42
Using a Battery
CAUTION:
Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds a charge, call
your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ion battery. See "Battery
Disposal" in the
Product Information Guide
.
CAUTION:
Misuse of the battery may increase the risk of fire or chemical burn. Do not puncture, incinerate,
disassemble, or expose the battery to temperatures above 65°C (149°F). Keep the battery away from children.
Handle damaged or leaking batteries with extreme care. Damaged batteries may leak and cause personal injury
or equipment damage.
Checking the Battery Charge
The Dell QuickSet Battery Meter, the Microsoft
®
Windows
®
Power Meter
window and
icon, the
battery charge gauge and health gauge, and the low-battery warning provide information on the battery
charge.
Dell™ QuickSet Battery Meter
If Dell QuickSet is installed, press <Fn><F3> to display the QuickSet Battery Meter. The Battery
Meter displays status, battery health, charge level, and charge completion time for the battery in your
computer.
For more information about QuickSet, right-click the QuickSet icon in the taskbar, and click
Help
.
Microsoft Windows Power Meter
The Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, double-
click the
icon on the taskbar. For instructions on accessing more information about the Power Meter,
see "Configuring Power Management Settings" on page 44.
If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, a
icon appears.
Charge Gauge
By either pressing once or
pressing and holding
the status button on the charge gauge on the battery, you
can check:
•
Battery charge (check by pressing and
releasing
the status button)
•
Battery health (check by pressing and
holding
the status button)
The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of
charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacity—or battery health. That is, a battery can
show a status of "charged" but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health).
Check the Battery Charge
To check the battery charge,
press
and release
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 four of the lights are on, the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining. If no lights
appear, the battery has no charge.
book.book Page 42 Wednesday, April 4, 2007 7:31 AM
Summary of Contents for Latitude 131L
Page 9: ...Contents 9 Index 163 book book Page 9 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 10: ...10 Contents book book Page 10 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 26: ...26 About Your Computer book book Page 26 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 34: ...34 Setting Up Your Computer book book Page 34 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 60: ...60 Setting Up a Network book book Page 60 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 108: ...108 Adding and Replacing Parts book book Page 108 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 142: ...142 Specifications book book Page 142 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 150: ...150 Appendix book book Page 150 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 162: ...162 Glossary book book Page 162 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...
Page 168: ...68 Index 168 Index book book Page 168 Wednesday April 4 2007 7 31 AM ...