Dell battery User’s Guide: Checking the Battery Charge

The Dell QuickSet Battery Meter, the Microsoft Windows Power Meter window and icon, the XPS m140 battery charge gauge, and the low-battery warning provide information on the battery charge.

Dell? QuickSet Battery Meter

If Dell QuickSet is installed, press

to display the QuickSet Battery Meter. The inspiron e1705 Battery Meter displays status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your computer.

Microsoft? Windows? Power Meter

The Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining 40D battery grip charge. To check the Power Meter, double-click the icon on the taskbar.

If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, a icon appears.

Charge Gauge

Before you insert a DV1000 battery, press the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge-level lights. Each light represents approximately 20 percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights appear, the battery has no charge.

Health Gauge

The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, DV2000 battery lose some charge capacity, or battery health. To check the battery health, 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 Specifications for more information about the battery operating time.

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.

A low-battery warning occurs when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer beeps once, indicating that minimal battery operating time remains. During that time, the speaker beeps periodically. If two DV4000 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. For more information about low-battery alarms, see Configuring Power Management Settings.