Dell 9300 owner manual Charging the Battery, Removing a Battery, Charge Gauge, Low-Battery Warning

Charge Gauge

Press 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.

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. For more information about low-battery alarms, see "Power Management" in the Dell Inspiron Help file. To access the help file, see "Finding Information" on page 9.

Charging the Battery

NOTE: The AC adapter charges a completely discharged battery in approximately 2 hours with the computer turned off. Charge time is longer with the computer turned on. You can leave the battery in the computer 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 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.

For more information about resolving problems with a battery, see "Power Problems" on page 67.

Removing a Battery

CAUTION: Before performing these procedures, disconnect the modem from the telephone wall jack.

1Ensure that the computer is turned off.

2If the computer is connected to a docking device (docked), undock it. See the documentation that came with your docking device for instructions.

Using a Battery

29