Battery Power

Important Battery Tips

How to use the battery with minimal deterioration

The battery is a consumable and, as such, its performance will gradually deteriorate. This deterioration is accelerated under the following conditions.

When the battery is repeatedly charged
When the battery is used, charged or stored in a place with high temperature

To minimize deterioration of the battery and ensure a longer battery life, you must reduce the number of charges and ensure that the temperature inside the battery does not become too high. Bear in mind the following points.

Charge the battery in a temperature range of 10ºC to 30ºC {50ºF to 86ºF}

In places where the outside air temperature is high, the temperature inside the battery will also become high. Do not charge the battery inside a vehicle with all its windows closed and exposed to the hot sun or in other places where the temperature is high.
This computer’s battery will not be charged if its temperature is outside the allowable range. (At such a time, the battery indicator blinks orange.)

We recommend charging the battery no more than once per day

Recharging the battery after every small use raises the total number of battery charges and speeds battery deterioration.
To lower the total number of battery charges, we recommend recharging the battery no more than once per day or when the remaining charge drops to 10% or less.
With this computer, in order to reduce the number of charges, the battery will not be recharged immediately after it has been fully charged unless the remaining charge has fallen to less than 95%.

Charging the battery while the computer is powered off is recommended

If the computer’s power is on, the temperature inside the battery rises due to the effects of heat from the CPU and other components. We recommend that you only charge the battery when the computer is powered off.

Use the battery in the high temperature mode

High temperature mode is a function that prevents deterioration of the battery in high temperature environments or when using the fully charged battery pack for a long period of time.
When the high temperature mode is selected, the battery capacity is reduced, and therefore the battery operating time is shorter.
We recommend the high temperature mode setting when the computer is to be used under the following conditions:

When the computer is to be used in a vehicle
When the computer is to be used in a place with high temperature
When the computer is to be used for extended periods of time with the AC adaptor connected
When battery operation is not required for long hours (When the battery’s remaining capacity does not often drop to 40% or below in normal temperature mode)

How to use the computer to maximize the battery operation time

Leave the computer off when it is not in use

Decrease the internal LCD brightness using Panasonic Dashboard

The power consumption is reduced by decreasing the brightness.

Before stepping away from your computer, enter the sleep or hibernation mode

Pressing these key combinations will put your computer in the sleep or hibernation mode, thereby lowering the power consumption.

Click or in the notification area, and select a power plan that uses the power-saving function.

If no power plan that uses the power-saving function is shown, click [More power options] and then click [Change plan settings] for the power plan you want to modify. Then change the power-saving settings.

We recommend against using applications or screen saver that place a significant load on the CPU

Some screen savers place a large load on the CPU. When using these screen savers, a significant load is placed on the CPU even when the computer is not being used. We recommend that you do not use screen saver that will drain the CPU.

Remove peripheral devices (USB devices, external mouse, etc.) when not in use

When the computer is not going to be used for an extended period (a month or more)

In order to maintain the battery performance, remove the battery with a remaining charge of 30% to 40% from the computer, and store it in a cool, dark place

If the battery pack is kept installed in the computer, it will discharge gradually even when the computer’s power is off. If this condition continues for a long period (several months or more), the battery may over discharge, causing its performance to deteriorate. In addition, this deterioration will accelerate if the battery pack is stored inside a vehicle with all its windows closed and exposed to the hot sun or in other places where the temperature is high. Store the battery pack where the temperature is within the range of 10ºC to 30ºC {50ºF to 86ºF}.

Things to keep in mind when using the battery pack

Bear in mind the following points when installing and removing the battery pack

Do not install or remove the battery pack while the computer is in the sleep mode.
Removal of the battery pack in this mode cause the data to be erased and cause the computer to malfunction.
Do not touch the terminals on the battery pack.
If the terminals are dirty or damaged, the battery may not function properly or the computer may not operate properly.

Charging time and discharging time differs depending on the computer’s power status and temperature

It takes longer to fully charge the battery when the computer’s power is on. To charge the battery more quickly, power the computer off, or put it in the sleep or the hibernation mode.
It takes longer to fully charge the battery in low temperature environments. The battery discharges more quickly in low temperature environments.

Battery Indicator

You can attach 2 battery packs to this computer. The battery indicators are prepared for each battery.
A : Battery 1 indicator
B : Battery 2 indicator

Battery indicator	Battery status
Not lit	The battery pack is not inserted or not being charged. You can check presence of the battery pack by using Panasonic Dashboard.
Orange	Charging is in progress.
Green	The battery is fully-charged.
Blinking green	When you close the battery cover with the battery pack already inserted: You can check the battery level by blinking times. Blinking times Battery Level 5 times 95 % to 100 % 4 times 50 % to 94% 3 times 25 % to 49% 2 times 5 % to 24% 1 time to 0 % to 4 % Except for the operations stated above: In High temperature mode, the battery pack is discharging the power to 80%^*1 of the normal temperature mode. Do not remove the battery pack since the power is not supplied even if you connect the AC adaptor in this status. If remove the battery pack, the computer will be turned off and lose data.
Red	The remaining battery is approximately 9% or less.
Blinking red	When blinking approx. every 1 second: The battery pack or the charging circuit is not operating properly. When blinking approx. every 4 second: The battery cover is open. You can remove the battery pack in this case. When blinking approx. every 0.5 second: The battery cover is open. If you remove the battery pack in this case, the power supply is cut off and the computer is shut down. Close the battery cover immediately.
Blinking orange	The battery cannot be charged temporarily due to the following reasons: Its internal temperature is out of the acceptable range. The power supply is not enough because software applications or peripheral devices are consuming a large amount of power.
Blinking green and orange alternately	The temperature is low and the computer is warming up to prevent the hard disk drive or flash memory from malfunctioning. The computer will start automatically after warming-up.

*1 : In high temperature mode, the 100% battery level is equivalent to 80% level of the normal temperature mode.

NOTE

- Once the battery is fully charged, the computer performs recharging only when the battery level becomes less than approximately 95%, so overcharging is avoided.

Checking the Remaining Battery Charge

You can check the remaining battery charge on the screen.

(After logging on to Windows)

Start up Panasonic Dashboard.
- When the battery pack is inserted (example)
  
  In charging
  
  Normal temperature mode High temperature mode
  
  In discharging (The battery pack in the frame is discharging)
  
  Normal temperature mode High temperature mode
- When the battery pack is not inserted
  
  Normal temperature mode High temperature mode

NOTE

- The battery display may not correspond to the actual remaining battery charge in the cases as below. To correct the display, perform the Battery Recalibration (

Correcting the Battery Display (Battery Recalibration)).

The battery indicator remains red.
The indicator lights orange and the display shows 99% for a long time.
Low battery warning appears soon after a short time of use.
This can occur when the computer is in sleep for a long time without power supply from the AC adaptor.

- The battery display may not be the same as that of

notification area. This is not a malfunction.

High temperature mode

The high temperature mode can prevent the battery from deteriorating when the computer is used in high-temperature environment or used for a long time with its battery fully charged.
Select [Auto] (default) or [High Temperature] in [Environment] of the [Main] menu of the Setup Utility. In [Auto] mode, high temperature mode or normal temperature mode is selected automatically depending on the battery status (the internal temperature of the battery pack, etc.) or usage condition (when the AC adaptor has been connected for a long period of time).

NOTE

- Note that a level corresponding to a 100% charge for high temperature mode is approximately equivalent to an 80% charge level for normal temperature mode.

- After switching from [Normal Temperature] to [High Temperature] or vice versa, the remaining battery capacity will not be displayed correctly until the battery pack is completely discharged or fully charged.

- In the [Auto] mode:
Once the computer has automatically switched from the normal temperature mode to the high temperature mode, the computer will not switch back to the normal temperature mode until the battery has been used and recharged to a total charge level of about 5 times as much as that of the fully-charged state. This is to avoid battery deterioration.
In [Auto] mode, mode switching is possible only for the battery pack in operation. The other battery's [Environment] mode remains the same.

Computer behavior with low battery

The default settings are as follows.
This computer automatically switches from Battery 1 to Battery 2 and vice versa when either remaining battery charge becomes less than 10%. When both batteries are not sufficiently charged, the computer operates as below.

When the battery level becomes 10% [Low battery level]	When the battery level becomes 5% [Critical battery level]
Displays a message that the battery level is low.	The computer enters hibernation.
↓	↓
Charge the battery.	Connect the AC adaptor or replace the battery to start up the computer.
Connect the AC adaptor immediately. If you do not have the AC adaptor, exit the running programs and Windows, then confirm that the power indicator is off. If you have a fully charged spare battery, turn off the computer, replace the battery and turn the computer on again.	Connect the AC adaptor and charge the battery. If you have a fully charged spare battery, turn off the computer, replace the battery and turn the computer on again. When the computer enters hibernation with the battery down and you resume the operation without charging the battery, the Windows Resume Loader starts up. Follow the on-screen instructions. After that, however, Windows may not start up normally, or the [Low battery level]/[Critical battery level] function may not work normally.

Changing the Battery Charging Speed

The battery may become hot while being charged. You can make the battery charging speed slower to keep the battery cooler during charge.

Click on the notification area and click .
At [Battery Charge Speed], select [Slow] to make the battery charging speed slower.
To return to the normal charging speed, select [Standard].
Click [OK].

Correcting the Battery Display (Battery Recalibration)

The “Battery Recalibration” function measures and memorizes the battery capacity. To correct the battery display, use this function to fill the battery and then discharge it completely. Perform the procedure at least once immediately after purchasing the computer. Normally the interval of battery recalibration is 3 months. The battery display may not be correct when the battery pack deteriorates after a long time use. In this case, perform the procedure again.

Connect the AC adaptor.
Perform “Battery Recalibration”.

<To perform "Battery Recalibration" without shutting down Windows>
You can operate your computer while the battery recalibration is in progress.
1. Click (Start) - [All Programs] - [Panasonic] - [Battery] - [Battery Recalibration].
2. Select the battery pack on which to perform Battery Recalibration, and select [Perform Battery Recalibration while Windows operations are running.].
3. Click [Start].
4. To set the computer's status after the battery recalibration is completed, add a check mark to [After discharging is complete, place the computer in shutdown/sleep/hibernation mode for Windows.], and select in which mode the computer enters, [Shutdown], [Sleep], or [Hibernate].
5. If you have set the computer's status at step 4, when the battery recalibration is completed, select [Shut down Now], [Enter sleep mode Now], [Enter hibernation mode Now] or [Cancel].
  If you have not set the computer's status at step 4, click [Exit] to quit the battery recalibration.
<To perform "Battery Recalibration" after shutting down Windows>
The computer restarts automatically and the battery recalibration is performed without starting Windows.
1. Close all the applications.
2. Click (Start) - [All Programs] - [Panasonic] - [Battery] - [Battery Recalibration].
3. Select the battery pack on which to perform Battery Recalibration, and select [Perform Battery Recalibration after shutting down Windows.].
4. Click [Start].
5. At the confirmation screen, click [Yes].
After the battery recalibration is finished, normal charging starts.

NOTE

- The temperature range should be 10ºC to 30ºC {50ºF to 86ºF}.

- When performing the battery recalibration without shutting down Windows, the battery recalibration ends and will not be completed if the AC adaptor is removed, or if the computer enters sleep and hibernation mode during recalibration.

- Frequent recalibration of the battery can degrade the battery. A caution message appears when the battery recalibration is performed at the shorter interval than approximately a month. In this case, cancel the battery recalibration.

- The battery recalibration may take a long time due to the large battery capacity. This is not a malfunction. For further information, refer to Operating Instructions. (An expected approximate recalibration time is displayed. When performing the battery recalibration without shutting down Windows, the recalibration time will be longer than shown.)

- If the computer is turned off during the battery recalibration (e.g., due to power failure, or accidental removal of the AC adaptor and battery pack), the battery recalibration will not be completed.

- You can also perform the battery recalibration with the following procedure.

Connect an external keyboard to the computer.
Restart the computer.
Press and hold «F9» while the [Panasonic] boot screen is displayed just after the computer starts the startup procedure.
When the remaining battery capacity is displayed, press «Enter».
Follow the on-screen instructions.

Replacing the Battery Pack

If you have a battery charger (optional) or Cradle (optional), you can remove one battery pack to charge while the other battery pack is operating.
The battery pack is a consumable item so the replacement will be necessary. If the battery operation time becomes noticeably short and not recovered even after recalibrating the battery, replace with a new battery.
If one of the two battery packs has remaining power, you can replace the other battery pack without turning off the computer (Hot swap).

CAUTION

- The battery pack is not charged when you first purchase it. Be sure to charge it before using for the first time. Charging starts automatically when the AC adaptor is connected to the computer.

- Use only the specified battery pack with your computer.

- In sleep, do not remove/replace the battery pack. Otherwise your data will be lost and the computer may be damaged.

Checking the battery pack that can be replaced/removed

Remove/replace the battery pack under the right conditions according to the chart below because if the computer is mistakenly shut down, this may cause data to be lost and the computer to malfunction.

When the computer is ON or in sleep/Hibernation	When the AC adaptor is not connected	Only one battery pack can be removed/replaced. To check if the battery pack can be removed/replaced: When you open the battery cover, the blinking (red) of battery indicator tells. When blinking approx. every 4 seconds: Can be replaced When blinking approx. every 0.5 second: Cannot be replaced
When the computer is ON or in sleep/Hibernation	When the AC adaptor is connected	Both battery packs can be removed/replaced.
When the computer is OFF		Both battery packs can be removed/replaced.

Open the battery cover.
1. Slide the battery cover and open the cover.
2. Open the cover.
- Check the blinking (red) status of battery indicator. (Battery Indicator)
Pull the tab to remove the battery pack.
Insert the new battery pack until it securely fits the connector.
Close the battery cover.
1. Close the battery cover.
2. Slide the battery cover until it clicks.

CAUTION

- Make sure the battery cover is securely locked, otherwise the battery pack may fall when you carry the computer.

- Do not remove the battery pack forcibly when the battery cover is locked. Doing so may damage the battery pack.