A laptop battery monitor might be a useful tool for many in this wireless world. Knowing the battery life of a laptop is vital to the business traveler, the mobile warrior and any person who relies on portable electronic communication for personal use or their livelihood. The monitor is a software program that enables user monitoring of laptop battery performance. It can also keep an eye on uninterruptible power supplies, better known as UPS.
This type of software is so much more than the typical tool bar icon that comes installed with every laptop. With a laptop battery monitor the owner can see a graphic of the battery’s rate of charge and discharge, can see detailed statistics that spell out problems with battery cells, and can measure and compare these ill batteries with the charge that is expected of them. Additionally, a laptop battery monitor will display the computer’s battery discharge point, identify specific battery packs for inventory and tracking, log battery performance, and keep track of the performance of each battery if the owner is using more than one battery.
These battery monitors are a bargain, retailing for $25 or less for one user. Several software suppliers offer substantial discounts for multiple-user licenses, and provide free upgrades. Since the monitors are software programs, they can be electronically downloaded, thus saving any shipping and handling costs as well. The added advantage is that they are immediately available.
Prices vary, but common software starts from around $9.99 for a basic laptop battery monitor. There are plenty that offer a free trial, so you can try before you buy. Features to look for include a display that indicates the time remaining until the laptop’s battery is full charged whether running on AC or battery. Most packages will start up automatically when the laptop is turned on. It sends out an audible alert when the battery charging stops, when it starts, when the battery becomes fully charged, and when its charge drops below a percentage of charge set by the user.
The primary point of a laptop battery monitor is to prevent what is known as deep discharge. This condition is not specific to laptop batteries, but is a crucial issue to those who want to extend their battery’s life. Eight out of ten batteries fail too early in their standard life cycle because of deep discharge issues. The root cause is build up of sulfur molecules known as sulfation. The deep discharge starts to coat the battery’s lead plates and it dies. Some of the things that send the batteries to their early graves are sitting too long between charges, being stored without any energy input, undercharging of the battery, and exposure to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Sub zero weather can result in deep discharge as well.
Beyond preventing deep discharge, a laptop battery monitor quite often can act as theft protection or retrieval after theft. Even free software for battery monitoring can do this. One free downloadable application sends out a loud alarm when someone tries to steal the laptop. Additionally, it recovers and destroys sensitive data on the laptop as needed.
The uses of a laptop battery monitor are important. The price is affordable. No laptop owner should be without this handy, affordable application.
