90 minute laptop battery!

[ConLog]

I only get 90 minutes out of my Dell Inspiron 1300 laptop battery.:eek: :mad:

Do other companies sell laptop batteries which last longer than a paltry 90 minutes?

Also, can car adapters be bought to power laptops?

TIA.

[glc]

Most Dells have an optional 9 cell - the standard battery is 6 cell.

Yes. They are often sold as combo aircraft/vehicle adapters.

[Freakitchen]

I also have the Inspiron 1300 - when I bought mine less than 12 months ago, the default batteries were 4-cell. I specced mine out with the 6-cell battery, and get about 3 hours out of a full charge.

How long have you had the laptop? What sort of tasks are you doing when you only get 90 minutes life?

FK

[glc]

4 cell? No wonder.

[ConLog]

I also have the Inspiron 1300 - when I bought mine less than 12 months ago, the default batteries were 4-cell. I specced mine out with the 6-cell battery, and get about 3 hours out of a full charge.

How long have you had the laptop? What sort of tasks are you doing when you only get 90 minutes life?

FK

The laptop is only 2 months old.

I only use it for browsing the net and other processor non-intensive tasks.

When I click on the battery in the taskbar (when fully charged) it is quite accurate and never says more than 90 minutes.

I'd like to watch DVD movies when not connected to the mains but obviously it's a no-no with my current battery.

Thanks for the info Freakitchen and GLC.

[rjfvillarosa]

I bought this laptop new about fifteen months ago and in all that time the battery has never lasted more than 40 minutes.
I once started a virus scan straight after bootup with a full battery, including the virus scanning time total time to dead battery was 33 minutes.

http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi-bin/ToshibaCSG/jsp/productPage.do?service=UK&PRODUCT_ID=104150&DISC_MODEL=0
This is not a laptop it is a desk top in disguise.

[Freakitchen]

Think it's that P4 that's killing you RJF!

ConLog....obviously having the 6cell battery I can't comment on how long yours *should* last - all I can suggest to lengthen the time is to turn the screen brightness down as long as you can stand, and disable the networking card you're not using (either ethernet or wired).

I always disconnect my battery when I'm not using it - repeated charge cycles and 'topping up' the charge inevitably lessens the charge it will hold. That's why I asked how old the laptop was.

FK

[alfie2]

Guys have you all hear of a company called : Electrovaya
it builds battery pads that lasts like upto 16 hours long! for laptops.
I ougha know, my brother is working there as a technican.
it is based, initally call ElectroFuel, in Toronto, Canada, but moved into a suburb city call Mississuaga.

do a Google on Electrovaya Battery, you will find the batteries!

[Floppyman]

http://www.batterygeek.net/118Wh_Portable_Power_Station_PPS118_3V_28V_p/pps118_batterygeek.htm

From another company that also makes these things.....I think I might invest on of these universal gizmos.

[computermstr]

Also what brightness is your laptop screen (that drains battery like mad) I get about... 90 minutes on my laptop and I don't have a screen (3 years old) HP Pavilion ze4325EA version, but it was $50 bucks haha... But yeah... the brightness really drains your battery, when my friend had his laptop on full brightness the batter would only last an hour, but when he turned it down a couple notches it lasted a good 2-3 hours.