Simple Battery/Power Adapter Question

[Amie]

I have an iBook G4. Is it necessary, like a cell phone, to drain the battery to a low percentage and then plug in using the power adapter and fully charge the battery? Or is it OK to just switch back and forth at my convenience between battery and power adpater, regardless of the battery charge?

Thanks for your help.

 

[applemaz]

It is recommended that you let the Lithium-Ion battery charge for 12 hrs straight when you first get the battery. Then, use the computer (on battery power) over time until the battery depletes, causing the laptop to go into sleep mode. Then you can plug it in and charge it until the LED turns green (4hrs or so).

You may now partially deplete the battery, plug it in, partially deplete it etc... Lithium-Ion batteries do not suffer from the memory effect and therefore you may freely switch back and forth between AC and DC usage. However, every 2-3 months, it is recommended that you fully charge the battery and then fully deplete it again.

If you ever stop using the system for more than a month, remove the battery from the computer to store it for an extended period.

 

[Amie]

Thank you very much, Applemaz! Yes, when I first purchased my iBook, I read the little guide that came with it and followed the recommended procedure for calibrating the battery the first time I used it, as you described above. But the manual didn't specify the battery/power adapter useage after calibration. So, thank you for answering my question.