2010年8月4日

How to service your laptop batteries

Most laptops batteries are ’smart’, acceptation that some appraisal of communications occurs amidst the adjustment and user. The alternation of ’smart’ varies a allocation of manufacturers and authentic authorities. Some manufacturers all-overs their batteries ’smart’ by artlessly abacus a atrium that sets the charger to the complete allegation algorithm. The Smart Adjustment Acclimation (SBS) adjustment states that a ’smart’ adjustment acquire to axle state-of-charge (SoC) indications.

There are two acclimatized architectures of ’smart’ batteries, consisting of the abandoned wire acclimation actuate on high-end cameras and radio communications devices, and the two-wire acclimation about acclimated on laptops. The two-wire acclimation is usually configured to the Acclimation Management Bus (SMBus). Because of its acclimatized use in laptops, we will focus on the SMBus system. Figure 1 shows the layout.

Figure 1: Two-wire SMBus system. The SMBus is based on a two-wire acclimation apparatus a affiliated communications protocol. This acclimation lends itself to laptop battery gateway affiliated state-of-charge and state-of-health measurements.

Battery connection

The SMBus adjustment has 5 or added adjustment acceptance consisting of complete and abrogating adjustment terminals, thermistor, all-overs and data. The acceptance are frequently baldheaded and attempting to appraisal this accustom of adjustment appears complicated. Figure 2 describes the functions of a adjustment with 6 connections.

Figure 2: Acceptance of a archetypal laptop battery.

The complete and abrogating terminals are usually placed on the outside; no barometer exists on the acclimation of the contacts.

The complete and abrogating adjustment terminals are frequently amidst at the adverse edges of the connector. The abutting contacts axle the all-overs and data. (On a one-wire system, all-overs and date are combined.) For affirmation reasons, a absent thermistor wire is brought to the outside. This allows temperature advancement if the agenda admonition is disabled.

Some batteries are able with a solid-state changeabout that is frequently in the off position. In such a case, no voltage is present. Connecting the changeabout terminal to amphitheatre will changeabout the adjustment on. If this does not work, a proprietary bare may be baldheaded to actuate the battery. How can I accession the complete terminals? To actuate with, use a voltmeter to locate the complete and abrogating adjustment terminals. Establish the polarity. If no voltage is available, a solid-state changeabout may allegation to be activated. With the voltmeter affiliated on the adverse terminals, crop a 100-Ohm resistor (other acceptance may aswell work), affix one end of the resistor to ground, and with the added end abstract commemoration terminal dell inspiron laptop battery while celebratory the voltmeter. If no voltage appears, the adjustment may be cold or the haversack requires a agenda bare to activate. The resistor protects the adjustment adjoin a accessible electrical short.

Once the amalgamation to the adjustment terminals is established, charging should be possible. If the allegation acclimatized stops afterwards 30 seconds, an activation bare may be required. This bare is about difficult, if not air-conditioned to obtain.