faigin@aerospace.aero.org (Daniel P. Faigin) (12/19/90)
I am the proud owner of a new Toshiba T1600 with what may be a stupid question. First, some information on the machine: o 286/12mhz CPU o 40M hard disk o 1.44M 3.5" Floppy o 4M addl RAM (on top of the original 1M) o Megahertz 2400bd int. modem The problem that I am running into is that the battery charges sometimes when I don't expect it to. The T1600 has two battery packs, from which it draws equally if both are installed. It supposedly also has a third internal battery that is used to preserve the clock and the battery backed RAM. I understand the main batteries being used when the machine is disconnected from power and turned on. The situation that I run into occurs when the batteries are fully charged (e.g., both charge lights are green). When both batteries are charged, I prefer to use the machine with the power connected, so as not to have to continually run out the batteries to prevent the "memory effect". When I have powered off the machine, I disconnect the power cord. The next time I use the machine, I would expect the batteries to be in the same state I left them, e.g., fully charged. However, sometimes when I go to use the machine again and reconnect the power cord, it starts charging the batteries. This leads me to the conclusion that either the batteries are spontaineously discharging, or something is drawing their power. Does anyone know why this is happening? Do I have a defective battery? If so, how do I determine if it is the left or the right battery? Daniel -- [W]:The Aerospace Corp. M1/055 * POB 92957 * LA, CA 90009-2957 * 213/336-8228 [Email]:faigin@aerospace.aero.org [Vmail]:213/336-5454 Box#3149 "A consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes individually" -- Abba Eban
dorsey@ganges.Eng.Sun.COM (Bill Dorsey) (12/21/90)
In article <FAIGIN.90Dec19070537@sundevil.aerospace.aero.org> faigin@aerospace.aero.org (Daniel P. Faigin) writes:
]The problem that I am running into is that the battery charges sometimes when
]I don't expect it to.
]
]When both batteries are charged, I prefer to use the machine with the power
]connected, so as not to have to continually run out the batteries to prevent
]the "memory effect". When I have powered off the machine, I disconnect the
]power cord. The next time I use the machine, I would expect the batteries to
]be in the same state I left them, e.g., fully charged. However, sometimes when
]I go to use the machine again and reconnect the power cord, it starts charging
]the batteries. This leads me to the conclusion that either the batteries are
]spontaineously discharging, or something is drawing their power.
]
]Does anyone know why this is happening? Do I have a defective battery?
]If so, how do I determine if it is the left or the right battery?
]
Although the Toshiba uses an internal battery to back up the RAM, it also
uses the main batteries to keep the internal battery fully charged. Thus,
as the internal battery discharges in order to maintain the RAM, the main
batteries discharge in order to keep the internal battery fully charged.
It is my belief that you are experiencing entirely normal behavior and that
nothing is wrong with your computer.
BTW, the above information was garnished from reading most of the docum-
entation that came with a Toshiba T1000SE computer. I'm assuming that the
battery/charging system is analogous on a T1600.
- Bill Dorseydhmst1@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Daniel H Marx) (01/02/91)
In article <FAIGIN.90Dec19070537@sundevil.aerospace.aero.org> faigin@aerospace.aero.org (Daniel P. Faigin) writes: >I am the proud owner of a new Toshiba T1600 >When I have powered off the machine, I disconnect the >power cord. The next time I use the machine, I would expect the batteries to >be in the same state I left them, e.g., fully charged. However, sometimes when >I go to use the machine again and reconnect the power cord, it starts charging >the batteries. This leads me to the conclusion that either the batteries are >spontaineously discharging, or something is drawing their power. NiCad batteries spontaneously discharge with time. Consequently, when you reattach the plug, the batteries are probably slightly drained which is why they draw a charge again. The last milliamps are the hardest to stuff in so the charge light may stay on a long time although the batteries are almost completely charged.