Battery Question for Inspiron 8100

I've finally gone Wireless and got it set up yesterday with my
Inspiron 8100. (I used D-Link router and PC card)

After barely ever using my I8100 away from its home desk I'm finding
my battery life is terrible! Maybe an hour total! I got a message
that it was half gone and had "an hour" left and it died in 15
minutes.

Is the battery burned out from leaving it in the I8100 for a year+ and
not using it?

Will it "come back" if I discharge it a few times (I thought these
Lithium batteries didn't work that way).

Should I cave in and buy a new battery?

TIA

SCD

 

Do you have an extra battery (modular bay) in addition to your primary
battery? I have the same exact laptop using a Microsoft PC card and
Microsoft wireless router. I know the PC card uses up juice as well as any
peripherals you have connected while on battery. Both of my batteries don't
hold a charge like they use to. I use to go 5+ hours with both in. Now I'm
lucky to get 3 hours with both in. I know there are a bunch of batteries
for sale on e-Bay. I definitely think buying a new one is in
order....Sorry!

 

I have a 5.5 year old Inspiron 7000 that still lasts over 2 hours on its
original battery and it's been connected to the mains pretty much 24*7 with
the battery on charge the whole time.

I have an Inspiron 8000 (very similar to the 8100) that is approaching 3
years old. As far as the battery is concerned it has been treated in exactly
the same way as the I7000. Yet my battery life is a pathetic 30 minutes at
best. The battery monitor tells complete lies, estimating over 2 hours life
when 100% full and this holds true for the first 10-15 minutes. Then the
estimate just collapses at the rate of about 10 minutes life vanishing for
every 1 minute powered up, until the battery reaches 10% remaining. At this
point the rate of decline slows right back down to last about another 10
minutes until the 3% standby threshold.

I've used Win XP's performance monitor to view the battery charge and
charging state over time and it looks like the I8000 just cooks its
battery, cycling charging on/off every few minutes, which is a guaranteed
way to f##k a battery. The discharge slope is very interesting too - very
flat at the 100%-90% period and the 10%-0% end but dropping like a stone
between 90%-10% charge. The Dell forums have plenty of chat on the subject.
If the I8100 is like the I8000 then your battery is well and truly shot and
cannot be recovered.

If you do get a new battery and want to leave it on mains power extensively
then your best bet is to remove the battery once fully charged. This is also
the advice on my girlfriend's brand new Acer laptop.

 

When I fried one of the batteries in my I8200, I did some research on
lithium ion batteries. The first thing to know is that they suck when it
comes to overall lifespan. They begin to age the moment they are made. The
don't have the "memory" that ni-cads have, nor the charge leakage of
nickel-metal-hydrides. But they have a lifespan of just about two years
(give or take). It's so bad, that Dell doesn't cover them with their
extended warranties (even the "Complete Care" warranty, complete my ass!).
If your battery is giving you such short usage, replace it. I found a great
price at www.pacificbattery.com with an 18 month (!) warranty for the
4460Mah battery for the I8200. Dell only provides a 12 month warranty, and
wanted more $$$. Your I8100 should take the same battery.

Whatever you do, don't buy a used battery. Most of the problems are age
related, and used is used.

I'm hoping someone develops a ni-met-hyd battery that fits/works in my
I8200. They don't hold a charge for long (60 days or so), but they provide
quite a capacity, all without the memory problems with ni-cads.

Good luck,

 

Thank you Dave!

I just went and ordered a new battery from PacificBattery.com

I got the ultra model and it was still $40 less than the regular one
from Dell's site.

SCD

 

<snip>

With a better warranty! You are very welcome.