6. Close the battery door by pushing it back into place.
SImportant: Check to make sure the battery is properly
inserted (the battery should be aligned with the computer
and the battery door completely closed). If a battery is not
inserted correctly, you may have performance problems. S
7. If possible, plug in the power adapter in case the
battery is not fully charged.
sWarning: Damaged nickel-metal-hydride batteries may leak
small amounts of sodium hydroxide. This substance can cause
severe burns to the skin and eyes. If you touch a damaged
battery, immediately wash your hands and any other affected
areas with water for at least five minutes. Do not use soap. s
sWarning: See the section “Important Care and Safety
Information” for more about how to work safely with
batteries. s

Maximizing battery life and work time

To maximize battery life, discharge and then recharge the battery
completely once every 30 days. You should also do this any time
you notice that the amount of work time the battery provides is
decreasing.
If you have a PowerBook Duo 270c, go to the section called
“Reconditioning the battery” later in this chapter.
If you have a PowerBook Duo 210, 230, or 250, just use the
computer as you normally would, but ignore the low-power
messages that appear on the screen. (Make sure to save your
work, however.) When the computer goes to sleep automatically,
recharge the battery completely before using that battery again.
You can do this in either of two ways:
nLeave the battery in the computer, plug in the power adapter,
and let the battery recharge overnight, or
nRemove the battery from the computer and recharge it in a
recharger for a little over 2 hours (if you are recharging just
one battery) or 41⁄2hours (if you are recharging two).
With proper care you can expect your battery to last for at least a
year. If you notice that the battery no longer holds a charge for as
long as it should, even after discharging and recharging it as
described above, you may need to replace it.
Chapter 6: Power Management 95