Using a Battery 49Using a BatteryBattery PerformanceCAUTION: Before you begin this procedure, read the safety instructions at the front of this document(see page 11).NOTE: Batteries for portable computers are covered only during the initial one-year period of the limitedwarranty for your computer. For more information about the Dell warranty for your computer, see "LimitedWarranties" on page 171 or the separate paper warranty document that shipped with your computer.For optimal computer performance and to help preserve BIOS settings, operate your Dell™portable computer with the main battery installed at all times. Use a battery to run the computerwhen it is not connected to an electrical outlet. One battery is supplied as standard equipment inthe battery bay.Battery operating time varies depending on operating conditions.Operating time is significantly reduced when you perform operations including, but not limited to,the following:• Using DVD, DVD+RW, and CD-RW drives.• Using wireless communications devices, PC Cards, or USB devices.• Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power-intensive programssuch as 3D games.• Running the computer in maximum performance mode. (See "Power Management" in theDell Inspiron Help file for more information. To access the help file, see page 18.)NOTE: It is recommended that you connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to a CDor DVD.You can check the battery charge before or after you insert the battery into the computer. You canalso set power management options to alert you when the battery charge is low.CAUTION: Using an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Replace thebattery only with a compatible battery purchased from Dell. The lithium-ion battery is designed to workwith your Dell computer. Do not use a battery from other computers with your computer.CAUTION: Do not dispose of batteries with household waste. When your battery no longer holds acharge, call your local waste disposal or environmental agency for advice on disposing of a lithium-ionbattery. See "Battery Disposal" on page 15.
