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Journey Systems Tech News and Information Newsletter . Our monthly newsletter is a free resource with all of the important things that you the end user needs to know, about how to maintain and keep your computer systems healthy.
If you wish to OPT-OUT of this newsletter you can follow the link at the bottom of this page. You can read this newsletter online at http://www.journeysystems.com/newsletter/
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.:Featured Article - Laptop Battery Basics :.
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 As we become more and more of a mobile society, laptops are being used more than ever to stay “in touch” with news and emails. Yet many of us don’t know how to properly maintain our laptop battery to ensure our laptops are ready to work when we need it most, with no AC outlet in sight.
EXTREME TEMPS CAN DAMAGE YOUR BATTERY!
The biggest killer of batteries is exposure to extreme temperatures. Your battery is made up of chemical properties to hold a charge. When exposed to extreme temperatures, the chemical composition inside your battery can forever change, limiting or killing your battery. TIP: During the upcoming Winter months, don’t ever leave a laptop outside in your car during sub-freezing temperatures. Even just 2 hours of exposure to sub-freezing temperatures can ruin your battery. The same rule applies for hot Summer weather as well. The inside of your car, sitting in a parking lot, can quickly reach temperatures of 120-140 degrees. Even a short exposure time to this kind of heat can, once again, change the chemical makeup of your battery ruining it. So, rule #1 is to never leave your laptop in your car……not even in your trunk.
 Power Options Properties
The key to extending battery life is to use as little power as possible by adjusting laptop settings. Use the Power Options Properties in your Control Panel to set to the laptop to go inactive after a set amount of time. Set adjustments so that the display goes off first, then hard the hard drive stay active a bit longer. Turn Down the Lights
Another way to extend battery life is to adjust the display brightness to a lower setting. You may have already notice that when you are on battery power, your display is dimmer than when you’re plugged in.
Manufacturer’s purposely do this to extend your battery life. The brighter your display, the more power is required and the faster you drain your battery. Many of today’s laptops allow you to manually adjust the brightness of the display. Whenever possible, keep your brightness low.
Get a different Battery
The battery that came standard with your laptop may not be the highest capacity battery available to you. Many standard OEM batteries are 6 cell battery types. Yet a 9 cell battery may work in your laptop giving you as much as 50% more battery life. However, you never want to “guess” at what battery may or may not work in your laptop. An improper battery delivering wrong voltages could fry your laptop. Contact Journey Systems and let us research the highest capacity battery for your laptop that is 100% compatibile.
Invest in an Power Inverter for your car
 If your car has a cigarette lighter, there is a product called a power inverter that plugs directly into your cigarette lighter. A power inverter converts the cigarette lighter’s DC power into an AC outlet (as seen below). You can then plug your laptop’s power cord into the inverter’s AC power outlet for power. Journey System recommends a minimum of a 150watt inverter for your laptop.
Drain the Battery
The first time you use your laptop with battery power, allow the laptop battery to completely discharge. Do this at least twice and don’t try to charge the battery when it is half discharged. Even the latest battery technology, Lithum-Ion, may create a “memory-effect” if Mfgr’s charging instructions are not followed. An example of memory-effect damage would be a 2 hour battery having a 1 hour memory effect. Meaning when it is fully charged it should provide 2 hours of power but only yields 1 hour due to memory-effect damage.
Clean Batteries
Keep the battery and its connections clean and free of debris. Clean your battery terminals on a regular basis using a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol on the tip.
Turning It Off
Don’t run programs or devices that you aren’t using. Remove PC cards and turn off Wi-Fi software. Using your laptop to watch movies or play games will drain the battery quickly as well.
Need More Help?
Journey Systems, is here for you.
Sales Service and Piece of Mind.
Journey Systems, LLC
7719 Five Mile Rd.
Five Mile Center - across from Outback
Cincinnati, OH 45230
Toll Free: 1-800-348-3051
Main: 513-474-2301
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http://www.journeysystems.com/newsletter/
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