Frequently asked questions

Tips:

1. It is recommended that you do one full drain and charge every three months to maintain calibration of your battery.
2. Turn the screen light down as far as you can and still see, this will make your battery last longer.
3. Turn off any hardware and programs that you are not using. If you do not need them on, then turn them off.
4. Turn your power setting down to portable/ laptop or power saver to keep your battery running longer.
5. Add more RAM so that there is a minimum of hard drive access.
6. After storing a laptop battery and re-charging, it may only re-charge for 10-15 minutes and then claim the notebook battery is fully charged, this is a common phenomenon in rechargeable laptop batteries, to overcome this simply remove the laptop battery and then re-insert it to initiate the charging process again.

Warnings:

1. Having your computer automatically run updates means that there are things continuously running when you don't need them to be.
2. Running CDs and DVDs while your battery is not on the charger will drain faster.
3. Don't play games on your computer when the battery is off the charger, it has to work harder to run all the graphics and other necessary programs.
4. Never connect a laptop to an automotive power supply adapter as a substitute for running on the laptop battery. You likely will damage or destroy your laptop.
5. Lithium Ions can be ruined if the voltage drops below a certain level, avoid letting your notebook battery drain completely and repeatedly.
6. If you plan on not using the notebook battery for a month or longer then fully charge the laptop battery, then store it in a cool place. The laptop battery will lose its charge while stored and will need to be re-charged before you begin using it again.

When you get a new laptop or new laptop battery, proper charging, discharging, usage and storage will allow you to maximize your battery’s life and capabilities. Before even powering up your laptop for the first time, it is important to know just how to charge and care for your battery in order to get the most out it for as long as you can.

1. Charge & Discharge
   According to CNET authors Asher Moses and Brian Nadel, the first thing you should do with your new laptop is “let the battery completely drain(5%) before you recharge it.” Letting the battery completely drain(5%) by using it without AC power, and then recharging it to 100 percent before using it again, helps to establish memory within the battery regarding how much of a charge can be held. Do this for at least the first two times when using your laptop on battery power, and repeat as often as you can to get the most out of your battery.
2. Storage
   If you plan to use your laptop as a desktop most of the time, Rick Broida of "PC World" suggests you take the battery out of your laptop and use only AC power. Only put the battery in and charge it whenever you plan on moving the laptop and using it without AC power, because “if you leave your laptop plugged in 24/7… the battery rarely (if ever) gets a chance to discharge, [so] it loses its capacity to hold a charge.” Charge the battery before moving your laptop, and discharge it completely before recharging again, if you can.
3. Temperature & Climate
   One of the main causes of battery failure is overheating. "PC Magazine’s" Erik Rhey suggests that you can avoid overheating by using cooling pads and not placing your laptop on soft surfaces like pillows and blankets. Some batteries are actually designed to sense if they are getting too warm and simply will not charge if they are, so it is in your interest to keep your battery cool. Dust getting into the laptop and clogging the cooling fan can also cause overheating problems, so try to keep the area around your laptop clean. Of course, leaving your laptop in your car where it can become excessively hot can also cause problems, so avoid that as well.
4. Power Settings
   Once you have gotten the hang of charging your batteries, visit your computer’s Power Settings in the Control Panel and dim your computer’s display, adjust the timeout settings for your display to turn off and for your laptop to sleep, and see if any advanced settings can be changed to really extend your battery life as far as you can.

Usually NO. New batteries come in a discharged condition and must be fully charged before use. It is recommended that you fully charge and discharge the new battery two to four times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity.
It is generally recommend an overnight charge (approximately twelve hours). It is normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charging and discharging.
When charging the battery for the first time, the device may indicate that charging is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is a normal with rechargeable batteries. New batteries are hard for the device to charge; they have never been fully charged and not “broken in”. Sometimes the device's charger will stop charging a new battery before it is fully charged. If this happens, remove the battery from the device and then reinsert it. The charge cycle should begin again. This may happen several times during the first battery charge. Don't worry; it's perfectly normal.

Battery Do's:

1. Fully charge/discharge battery up to 3 cycles before achieving full capacity of a new battery
2. Fully discharge and then fully charge the battery every two to three weeks for battery conditions.
3. Run the device under the battery's power until it shuts down or until you get a low battery warning. Then recharge the battery as instructed in the user's manual.
4. Remove from the device and stored in a cool, dry, clean place if the battery will not be in use for a month or longer,Recharge the battery after a storage period
5. Ensure maximum performance of the battery by optimizing the device's power management features. Refer to the manual for further instructions.

Battery Don'ts:

1. Do not short-circuit. A short-circuit may cause severe damage to the battery.
2. Do not drop, hit or otherwise abuse the battery as this may result in the exposure of the cell contents, which are corrosive.
3. Do not expose the battery to moisture or rain.
4. Keep battery away from fire or other sources of extreme heat. Do not incinerate. Exposure of battery to extreme heat may result in an explosion.

The charm of a notebook computer is you can easily transport it from one location to the next. Whether you are moving the laptop from one room in your house to another or taking it on vacation with you, portability is a laptop's primary asset. However, portability becomes compromised when your notebook's battery no longer charges, because you then have to keep your computer plugged in at all times. There are three primary reasons a notebook battery won't charge, and none of the resolutions are cheap.

1. Bad Battery
   Sometimes the battery refuses to take a charge because the battery itself is bad. Whether it is prematurely defective or several years old, a bad battery will refuse to charge. Replacing a bad battery can be expensive, with aftermarket replacements starting around $100 as of the time of publication. If your computer is still under warranty and it has a bad battery, contact the manufacturer to find out if you can have the battery replaced under the warranty. Otherwise, use the age of the computer as well as the cost of the battery to determine whether it is worth replacing.
2. Bad Motherboard
   As with batteries, notebook motherboards can start malfunctioning with age, though some are also prematurely defective. In these cases, the portion of the motherboard that relays power from the DC jack to the battery no longer works. Unfortunately, this also requires you replace the entire motherboard. Motherboards are normally covered under manufacturers' warranties, so if your warranty is still valid, you may be able to get a free fix. If the notebook is not covered under a warranty, though, the cost of the repair is rarely worthwhile, as motherboard replacements -- once you factor in parts and labor -- often cost more than the notebook itself.
3. Bad AC Adapter
   If your AC adapter is faulty, your battery will not charge properly. Minor internal breaks and fractures in your power cord can cause power to intermittently get to your battery, while a dead AC adapter will force your computer to run on battery power until the battery completely loses charge. The power cord is the easiest notebook part to replace, as many universal adapters are available for purchase. While a replacement AC adapter is still expensive, it is significantly cheaper than having to replace a battery or motherboard.
4. Troubleshooting
   Troubleshooting a battery that does not charge is rarely a do-it-yourself task; without the right tools and knowledge, the only element you can test yourself is the AC adapter. You can do so by removing the battery from the notebook computer, plugging the notebook into the wall and attempting to turn it on; if the laptop turns on, your AC adapter is functional, but if it does not, the AC adapter is faulty. If your AC adapter is functional, the next step is to take your computer to a certified technician to figure out the exact reason -- or sometimes, reasons -- why your battery is not charging.

Laptop computers are designed to recharge the battery while the laptop is plugged into the AC adapter "brick." After a period of time, however, the battery may begin to fail to recharge fully, may seem to have a shorter charge-life or may no longer charge at all. This is quite common: Laptop battery technology just isn’t in place yet to guarantee long battery life and flawless performance. Unfortunately, there may be little you can do to revive a really dead battery except to replace it.

1. Remove the battery from the laptop. Look at the sides of the battery. You may find a small panel with three or four LED lights or some kind of labeling referring to battery life. Depress the button or part of the panel that appears to light the LED lights. If your battery is functioning normally, you will see one, two or three “light bars” indicating the amount of charge left in the battery. If none of the lights appear when you test the battery, chances are the battery is dead and can no longer take or hold a charge.
2. Place the battery back into the laptop. Turn it on, using AC adapter power. When the desktop boots, look for the battery indicator icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen, down near the clock. You should see a battery picture. Hover your mouse over this icon to see how much power is left in the battery. Windows should tell you that the battery is now charging. If there is a red X over the battery, the battery has no charge at all and is probably dead.
3. Go to “Start,” “Control Panel” and “Power Options.” Check the battery recharging tab. If the battery is able to take a charge, there will be an indicator that charging is happening now. If the battery can no longer take a charge, there will probably be a red X over the battery icon. Shut down your laptop.
4. Remove the battery and place it in a plastic bag with a zipper lock. Place the battery in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator for 24 hours. At the end of the 24 hours, remove the battery from the freezer and let it “thaw” for two hours. Put the battery back into the laptop (being certain that it is completely dry first). If you’re lucky this freezing may bring the battery back to life—at least for a short time. If the battery is still dead, your diagnosis is over.
5. Replace the battery if all else fails. Visit the site of your computer's manufacturer for the exact replacement battery for your make and model of laptop. Buy only new batteries.

There are several steps you can take to help you get maximum performance from your battery:

1. Prevent the Memory Effect - Keep the battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries which do not suffer from the memory effect.
2. Keep the Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and the portable device.
3. Exercise the Battery - Do not leave the battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If a battery has not been used for a long period of time, perform the new battery break in procedure described above.
4. Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for a month or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to recharge the batteries before use.

Different voltages stated on batteries may be compatible. For example voltages from the same pairs below, are compatible:
3.6V / 3.7V
7.2V / 7.4V
10.8V / 11.1V
14.4V / 14.8V

Yes. The capacity of a battery does not affect its compatibility in anyway. A higher capacity battery will simply power your device for longer before you need to charge it.
It is important to check the dimensions and weight in addition to the capacity because sometimes higher capacity batteries can be larger in size, making them impractical for some uses even though they are compatible.

Every device that is listed on our website is linked only with goods/products that are 100% compatible with that device.
If you are still unsure which product is the correct one please contact us and we will be glad to help you out.

RMA is short for Return Merchandise Authorization. Customers who want to return item(s) are required to apply for an RMA. Once the RMA is authorized, customers could return the item(s) by printing the return address on the label.

Items within product warranty can be returned either for a refund or a replacement.
Only 5 steps can complete in applying an RMA successfully.

1. Submit Request Return RMA at here
2. Do describe why you want to return the item in detail. For example, what is wrong with the item? Is it broken? A detailed description will help us solve problem earlier.
3. Send me a picture or a video, which would better show the detailed problem.
4. Tell us your expected choice after returning the item, do you want a replacement or a refund?
5. Then click apply and an RMA will be applied successfully. You will get a reply in the 1-2 business day.

Definitely not, you need to request an RMA no matter what items you want to return because we need to refund or exchange items for you according the RMA number provided to you.

Yes, it is necessary to track the returned product.
Note: LaptopBatteryDirect.com.au won’t take any responsibilities for missing returns so a tracking number is required on your side.

Once your RMA is approved, you will get an RMA with the returning address in the 1-2 business day. You can print a "Return Shipping Authorization" label with the return address and other information and enclose inside your package for further refund or exchange items.