Dell Latitude D620 ATG: Check the Battery Health Low-Battery Warning Charging the Battery

Check the Battery Health

NOTE: You can check battery health in one of two ways: by using the charge gauge on the battery as described

below or by using the Battery Meter in Dell QuickSet. For information about QuickSet, right-click the icon in

the taskbar, and click Help.

To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery

charge gauge for at least 3 seconds. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than

80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. Each light represents incremental degradation. If five

lights appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the

battery. See "Battery" in your online User’s Guide for more information about the battery operating time.

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, or install a second battery in the media bay. If the battery runs

completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically.

The battery status light on the hinge cover (at the lower-right corner of the display) flashes orange when

the battery charge is low, and it is solid orange when the battery charge is critically low. Also, a pop-up

window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. If two batteries are

installed, the low-battery warning means that the combined charge of both batteries is approximately

90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate mode when the battery charge is at a critically low

level.

You can change the settings for the battery alarms in QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window.

See

"Configuring Power Management Settings" in the online

User’s Guide

for your computer.

Charging the Battery

NOTE: With Dell™ ExpressCharge™, the AC adapter charges a completely discharged battery in approximately

1 hour 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.

NOTE: If you want to use Dell ExpressCharge with a 9-cell battery, you need to use it in conjunction with a 90-W

AC adapter.

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.

16 Quick Reference Guide