All About PDA Batteries

Powering your personal assistant

Most PDAs have a power management routine built into the OS so that the CPU is actually sleeping most of the time, even when the device is on. The system wakes up long enough to process screen presses and display the next screen. If your PDA is set up with this type of sleep system, the batteries will last quite a bit longer.

Many PDAs come equipped with rechargeable batteries. Of course, the life span on these depends on usage, but you can expect that they will last just under what a standard alkaline battery will. Most manufacturers will suggest you recharge the PDA battery in the cradle each day to extend life and protect your work.

If you do not have a rechargeable PDA battery, then you will most likely be buying replacement batteries. On average, a replacement battery will last between two weeks and a month. Again, this depends on the amount of time you spend using the unit.

A fresh set of alkaline PDA batteries will provide about three volts. If you hit the 2 volt mark, the low battery indicator will come on (your unit will probably refuse to operate with less than one volt. These numbers change for rechargeable battery units, with the max voltage being around four volts and the low battery indicator coming on somewhere around the three volt mark.

If you are using replacement batteries, they should be changed somewhere around 50 percent mark. This should take about two weeks. The life span of your battery will vary depending on the type of unit you have and what you use it for. To extend the life, remember to keep your unit on standby or even turn it off when you are not using it.

More information on PDA's