Dell LATITUDE C510 - Manual (Page 44)

The battery life span is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge
and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacity, or battery health. To check the battery health,
press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds. If no lights appear, the
battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. Each light
represents incremental degradation. If five lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity
remains, and you should consider replacing the battery. See "
Specifications " for more information about the
battery life span.
Low-Battery Warning
NOTICE: To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a low-battery warning.
Then connect the computer to an electrical outlet, or install a second battery in the module bay. If the
battery runs completely out of power, hibernate (suspend-to-disk) mode begins automatically.
A low-battery warning occurs when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer
beeps once, indicating that approximately 10 to 15 minutes of battery operating time remain. During that
time, the speaker beeps periodically. If two batteries are installed, the low-battery warning means that the
combined charge of both batteries is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate (or
suspend-to-disk) mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level. For more information on low-
battery alarms, see "
Power Management ."
Charging the Battery
NOTE: The AC adapter charges a completely discharged battery in 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on
whether the computer is on. You can leave the battery in the computer as long as you like. The
battery internal circuitry prevents the battery from overcharging.
When you connect the computer to an electrical outlet or install a battery while the computer is connected to
an electrical outlet, the computer checks the battery charge and temperature. If necessary, the AC adapter
then charges the battery and maintains the battery charge.
If the battery is hot from being used in your computer or being in a hot environment, the battery may not
charge when you connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
The battery is too hot to start charging if the light flashes alternately green and orange. Ensure that the
computer is disconnected from an electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room
temperature. Then reconnect the computer to its electrical outlet and continue charging the battery.
For more information on resolving problems with a battery, see " Power Problems ."
Removing a Battery