battery dying

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by watchntv, Sep 26, 2011.

  1. watchntv

    watchntv Private E-2

    i got this computer in within the last year
    ASUS UL30A-X5 Thin and Light 13.3-Inch Black Laptop (12 Hours of Battery Life)

    now my fully charged battery lasts 3-5 hours...fully charged.
    now most of the time it is plugged in, when I use just the battery, I mostly have only word documents open, maybe one window to get gmail.

    how can I get it back to 12 hours or at least 8 hours?
    why did this happen? just old age?
     
    watchntv, Sep 26, 2011
    #1
  2. gman863

    gman863 MajorGeek

    First question: How much battery life were you actually getting when the PC was new? Manufacturer's battery life ratings of "up to x hours" are usually based on unrealistic operation of the notebook with WiFi turned off and the power settings on energy saver mode (dim screen, screen off after 2 min. of inactivity, shut down drive after 10 min. etc.).

    Depending on the number of charge/discharge cycles, a battery normally lasts 2-3 years; it sounds like your OEM battery is failing a bit soon. If it is still under warranty, I'd contact ASUS about getting a free replacement. If not, check out Amazon.com: their replacement battery pricing is usually 60-70% less than ordering from the mfr.

    Hope this helps. :)
     
    gman863, Sep 26, 2011
    #2
  3. plodr

    plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

    Did you condition the battery?
    To condition the battery pack, you are supposed to run off the battery alone until it reaches almost to 0% (it should give a message and shut down the computer at around 5% remaining).
    Then you do not use the computer but charge the battery fully.
    You do this two or three times when it is new.

    My netbook specs say 7 hour battery life.
    I never expect to get what the manufacturer claims because they test under ideal conditions to eke out every last ounce of power saving: that is turning the screen brightness way down, turning the wifi off and not attaching any USB devices.

    My real world testing using a USB mouse and sometimes wifi on, sometimes off and screen brightness at various settings resulted in times of between 5 and 6 hours. The computer was in constant use. If I had allowed it to sleep, and detached the mouse, I might have been able to get a bit more time.
     
    plodr, Sep 26, 2011
    #3
  4. gman863

    gman863 MajorGeek

    Sadly, I've never experienced anything close to this. My two-year old Sony claims "up to 4 hours"; the reality (WiFi on, screen dim after 2 min., screen off after 5 min; hibernate at 10 min) has been - at best - a little under two hours until the critical battery warning pops up (and yes, I conditioned the battery when I bought it ;) ).
     
    gman863, Sep 26, 2011
    #4
  5. watchntv

    watchntv Private E-2

    awww shit
    I didnt know that, I made a thread around here asking what to do with my new computer and I got malware/virus info...nuts I was vague....
    when i first got it I would get about 10-11 hours
    thanks for the tips on how to extend the life.........nuts....Its not been an issue yet, but I hate dragging my cord to class
    can't I just buy another battery and when the one dies, switch it out?
     
    watchntv, Sep 26, 2011
    #5
  6. bigbazza

    bigbazza R.I.P. 14/12/2011 - Good Onya Geek

    bigbazza, Sep 26, 2011
    #6

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