Acer 1400 manual Checking the battery level, Optimizing battery life

36 Operating on battery power

When the computer is in use with the AC adapter plugged in, the computer fully charges the battery pack in approximately 9 hours.

Note: We suggest that you charge the battery pack before retiring for the day, letting it charge overnight before traveling. This ensures a fully charged battery for use the next day.

Checking the battery level

The Windows battery meter indicates the present battery level. Simply rest your cursor on the battery meter (or AC plug) icon on the taskbar to see the present charge level of your battery.

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. Follow these suggestions to optimize and maximize battery power:

•Purchase an extra battery pack.

•Use the AC adapter whenever possible so that the battery is reserved for on-the- go computing.

•Keep the battery pack in the computer 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.

•Disable the parallel port if no devices are connected to this port. You can do this through the BIOS Setup Utility. See “Others” on page 69.

•Eject the PC Card from the slot when it is not in use, since the PC Card draws extra power. See “Ejecting a card” on page 47.

•Store the battery pack in a cool, dry place. The recommended storage temperature for battery packs ranges from 10 to 30 degrees Celsius. The higher the storage temperature, the faster the battery pack self-discharges.

•The batteries can be recharged about 400 times when used as directed. Excessive recharging decreases battery life.

•Take care of your battery pack and AC adapter. See “Taking care of your computer” on page viii of the preface.