FAQ’s

Battery FAQ’s

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NICAD, NIMH AND LITHIUM ION BATTERIES?

NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) and NiCd (Nickel Cadmium), are two of the oldest chemistries. The major differences between the two types of batteries are capacity, memory effect and environmental friendliness. NiMH batteries have high capacity, no memory effects and environmentally friendly. Li-ion is currently the most popular chemistry. Li-ion batteries produce the same energy as Ni-MH battery but they are much lighter. This can make a noticeable difference in devices such as lawn mowers, medical , two-way radios, bar-code scanners or notebook computers where the battery makes up a significant portion of the total weight.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO UPGRADE THE DEVICE'S BATTERY TO A NEWER CHEMISTRY?

NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion are all fundamentally different from one another and cannot be substituted unless the device has been pre-configured to accept more than one type of battery chemistry.

Please call us at (510) 380-7686 for more assistance.

MY NEW BATTERY ISN'T CHARGING. IS IT DEFECTIVE?

Usually NO. New batteries come in a discharged condition and must be fully charged before use. It is recommended that you fully charge and discharge the new battery two to four times to allow it to reach its maximum rated capacity.

It is generally recommend an overnight charge (approximately twelve hours). It is normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charging and discharging. When charging the battery for the first time, the device may indicate that charging is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is a normal with rechargeable batteries. New batteries are hard for the device to charge; they have never been fully charged and not “broken in”. Sometimes the device's charger will stop charging a new battery before it is fully charged. If this happens, remove the battery from the device and then reinsert it. The charge cycle should begin again. This may happen several times during the first battery charge. Don't worry; it's perfectly normal.

Another scenario can be the BIOS interface. At times, the current software in your system is only set up to read an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) battery. If your BIOS as not been updated, and you have only used OEM batteries in your unit it can cause the replacement battery not to communicate efficiently with the software in your system.

By visiting your manufacturers’ website and locating your models BIOS upgrade, it can make it possible for your replacement battery to work as efficiently as your OEM battery. Once completing the BIOS upgrade, please recharge your battery for 12 hours and use as normal.

HOW CAN I MAXIMIZE THE PERFORMANCE OF MY BATTERY?

There are several steps you can take to help you get maximum performance from your battery:

Prevent the Memory Effect - Keep the battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries which do not suffer from the memory effect. Keep the Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and the portable device. Exercise the Battery - Do not leave the battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If a battery has not been used for a long period of time, perform the new battery break in procedure described above. Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for a month or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to recharge the batteries before use. Sealed Lead Acid - (SLA) batteries must be kept at full charge during storage. This is usually achieved by using special trickle chargers. If you do not have a trickle charger, do not attempt to store SLA batteries for more than three months.

WHAT IS "MEMORY EFFECT"?

Memory effect, also known as battery effect, lazy battery effect, or battery memory, is an effect observed in nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries that causes them to hold less charge.

WHAT ARE VOLTS AND MILLIAMP-HOURS (E.G. 10.8V - 4600MAH)?

Every battery has two ratings which are volts and amp-hours (AH). The Ah rating may also be given as milliamp-hours (mAh), which are one-thousandth of an amp-hour ( for example, a 4.6Ah battery is equal to 4600mAh). Ah hours are a rating of the amount of energy that a battery can store. Typically, the mAh rating is also a measure of the number of hours a battery may last. For example, a 4600mAh battery will last at least 4.5 hours. The higher a battery's amp hour rating is, the longer the battery's run-time will be. It is not uncommon for some of our batteries to have higher or lower amp ratings. This will not cause any incompatibilities.

Voltage ratings, however, must be within a reasonable range. For instance, your original battery may say 3.6v, but you purchase a battery that is 3.7v. This is still acceptable. The rule of thumb when dealing with voltage is to never exceed one volt higher than your original rating. So if your original battery is rated at 3.6v, then you would be able to use a replacement battery up to 4.6v and nothing higher.

Run times vary for many reasons, such as the type of device, the type of applications being used, whether or not you are playing a CD or DVD (etc.) and the chemistry of the battery. The average computer should give you between 1½ to 3 hours of run time. Once again, this varies for many reasons.

HOW LONG DO TYPICAL BATTERIES LAST?

The life of a battery under normal use is around 500 to 900 charge-discharge cycles. This is between one and a half to three years of battery life for the average user. Of course, a more avid user might obtain less of a life span due to the frequency of charge-discharge cycles. As the rechargeable battery begins to fail the running time of the battery on a full charge will begin to decline. When a battery supplies thirty minutes or less of charge, it is time for a replacement.

CAN I RECYCLE MY OLD BATTERY? HOW?

Yes, please visit Call2recycle.com for more information.

HOW LONG WILL MY NEW BATTERY RUN?

Battery run-time on a laptop is difficult to determine. Actual battery running time depends upon the power demands made by the equipment. The use of the screen, the hard drive, and other accessories results in an additional drain upon the battery, effectively reducing its running time. The total run-time of the battery is also dependent upon the design of the equipment.

WHAT IS OEM?

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer.

We do NOT sell OEM battery packs. BatteriesGlobal.com offers only brand new replacement battery packs that are guaranteed to perform just as good if not better than the OEM brands in terms of quality and performance - all with significant cost savings to you.

Order Management

Do you accept orders by email or phone?

Yes, You can either send us an email with order details like the item number, quantity, shipping and billing address. Or call us at +1 424 236 3998 to place an order. Our representative will get in touch with you if they need any further details.

Will my order ship the same day?

All orders received before 2:00 pm EST will ship the same day, provided the items are in-stock and ready to ship.

How can I return or exchange an item?

Please refer our Return Policy.

What happens when an item is back-ordered?

We typically ship within 3-7 days but when an item is not available for immediate shipment, we inform the customer immediately of the estimated date of availability via e-mail or phone. We will send you the available items and keep the remaining order on a "back-order" status. The back-ordered item is shipped as soon as it becomes available.

How do I know if a product is available or not?

For information on product availability, please call our customer care personnel at (510) 380-7686. We will be glad to assist you.

How do I know if my order has shipped?

Once your order has been shipped, UPS/USPS will send an e-mail to you with the tracking information for your package. If you have not received an e-mail, your order will be shipped shortly and you will receive an e-mail as soon as it is shipped. Please feel free to contact us at (510) 380-7686 if you have any questions.

How can I track my order?

As soon as we ship your order, UPS/USPS will send an e-mail to you with the tracking number. You can use this number on the UPS Website (www.ups.com) or USPS (https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input) to track your order.

Do you sell refurbished or brand new batteries?

BatteriesGlobal.com sells only BRAND NEW replacement battery packs, with our manufacturing facilities in conformance with quality standards and guidelines applicable to OEM battery packs.

Are your products as good as the original battery packs?

Yes. Our aftermarket replacement battery packs are manufactured by certified plants, using the highest quality cells and materials, under same strict high standards and guidelines applicable to OEM battery packs. In fact in many cases we provide warranties that are longer than the ones you would typically find with OEM purchases. Lower prices, longer warranty and supreme quality all help you make a smarter buying decision and reward you with a better return on investment.

What is the shelf life of your battery packs?

If stored properly, the shelf life of our products is typically 2 years for most of our packs.

How much do I save by using replacement or aftermarket battery packs?

Your savings will be substantial compared to prices from the OEM.

Shipping and Handling

What locations you ship to?

We currently ship to all locations in the U.S.A. and internationally.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept PayPal, Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover for transactions.

Will it void my Original warranty if I use your battery packs?

NO, The use of replacement aftermarket battery packs will not void your warranty in any way.

In fact, this has been protected by the following legislation:

Magnuson-moss Warranty Improvement Act

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act United States Code Annotated Title 15 Commerce and Trade Chapter 50 Consumer Product Warranties 15 Section 2302 states that:

No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumer's using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name; except that the prohibition of this subsection may be waived by the commission if:

The warrantor satisfies the Commission that the warranted product will function properly only if the article or service so identified is used in connection with the warranted product, and
The Commission finds that such a waiver is in the public interest.

Will your battery packs damage my device?

No. All battery packs are produces in certified plants to meet or exceed OEM performance and will not damage your equipment in any way. Please contact us if you have specific concerns and we will be pleased to address them.

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