46 Using Your Gateway Solo™ 5150 Multimedia Notebook
Using the battery
Your notebook can run on a fully charged battery for approximately 3.5
hours, depending on the type of battery you have and how you use your
notebook. Under normal operating conditions, Li-ion batteries have about
600 charge cycles before they require replacement.
Battery life is affected by how much you use the system components such
as the hard drive, CD-ROM drive, or LCD display. For example, battery life
is increased by using the suspend function rather than a screen saver.
Battery life is reduced by playing an audio CD while using a word
processor.
Other factors such as the power management settings affect the battery life.
See “Maximizing the battery life” on Page 56 for more information about
power management.
Charging the battery pack
The battery must be installed in the notebook and connected to an AC
power source to charge. You can charge the battery in the following modes:
♦
When you are using your notebook with the AC adapter
♦
When the system is attached to AC power and in standby or suspend
mode
♦
When the system is attached to AC power and the system is powered
off
You can also purchase an external battery charger or an airplane/automobile
adapter from Gateway Add-Ons. The external charger can charge an
additional battery while charging a battery in your notebook. The airplane/
automobile adapter lets you power your notebook and charge your battery
when an AC outlet is not available.
