Which Laptop battery is right for you?

The short answer is: “Whichever type fits your laptop.”

Laptop batteries vary according to the model and type of laptop computer for which they’ve been designed. All laptop batteries do, however, share some common characteristics that differentiate them from regular household batteries:

• Laptop batteries are rechargeable
• They are composed of multiple internal cells
• Within each laptop battery is a small printed circuit board
• Shape and location of terminals differ from model to model.

As is the case with all batteries, laptop batteries create an electrochemical reaction, forcing a stream of electrons from one position to another. Also like other batteries, laptop batteries have positive and negative terminals that receive and send electrons.

Rechargeable batteries are more complex, however, than standard batteries. This is because the electrochemical reaction that provides power must be reversible. Care has to be taken when recharging them to ensure they perform at their best.

Frank McLarnon, Lawrence Berkley lab’s staff scientist explains it this way to Scientific American.com:

Which Laptop battery is right for you?

“When a battery is discharged, an electrochemical oxidation reaction proceeds at the negative electrode, and an electrochemical reduction reaction occurs at the positive electrode. When one attempts to recharge a battery by reversing the direction of electric current flow, the opposite takes place: a reduction reaction proceeds at the negative electrode, and an oxidation reaction takes place at the positive electrode.

In the case of the rechargeable battery, the electrochemical oxidation-reduction reactions are reversible at both electrodes. In the case of the non-rechargeable battery, when one attempts to recharge the battery by reversing the direction of electron current flow, at least one of the electrochemical oxidation-reduction reactions is not reversible. When the battery is charged, the overall reduction reaction that proceeds at the negative electrode may not be the true reverse of the oxidation reaction that proceeded when the battery was discharged.

If the laptop battery process isn`t exact, then unwanted build up can take place on either terminal over time, which can cause a dangerous short-circuit.”

It is so important to ensure that your laptop battery or notebook battery is the one designed for your particular model and type. Only buy Dell laptop batteries for a Dell laptop computer, Gateway aren’t compatible with Compaq laptop batteries and Toshiba laptop batteries won’t sit well in a Sony.

It is also wise to remember that old adage: “You get what you pay for.”
Some companies offer used “cheap laptop batteries” for sale, saying that they have refurbished each battery and restored most of its useful life. The fallacy of this is that, although possible to refurbish a second-hand laptop battery, the cost to do so would be more than the price of a new battery. So, “Buyer beware,” and if you must buy discount laptop batteries, buy new discounted batteries.

Laptop computers are a boon to business, large and small. As a wise person is just about to say: “Look after your laptop and it will look after you.”

Baby Cribs Safety Tips for Young Moms

Baby Cribs Safety Tips

Crib Design

Dispose of antique baby cribs with decorative cutouts, corner posts or lead paint. The space between the slats should be no more than 2-3/8 inches apart to prevent infants from getting their head stuck between them. Cribs manufactured after 1974 must meet this and other strict safety standards. The corner posts should be the same height as the end panels or less than 1/16 of an inch higher than the end panels.

No cut-out areas on the headboard or foot board so a baby`s head cannot get trapped. The top rails of crib sides, in their raised position, should be at least 26 inches above the top of the mattress support at its lowest position.

As soon as the child can pull himself to a standing position, set and keep the mattress at its lowest position. Stop using the crib once the height of the top rails is less than three-fourths of the child`s height.

Mattress

The mattress should fit snugly next to the crib so that there is no gap. If two adult fingers can be placed between the mattress and the crib, the mattress should be immediately replaced. Do not use plastic packaging materials, such as dry cleaning bags, as mattress covers. Plastic film can cling to children`s faces and should never be in or near the crib.

Put your baby to sleep on his or her back or side in a crib with a firm, flat mattress and no soft bedding underneath. Talk to your pediatrician about which sleeping position is best for you child.

Crib Hardware

Baby Cribs Safety Tips for Young Moms
Crib Hardware

The drop side(s) of the crib should require two distinct actions or a minimum force of ten pounds with one action to release the latch or the locks to prevent accidental release by the child.

The crib hardware should be checked for disengaged, broken, bent or loose pieces. Special checks should be made of the mattress support hangers and brackets so they cannot drop. The hardware and the crib should be smooth and free of sharp edges, points and rough surfaces.

Crib Accessories

Bumper pads should cover the entire inside perimeter of the crib and tie or snap in place. Bumper pads should have at least six straps or ties and any excess length of straps or ties should be cut off. Bumper pads should never be used in lieu of proper spacing between the slats and should be removed from the crib as soon as the child can pull himself to a standing position.

Teething rails that are damaged should be fixed, replaced or removed immediately. To prevent possible entanglement, mobiles and crib gyms, which are meant to be hung over or across the crib, should be removed when the child is five months old or when he begins to push up onto hands and knees or can pull himself up. Keep the crib clear of plastic sheets, pillows, and large stuffed animals or toys. These can be suffocation hazards or can enable youngsters to climb out of the crib. Any cloth or vinyl items that are loose or torn should be replaced or repaired immediately.

Crib Environment

Do not place crib next to a window. Drapery and blind cords pose an entanglement hazard and window screens are not intended to keep a child in, only insects out. Install smoke detectors. Follow the manufacturer`s directions for placement. Check at least once a month to make sure battery and smoke detector are in good working condition.

Laptop Batteries are More Than a Black Box

More than meets the eye.

Laptop batteries are the most important battery in the field of rechargeable batteries, but they are also the most complicated and regulated of all rechargeable batteries. The process alone to manufacture a laptop battery is long. How laptop batteries interact with the computer to function properly is another lengthy process. Manufacturers are also working constantly to improve laptop battery technology.

The process used to created laptop batteries involves a system of tests and re-tests to insure safety and reliability. Inside that plastic case that is the finished product, there are a number of components besides the battery that make it work. Inside the casing, there are safety fuses, breakers, thermistors, and charge electronics which all aid in the functionality of laptop batteries. The battery pack casing is welded together in a specific process and is then sent on for final inspection. During final inspection, tests are documented for form, fit and function and once the battery passes the test, it is labeled with a lot and date code.

All those extra components added to the battery pack are essential for laptop battery functionality. The thermistor controls the resistance of the battery and tells the computer to stop charging when the battery heats up as it completes charging. The circuit breaker helps protect against over charging and short circuits.

Laptop Batteries are More Than a Black Box
All those extra components added to the battery pack are essential for laptop battery functionality. The thermistor controls the resistance of the battery and tells the computer to stop charging when the battery heats up as it completes charging. The circuit breaker helps protect against over charging and short circuits.

Laptop batteries are built with the best quality battery components that can be found. Battery cells are ensured to yield the highest capacity and safety qualifications, whether the battery cell is NiCD, NiHM, or Li-Ion. Some batteries are even equipped with their own microprocessor that communicates important charge information to the computer.

Information about laptop batteries proves that they are some of the most advanced rechargeable batteries available. Now when choosing a laptop battery, you won’t just see a black box, but rather a mini-computer that helps your laptop to run reliably and effectively.