Compaq XL280 - Manual (Page 35)

6 B ATTERY AND P OWER M ANAGEMENT P RESARIO N OTEBOOK M AINTENANCE AND S ERVICE G UIDE 1800 S ERIES
Presario 1800/1800T Series
Models: XL280, XL380, XL381,
and XL390
Increasing Battery Pack Operating Time
Battery pack operating life is affected by several variables. To avoid unnecessary
replacement, consider the following when determining how long a charged battery pack
should last:
•
Power conservation settings
•
Hardware configuration
•
Software applications
•
Installed options
•
Display brightness
•
Hard drive usage
•
Changes in operating temperatures
•
Type and number of installed PC Cards
Note: Power consumption requirements for PC cards vary widely. Some cards drain the
battery pack very rapidly.
Battery pack operating life can be increased by as much as 50 percent by controlling the
energy required by the Notebook and the energy stored in the battery pack.
Minimizing the Energy Required
To minimize the energy required by the Notebook, follow these guidelines:
•
Set the power conservation levels in the Power Management utility to Maximum.
•
Customize the time-out value to work more efficiently with the applications. The
length of battery life depends on the values selected.
Maximizing the Energy Stored
To maximize the energy stored in the battery pack, follow these guidelines:
•
Condition the battery pack at least every 30 days to improve overall battery
performance.
•
Keep a battery pack in the Notebook when using it with AC power to supply the
battery pack with a constant trickle charge.
•
Store the battery pack in a cool, dry place when not in use.