Dell Laptop battery recall

[Satch]

So not just car makers then:

August 15, 2006

Dell Inc., the largest maker of personal computers, is recalling 4.1 million notebook PC batteries that may burst into flames in the largest-ever recall in the consumer-electronics industry

The batteries were manufactured by Sony Corp. and used in Latitude, Inspiron, and Dell Precision portable PCs sold between April 2004 and July 18, 2006

Go here to find out if you are afflicted:

https://www.dellbatteryprogram.com/

 

[mergli]

Thanks Satch.

Looks like my Inspiron may be affected - need to check the serial number of the battery pack when I get home.

 

[Satch]

Well mine is not amongst the recall batch so I hope is in no danger of bursting into flame. But along the way of finding out what the problem is discovered some things I did not know about Lithium-ion batteries:

A Li-ion battery has a life span that is dependent upon age from time of manufacture and not just on the number of charge/discharge cycles.

A typical Li-ion laptop battery that is then kept fully charged most of the time will at, 25C average temperature, irreversibly lose approximately 20% capacity per year. Inside a busy laptop find higher temperatures than 25 °C, so when running from mains the battery should be removed and stored it in a cool place.

Different storage temperatures produce different loss results: kept at a near 100% charge level 6% annual loss at 0 °C, 20% at 25 °C, and 35% at 40 °C. At 40% charge level, these annual capacity losses drop to 2%, 4%, 15% at 0C, 25C and 40C respectively

Lithium-ion batteries do not need to and should never be "deep-cycled" like NiCd or NiMH batteries. If you are not going to use one for a while run it down to about 40%, put it in a bag and stick it in the fridge.