery power:
•Purchase an extra battery pack.
•Use the system utility PHDISK to reserve hard disk space for the zero-
volt suspend function once the system is installed with DOS.
•Use the AC adapter whenever possible so that the battery is reserved
for on-the-go computing.
•Condition the battery pack to reduce the possibility of memory effect.
Refer to section 2.4.2.
•Keep the battery pack in the notebook powered by an external power
source (AC adapter or docking station).
•When powered by the AC adapter, the constant trickle charge
maintains the battery level to eliminate the battery self-discharge
effect. The charge-in-use function also charges the battery pack.
•When powered by a docking station, the battery pack can be
recharged fully in approximately two hours. Check the battery level
to verify.
•Disable the parallel and serial ports if no devices are connected to these
ports. You can do this through Setup.
•Make use of the power-saving modes described in sections 2.5 and 2.6.
Operating on Battery Power 2-9
•Eject the PCMCIA card from the card slot when not in use, since the
PCMCIA card draws extra power.
When using a network card, logout first before ejecting the card.
•Use the disk cache utility SMARTDRV (bundled with MS-DOS) or
create a virtual disk (RAMDRIVE) to lessen the loading of the hard disk
drive.
•Store the battery pack in a cool, dry place. The recommended storage
temperature for battery packs ranges from 10 to 30 degrees C. The
higher the storage temperature, the faster the battery pack self-
discharges.
•The batteries can be recharged about 500 times when used as directed.
Excess recharging decreases battery life.
2.4.2 Conditioning the Battery Pack
Conditioning the battery pack reduces the possibility of memory effect,
common to most rechargeable battery systems. We recommend that you
condition the battery pack at least once every month, preferably twice a
month. A battery discharge utility helps you discharge the battery pack
quickly.
Follow these steps to condition the battery pack:
1. Connect the AC adapter.
2. Turn on the notebook (with the battery pack installed).
2-10 User’s Manual
3. Enter Setup by pressing the no-reboot Setup button ( ). The
discharge function is not available if you enter Setup using Pduring
boot-up.
Phoenix NoteBIOS Setup - Copyright 1985-95 Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Power Management Mode [Enabled]
Hard Disk Standby Timer [1 Minute]
Display Device [Auto]
LCD Expanded Mode [Enabled]
Battery-Low Warning Beep [Enabled]
Standby/Suspend Upon Battery-Low [Enabled]
Password Check During Resume [Disabled]
Display Standby Timer [1 Minute]
System Standby/Suspend Timer [3 Minutes]
ESC Exit Change Values F7 Battery DischargeSelect Item
↑↓ → ←
Select Power Management
Mode. Choosing modes
changes system power
management settings. To
alter these settings,
choose Enabled. To turn
off power management,
choose Disabled.
LCD Panel Control
4. Press Uto activate the battery discharge function. This disables all
power-management functions and uses up the battery power even if the
AC adapter is connected. The following screen displays.
System is now installed with
Battery
Discharge battery now.
Cancel battery discharge.
Enter
Esc
Press H
to discharge the battery or _to cancel the operation.
The battery pack begins discharging. The battery discharge function also
deactivates the power-saving features.
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