Battery F.A.Qs
Frequently Asked Questions--Battery F.A.Qs
We sell brand new compatible/replacement batteries that are manufactured
to meet the specifications of the original brand manufacturer.
What is a Battery?How do I identify my battery?
What is the difference between Ni-Cd, Ni-MH,
and Li-ion?
How long will the new main battery power
the laptop?
How to maximize battery performance?
How long does a battery last?
How can batteries be connected?
The rating for battery
How do I charge my batteries?
What is "Memory Effect"?
What is a battery cycle?
Does it really help to store batteries in the refrigerator?
Can I use my older Ni-Cd battery charger
to charge my Ni-MH batteries?
Where can I find more information on charging
batteries for my laptop computer, digital camera camcorder or others?
1.What is a battery?
Battery can be any device that stores energy for later use. The
word battery is limited to an electrochemical device that converts
chemical energy into electricity, by use of a galvanic cell. A galvanic
cell is a fairly simple device consisting of two electrodes (an
anode and a cathode) and an electrolyte solution. Batteries consist
of one or more galvanic cells.
A battery is an electrical storage device. Batteries do not make
electricity, and they store it. As chemicals in the battery change,
electrical energy is stored or released. In rechargeable batteries
this process can be repeated many times. Batteries are not 100%
efficient - some energy is lost as there are heat and chemical reactions
when charging and discharging. If you use 1000 watts from a battery,
it might take 1200 watts or more to fully recharge it. Slower charging
and discharging rates are more efficient. A battery rated at 180
amp-hours over 6 hours might be rated at 220 AH at the 20-hour rate,
and 260 AH at the 48-hour rate. Typical efficiency in a lead-acid
battery is 85-95%, in alkaline and Ni-Cd battery it is about 65%.
( Return Top) 2.How do I identify my battery?
The first information to provide would be the make and model of
the equipment that you require the battery for e.g. Toshiba Satellite
Pro 400, or Compaq Presario 1283. There is also usually a label
on the battery, and some of the information on the label will help
our sales team to identify your battery quickly.
This information includes the voltage of the battery
pack (note: this is not the same as the voltage on the power supply),
the capacity of the battery pack and the chemical construction of
the battery pack e.g. Li-ion, Ni-MH or Ni-Cd. This information can
be used to ensure the information you have provided matches the
information we have about your battery. Many battery packs also
have part numbers on the label; this can sometimes be used to help
identify the battery. We would suggest that it is best to have all
this information written down or close to hand before you call our
sales team. This will help us deal with your call in an efficient
manner. (Return Top)
3.What is
the difference between Ni-Cad, Ni-MH, and Li-ion?
Li-ion (Lithium Ion). This is one of the newest cell types available. It is also the lightest battery type currently available on a commercial basis and can provide more power than the other main cell types. There are no known problems of memory effect with this battery type and it is the easiest battery type to care for. The downside of this battery is that it has the highest engineering costs and therefore the price is usually considerably higher than other cell types.
Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride). This cell type is the most common
cell type currently available for laptop computers, and (although
Li-ion is rapidly becoming the most popular) this battery type is
relatively cheap to manufacture and therefore tends to be cheaper
than Li-ion. This cell type is prone to? Memory effect? So it is
important to take good care of your Ni-MH battery to ensure that
you obtain the best runtimes.
Ni-Cd (Nickel Cadmium). This is one of the older
cell types and is generally only found in older laptops. The main
pro for this cell type is its ability to handle higher loads, and
therefore is more commonly found in portable power tools or devices
that need a lot of power to work efficiently. The main downside
of this cell type is that it is notorious for suffering with memory
effect, so good care must be taken with this battery type to ensure
most effective use of battery. (Return Top)
4.How long
will the new main battery power the laptop?
Battery run-time on a laptop is difficult to determine. Actual battery
running time depends upon the power demands made by the equipment.
The use of the screen, the hard drive and other accessories also
results in an additional drain upon the battery, effectively reducing
its running time. The total run-time of the battery is also dependent
upon the design of the equipment. Generally, a new Hi-Capacity battery
will run 30% to 50% longer than the old battery did when it was
new. (Return Top)
5.How to maximize
the battery performance?
It is recommended to condition (fully charge and discharge) the
new battery few times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity.
Condition the Ni-MH and Ni-Cd battery at least once
a month. It will reduce the memory effect.
Use the battery at least once a month even it was
kept in a dry and cool storage.
Clean the metal connector (the contact to the Laptop,
usually in colour of gold or silver) by alcohol or Electronics Cleaner
Degreaser. It will maintain the good conductivity, which improves
the power conduction from battery to Laptop.
Fully optimize the Power Management features provided
in system BIOS, and Operating System will also improve the battery
performance. Consult the user's manual to fully understand the usage
of these features. (Return Top)
6.How long does a battery last?
The life span of a laptop battery is about 1.5 to 3 years under normal conditions. As the rechargeable battery begins to die, the user will notice a decline in the running time of the battery. (Return Top)
7.How can batteries be connected?
Note: When interconnecting batteries (cells), they must be identical in voltage and amp rating!
Batteries may be connected in series. The positive terminal of
the first battery is connected to the negative terminal of the
second battery; the positive terminal of the second is connected
to the negative of the third, and so on. The voltage of the assembled
battery is the sum of the individual batteries. The batteries
are connected: + to - to + to - to + too -, etc. The capacity
of the battery is unchanged.
Batteries may also be connected in parallel. The positive terminal of the first battery is connected to the positive terminal of the second battery, the positive terminal of the second is connected to the positive of the third; the negative terminal of the first battery is connected to the negative terminal of the second battery, the negative terminal of the second is connected to the negative of the third and so on. The batteries are connected: + to + to + and - to - to -. In this configuration, the capacity is the sum of the individual batteries and voltage is unchanged.
For example, (5) 6V 10AH batteries connected in series produces
a battery array that is 30 Volts and 10AH. Connecting the batteries
in parallel produces a battery array that is 6 Volts and 50AH.
Ordinary auto batteries are designed in the same fashion. Six
2-volt cells are arranged in series to produce a 12v battery.
Many Ni-Cd batteries are arranged in the same way. (Return Top)
8.The rating for battery
(Volts): The voltage of the new battery should always match the
voltage of the original.
mAh: It standards for milli-Amp hours (1 mAh=0.001Ah), High amp-hour
rating means a longer run-time and will not cause incompatibilities.
(Return Top)
9.How do I charge my batteries?
Our Ni-MH chargers are fully automatic. Plug your charger into
an A/C (or D/C power source for the Powered MH-C204F-DC) and place
your batteries into the charger in matched pairs of two or four
batteries to begin charging. Red lights indicate charging in progress.
The lights will turn green when charging is complete and the charger
will automatically switch to a trickle charge. The trickle charge
will keep your batteries fully charged and ready for use. Refer
to our Charger Manuals page for more detailed operating instructions
for your model charger. (Return Top)
10.What is
"Memory Effect"?
Ni-Cd batteries, and to a lesser extent Ni-MH batteries, suffer
from what's called the "memory effect". What this means
is that if a battery is repeatedly only partially discharged before
recharging, the battery "forgets" that it has the capacity
to further discharge all the way down. To illustrate: If you, on
a regular basis, fully charge your battery and then use only 50%
of its capacity before the next recharge, eventually the battery
will become unaware of its extra 50% capacity which has remained
unused. The battery will remain functional, but only at 50% of its
original capacity. The way to avoid the dreaded "memory effect"
is to fully cycle (fully charge and then fully discharge) the battery
at least once every two to three weeks. Batteries can be discharged
by unplugging the device's AC adapter and letting the device run
on the battery until it ceases to function. This will insure your
battery remains healthy. (Return Top)
11.What is a battery cycle?
Cycle life is measured by the amount of times a battery may be charged
and discharged. Every time a battery is charged and discharged,
it uses one cycle. Cycle life is very important in battery applications
such as laptop batteries and emergency light batteries. A Ni-Cad
battery has a cycle life of 500-1000 or more cycles. (Return Top)
Does it really help to store batteries in the refrigerator?
Yes, but only if they can be kept dry as well. The higher the
temperature, the more the free flow of ions or self-discharge
from the battery. Storing primary batteries (D's, C's, AA's, AAA's,
9 volt, etc.) in a cooler environment slows down this rate of
discharge that all batteries experience even when not in use,
hence a longer shelf life. However, if this is done, it is important
that the batteries be kept as dry as possible by keeping them
in an airtight container in the driest part of the refrigerator,
the door side for example. Long time exposure to moisture inside
the refrigerator can cause internal corrosion to the battery.
When removing batteries from the refrigerator, allow them to warm
up to room temperature before using them in your device. (Return Top)
12.Can I use my older
Ni-Cd battery charger to charge my Ni-MH batteries?
No, you can use a new Ni-MH charger to charge your old Ni-Cd batteries
but you should not try to charge Ni-MH batteries with a Ni-Cd
charger. Here's why: Ni-MH and Ni-Cd batteries are chemically
very similar and when both are fully charged the battery voltage
will start to drop. The Ni-MH voltage drop is much more subtle
and more difficult to detect. Ni-MH chargers usually have an over
temperature sensor and shutoff to prevent overcharge as well as
a more sensitive voltage drop detector where Ni-Cd chargers usually
only use the voltage drops to determine when to stop charging.
If you charge Ni-MH batteries in a Ni-Cd charger it will probably
miss the voltage drop and keep right on charging causing the batteries
to overheat. Overcharging and overheating Ni-MH batteries can
damage them internally and reduce battery life. (Return Top)
13.Where can I find more
information on charging batteries for my laptop computer, digital
camera and camcorder or others?
Try these links for a more detailed batteries selection for laptop,
digital camera, camcorder, and battery chargers.
For cheap laptop batteries, try www.pioneer-electronics.co.uk
Buy cheap camcorder battery. Try www.pioneer-electronics.co.uk
for the best digital camera battery. Try www.pioneer-electronics.co.uk
for the most modes of batteries. Try www.pioneer-electronics.co.uk
for high quality of power tools battery. Try www.pioneer-electronics.co.uk
for a more batteries information please Visit our www.pioneer-electronics.co.uk
(Return Top)
Battery Glossary
Battery: Two or more cells connected together Cell: An electrochemical system that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Capacity: This is amount of energy a battery cell or battery pack actually provides. The higher the capacity the longer the equipment will run on battery power. Usually measured in Amp hours (Ah) or Milliamp hours (mAh).
Battery Charge: This is the process of passing
electricity into the battery pack so the pack can be used to provide
power when the user is away from mains power
Li-ion: Lithium Ion. This is one the newest
battery types available. It can offer the same power as a Ni-MH
battery in a smaller lighter package. This type does not suffer
from 'Memory Effect' but it is expensive to manufacture.
Ni-Cd: Nickel Cadmium. This is one of the
older battery technologies that are still in use. Usually found
only in older equipment or applications that require a high power
drain. Very prone to 'Memory Effect'.
Ni-MH: Nickel Metal Hydride. This battery
type has virtually replaced the Ni-Cd batteries. This type offers
higher capacities, around 30% more than a Ni-Cd cell of the same
physical size. This type is also reported to suffer less from 'Memory
Effect'.
Battery Float Voltage: A unit for measuring electrical pressure. All batteries provide DC (Direct Current) electricity. It is important to ensure that the equipment you are powering is being provided with the correct volt or else damage may occur.
(Return Top)
Any Battery or accessory you purchase from our website is guaranteed: 100% brand new and original manufacturer replacement.
Full one-year warranty (in most items).
All batteries are made with the high quality cells
A competitive prices is our principle.
Replacement batteries, which are as good or often, batter than the
originals.
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