Dell XPS M2010 MXP061 XPS M2010 Owners Manual - Page 14

The Microsoft Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, double-click the icon on the taskbar. If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, a icon appears. Charge Gauge By either pressing once or pressing and holding the status button on the charge gauge on the battery, you can check: l Battery charge (check by pressing and releasing the status button) l Battery health (check by pressing and holding the status button) The battery operating time 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. That is, a battery can show a status of "charged" but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health). Check the Battery Charge To check the battery charge, press and release the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge-level lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights appear, the battery has no charge. Check the Battery Health NOTE: You can check battery health in one of two ways: by using the charge gauge on the battery as described below and by using the Battery Meter in Dell QuickSet. For information about QuickSet, right-click the icon in the taskbar, and click Help. To check the battery health using the charge gauge, 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 Battery for more information about the battery operating time. 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. If the battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically. A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level. You can change the settings for the battery alarms in QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window. See Configuring Power Management Settings for information about accessing QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window. Charging the Battery NOTE: When the computer is turned off, the AC adapter charges a completely discharged battery to 80 percent in about 90 minutes. Full battery charge time will be longer. Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer for as long as you like. The battery's 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 blue and orange. Disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet and allow the computer and the battery to cool to room temperature. Then connect the computer to an electrical outlet to continue charging the battery. For more information about resolving problems with a battery, see Power Problems. Conserving Battery Power Perform the following actions to conserve battery power: l Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible because battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and recharged. l Place the computer in standby mode or hibernate mode when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time. See Power Management Modes.