Health Gauge
The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After
hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some charge capacity, or battery health. To
check the battery health, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3
seconds. If no lights appear, the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its
original charge capacity remains. Each light represents incremental degradation. If five lights
appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the
battery. See your User's Guide for more information about the battery operating time.
Low-Battery Warning
NOTICE:
Then connect the computer to an electrical outlet, or install a second battery in the module bay. If the
battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically.
A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. For
more information about low-battery alarms, see your User's Guide.
A low-battery warning occurs when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The
computer beeps once, indicating that minimal battery operating time remains. During that time,
the speaker beeps periodically. If two batteries are installed, the low-battery warning means that the
combined charge of both batteries is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters
hibernate mode when the battery charge is at a critically low level. For more information about low-
battery alarms, see your User's Guide.
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Dell Precision Mobile Workstation M20 Quick Reference Guide
To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a low-battery warning.