Dell 100L Checking the Battery Charge, Charging the Battery

38 Using a Battery

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DELL CONFIDENTIAL – PRELIMINARY 3/18/04 – FOR PROOF ONLY

Checking the Battery Charge

The Microsoft

Windows

power meter window and icon, the battery charge gauge, and the

low-battery warning provide information on the battery charge.

The Windows power meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the power meter,

double-click the icon on the taskbar. For more information on the

Power M eter

tab, see

"Power Management" in the

Dell Latitude 100L Help

file. To access the help file, see page16.

If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, a icon appears.

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. For

more information on low-battery alarms, see "Power Management" in the

Dell Latitude 100L Help

file. To access the help file, see page16.

Charging the Battery

NOTE: The AC adapter charges a completely discharged battery in approximately 3 hours with the

computer turned off. Charge time is significantly longer if the computer is on and running at high

processor speeds and system activity levels. Running the computer at high system activity levels for

extended periods of time may prevent the battery from charging.

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.

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.

NOTE: You can leave the battery in the computer as long as you like. The battery internal circuitry

prevents the battery from overcharging.

For more information on resolving problems with a battery, see "Power Management" in the

Dell

Latitude 100L Help

file. To access the help file, see page16.