How can I prolong my laptop and its battery lifespan? ~ CHIMALOGY

Content Page » How can I prolong my laptop and its battery lifespan?

[Last updated on 02/06/2010,Wed]

Keyboard and screen

1. Be careful about eating and drinking:
Spilling beverage on your laptop's keyboard could short
out the motherboard. Keep your beverage as far from the
laptop. For extra protection, you can use a keyboard
protector.

2. For travel, find the right carrying case and pack the Laptop properly

3. Clean the keyboard and screen the correct way:

Keyboard
Shut down the PC.Remove the battery. Keep it open as you turn it upside-down
and very gently tap on the back so that crumbs fall out. This problem is
eliminated if you have a keyboard protector.

Screen
Wipe with a dry microfiber cloth. Wipe in circular motion.

Battery:

There are two important keywords when it comes to battery preservation: charging andtemperature.
Keep the battery cool:
Avoid heat and use the battery as little as possible .
If you're going to be running on AC power for awhile,
shut down or hibernate the laptop, remove the battery,
and work without it.

CHARGING:
AVOID FREQUENT FULL DISCHARGES
In contrast to NiCd (Nickel-cadmium) and NiMh (Nickel-metal hydride) batteries, Li-ion (Lithium-ion) batteries show no memory effect. That is, it will do no harm to the batteryif it is re-charged before it is empty. Full discharges will strain the battery.
AVOID TOTAL DISCHARGES
Total discharges, i.e., to the cut-off point, can destroy battery cells. Not all cells in a laptop have the same voltage. Your laptop’s battery gauge only displays the state of the whole battery. If a cell goes below a certain voltage it will be destroyed. Therefore, it is safer to stop working when your battery level reaches 20%. The low battery level can be configured under Vista in the advanced power settings applet. Vista will warn you when the battery reaches the low battery level.
AVOID HIGH DISCHARGE RATE
High discharge rates also strain the battery. Therefore, do avoid power intensive tasks while working on battery. Some laptops come with special power management software that can disable unused components. Every piece of hardware that is active produces heat and wastes precious battery capacity. In the Vista’s advanced power management feature, you will find many ways to reduce the power consumption. For example, always set the maximum processor state to 1% while working on battery. You will be surprised at what a modern CPU can accomplish with 1% of its capacity.
AVOID CHARGING
The problem is that a lithium-ion battery only allows a limited number of discharge/charge cycles. Windows will try to charge the battery whenever it falls below a certain level. This procedure is the worst thing that can happen to a battery. Usually, power management is set to high performance while the laptop is connected to AC. This increases the heat in the laptop while the batteries are being charged. One option is to disable charging while working on main. A far better option is to remove the battery if you don’t need it for the next couple of days.
TEMPERATURE:
ALWAYS USE A LAPTOP ON A SURFACE
Don’t put it on your lap (despite its name) or on thermal insulating materials such as cushions and your bed. These surfaces trap heat and restrict ventilation to the air vents.
ENSURE PROPER LAPTOP VENTILATION
Don’t place objects before the ventilation systems opening. Don’t run or charge the laptop while it is in its case. Use a laptop ventilation fan or put a book under your laptop.
TRY TO AVOID CHARGING THE BATTERY WHILE WORKING WITH THE LAPTOP
Charging the batteries increases your laptop’s temperature. The problem is that the CPU, the graphics card and the hard disk also heat up your laptop, which adds to the temperature increase experienced when charging the battery. Check if your laptop comes with software that allows you to disable charging. You also can remove the battery while you are working on AC current.
DON'T LEAVE THE LAPTOP (battery) IN THE CAR OR UNDER EXTREME SUNLIGHT
Store the battery at a low temperature. The fridge is one of the best places to store your battery with 40 - 60% charge.

Others ways to prolong battery life:
Don’t store a battery that is almost empty. Stored batteries continue losing energy, albeit at a much slower pace. If the stored battery is totally discharged, it could be destroyed.
Don’t store a fully charged battery. Fully charged batteries deteriorate faster than half-charged batteries. Most articles I’ve read recommended storing laptop batteries with a 40–60% charge.
Store the battery at a low temperature. Try storing it in the fridge. It keeps battery fresh and crisp. 0°C (32°F) seems to be the best storage temperature. I wouldn’t put the battery in the freezer even though Li-ion batteries only freeze at approximately −40°C.
Store the battery in a dry place. A moist environment will accelerate discharging the battery.
Reduce all those things that use a lot of unnecessary power when you are on battery. Multi-tasking, Virus and Malware, unnecessary files or program that you do not use, disk fragmentation or even dim your screen.