Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 31201 2003-03-14 23:58:00 CMOS Battery Miami Steve (2128) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
128242 2003-03-15 10:25:00 Lithium batterys can be recharged as I have one in my video camera. Are you saying that they don't have a charging circuit in the computer? BobM (1138)
128243 2003-03-15 10:27:00 Yes. Elephant (599)
128244 2003-03-15 10:39:00 I should elaborate.

Most batteries stuck to the motherboard are not charged by the computer being powered as such. The battery is there to charge the (BIOS) (CMOS) so when powered by the Mains the computer actually notices what date/time/hardware is attached.

If the battery powering the CMOS/BIOS fails ( generally about three years ) but this time varies the computer will fail to boot off the hard drive as it doesn't know it has one.

Does this help?
Elephant (599)
128245 2003-03-15 10:42:00 Lithium Ion (LiOn) batteries are rechargeable.
Lithium cells as used in CMOS backup, watches, etc are not rechargeable.

Alkaline batteries are not rechargeable
Alkialine Manganese batteries (RAM Batteries, but nothing to with computer RAM) are rechargeable. (RAM=Rechargeable Alkaline Manganese)

Graham L is right on Lithium Cells in computers, even if they were provided with a recharging circuit they are not designed to be charged.

One good reason is that they give shelf life anyway, the drain is so small.
If they were LiOn batteries, they would still need replacing at about the same interval.
godfather (25)
128246 2003-03-15 20:51:00 Thanks godfather, a very informative posting. BobM (1138)
128247 2003-03-16 04:20:00 I consider $17-$20 expensive. That's a considerable proportion of the value of the computer concerned. (The last P120 box I bought cost me $50, with a very good monitor.)

The value of your time will decide. I'm mean. :D
Graham L (2)
128248 2003-03-16 05:42:00 I agree that $20 is a large percentage of the value of the PC, but given that a new battery should see it through to the day it goes to that big circuit board dump in the sky :D, it is probably an investment I am willing to make.

Thanks to everybody for the helpful and informative responses.

Cheers
Miami
Miami Steve (2128)
1 2