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Date: Saturday 4th September 2021
Time: 19:30
3 Daft Monkeys
Tickets in advance : Standard : £12.00 (£14.00 on the door)
Tickets are non-refundable. Gates Open 1 Hour before the Start time. Licensed Bar. Tea, Coffee, Soft Drinks, Ice-Creams & Snacks.
Phone 01726 879500
Buy at Tourist Offices in
St Ives, Penzance, Falmouth, Truro, St Mawes, St Austell, Bodmin, Liskeard, Launceston
The Heartlands, Pool, Redruth
Click the Link above to Book Online Now
Or Phone CRBO on 01726 879500
Buy over-the-counter at Tourist Offices in St Ives, Penzance, St Mawes, Truro, St Austell, Bodmin, Liskeard & Launceston plus 'Heartlands'Pool Redruth
Click the Link above to Book Online Now or Phone 01726 879500
Penlee Park Open-Air Theatre
Penlee Theatre looks forward to welcoming you to a diverse range professional theatre and music through the summer season.
2020 Season Now Booking
Click Here to Book Online Now
Phone 01726 879500
Concessions: Over65s, Under16s, Benefits.
[ Children under 3 (on a lap!) Free.]
Family : 2 Adults and 2 Under16s.
Group Rates : 10+ people get a 10% discount
(when bought as one order)
Refreshments available :
Fresh Homemade Vegetable Curry with Naan Bread ( £5.50 )
and Hot Jacket Potatoes with Grated Cheese or Vegetable Curry ( £5.50 /£6.50) are available for virtually all shows
Served before the Show starts, they must be booked in advance.
Hot & Cold drinks plus Snacks available at all performances.
All listed performances will feature a Licensed Bar.
Smoking - the Theatre's Seated area is a No Smoking Zone
Refunds are only given if a show is cancelled: performances will go ahead except in the worst of weather.
The information below only applies to an event being held at Penlee Park Open-Air Theatre.
Please check the information on each Event by clicking on Details
The gate opens 60 minutes before the scheduled start time.
Seating is provided.
Please bring whatever you need for a comfy and cosy experience: warm clothes, waterproofs, blankets, cushions, rugs, picnics etc but no umbrellas
Wheelchair access - there is full access but, as the surface is grass, it may be slippery when wet
Parking The nearest car park is above Penlee Park, entrance from Alverton Terrace. Other ample car parking close by
Dogs Well behaved, quiet dogs on a short lead are welcome but please bring your doggy bags.
The Open Air Theatre in Penlee Park had its first season in the early 1950s. It's in a beautifully sheltered setting, opposite the Cafe terrace of Penlee House & Gallery.


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The lowly race of goblins are finally where they belong: a post-apocalypse Earth. Armed with laughable IQ's, a natural immunity to radiation and whatever's in that dumpster over there, it's time for them to cut loose and claim what humanity left behind.
For the player who's tired of pretending to know what they're doing, we recommend Gobblin' the gob


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Eye For Film >> Search >> 'David Ayer'
Two young cops are hunted by a vicious drug cartel.
A battle-hardened sergeant takes a crew on a deadly mission in the last days of the Second World War.
A war veteran loses his mind in South Central LA.
A corrupt drug task force find themselves on a hit list.
A secret government agency recruits jailed supervillains to take on a dangerous mission.
A lone cop goes up against a corrupt system.
Stay-At-Home Seven: July 6 to 12 Suggestions of films to catch on TV and streaming services this week.
Morricone: 'The Mozart of film music' Memories of an encounter with the maestro, who has died at 91
Streaming spotlight: dog days The best of canine cinema you can catch online
Setting the pace Riyaana Hartley on Lella Lombardi, Beyond Driven and women in Formula One
San Sebastian announces titles Plans going ahead for physical edition of the festival
London Film Festival announces hybrid edition 50 virtual festival premieres in programme
We're bringing you all the latest from Sheffield DocFest and the Edinburgh International Film Festival online selection.
We're looking forward to the Fantasia International Film Festival.
We've recently been covering the Cheltenham International Film Festival, the Chattanooga Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival online selection.
Read our full archive for more.
Visit our festivals section.
More competitions coming soon.


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• South Korea's vice-foreign minister said he was told by two named senior Chinese officials that they believed Korea should be reunified under Seoul's control, and that this view was gaining ground with the leadership in Beijing…
In highly sensitive discussions in February this year, the-then South Korean vice-foreign minister, Chun Yung-woo, told a US ambassador, Kathleen Stephens, that younger generation Chinese Communist party leaders no longer regarded North Korea as a useful or reliable ally and would not risk renewed armed conflict on the peninsula, according to a secret cable to Washington…
and (b) the Ayrab world is desperate for the US to invade Iran
Iran obtained 19 of the missiles from North Korea, according to a cable dated Feb. 24 of this year. The cable is a detailed, highly classified account of a meeting between top Russian officials and an American delegation led by Vann H. Van Diepen, an official with the State Department's nonproliferation division who, as a national intelligence officer several years ago, played a crucial role in the 2007 assessment of Iran's nuclear capacity.
The missiles could for the first time give Iran the capacity to strike at capitals in Western Europe or easily reach Moscow, and American officials warned that their advanced propulsion could speed Iran's development of intercontinental ballistic missiles.
and (c) Israel is urging caution and advising against military action against Iran.
Summary: Israel urges international pressure on Tehran but worries US may move towards a less tough EU position. Israel is aware that it will be harder to destroy Iranian nuclear sites than it was Iraq's reactor in 1981. Expects Iran to hit back at coalition forces in Iraq and the Gulf and launch terrorist attacks
Makes you wonder just who the hell all these unnamed 'senior sources' are who provide the media with the bullshit that passes for news and informed commentary.
Sounds to me like the New York Times rings up the Guardian who just phoned the BBC who just heard from the tea lady at the London School of Economics who overheard someone talking about their latest Middle East computer models.


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Grants.gov workers use Web conferencing to explain complex funding system.
State and local governments seeking federal grants could be missing an opportunity. Grants.gov is the central access point for finding and applying for grants from all 26 federal grant-making agencies. Most grant seekers in state and local government likely know that. However, as of this writing, none of them utilize the Web conferencing function offered by Grants.gov, which is designed to make the bureaucracy-laden process more accessible.
The site was established as part of President George W. Bush's fiscal 2002 Management Agenda designed to improve government services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services assumed control of the site's management. Federal grant seekers began requesting Grants.gov representatives to speak nationwide at seminars about navigating the complicated site. The staff attended events near Washington, D.C., but regularly traveling across the country wasn't in the budget.
To satisfy the demand for clarity, Grants.gov implemented a WebEx conferencing tool in 2007. Nonprofits and governments, if they accept the invitation, can set up meetings with Michael Pellegrino, management analyst officer of Grants.gov, for guidance in plain language on using the site.
"It has a camera so the audience can see me. We walk through a standard presentation, and then we go live into the Web site. The sessions are interactive; we answer any questions the audience may have," Pellegrino said. "They can submit questions in the chat area. There is also a conference number where they call in. I prefer, for the most part, we answer them verbally. I've done a small session with two people. I've done [sessions with] upward of 225."
Grants.gov users participate in the Web conferences from their desktops or watch in classroom settings with other grant seekers. The Web conferencing feature isn't clearly advertised on the site, which could explain the lack of state and local government participation. To schedule a Web conference, click the "Applicant Resources" link on the Grants.gov home page. Then click "Outreach Request Form." Fill out the form and e-mail it to email@example.com. According to the site, someone from Grants.gov will contact you.
Grants.gov has seen a 25 percent increase in grant applications since deploying the WebEx function last year. Pellegrino said he couldn't necessarily attribute the increase to the Web conferencing, but it has helped. He has conducted 16 Web conferences so far in 2008.
Demystifying the Process
Applying for federal grants is complicated. For example, the federal government is currently switching to a new application format. Some agencies use the new format, while some use the old format. Sometimes one department within an agency uses the new format, while another department in the same agency still uses the old one. You also need to be careful when reading the deadlines on Grants.gov. For example, the site might say your grant application is due Feb. 5. But in another spot, it could mention that you must first go through the separate process of "preauthorizing" an application a week before submitting it. If you waited until the deadline to submit your application without the preauthorization requirement, you'd be out of luck.
Grant seekers who have accepted the Web conferencing offer contend that absorbing the details is easier when Pellegrino explains them in plain English via WebEx.
"The information is all [published] on the Web page, sure, but most people don't read that closely, and I think the Web conference would save people some time," said Davis Fischer, training coordinator for the Foundation Center, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that teaches other nonprofits how to find funding.
Pellegrino recently conducted a Web conference with the Foundation Center. The organization's expertise is teaching nonprofits how to find grants offered by other nonprofits, not government agencies. The Foundation Center has received
numerous complaints about the complicated federal grant process.
"There are just so many steps you have to take, and there are all these deadlines. Like any good government agency, the site offers tons and tons of verbiage explaining everything," Fischer said, adding that the text often reads like a legislative bill.
Fischer said no good tool previously existed for learning remotely the ropes of Grants.gov.
"Before the WebEx tool, if I had contacted Grants.gov, the best I probably would have gotten would have been a conference call. The conference call would be somewhat limited in that there would be no visuals," she said. " You could do a 'follow along' over the phone, but you wouldn't really know if you were in the right place because the teacher wouldn't be able to see where the person who was lost was looking. Web conferencing adds a visual element to training from a distance."
Opportunity Revealed
Government Technology contacted Sacramento County, Calif., offices for insight on why their Grants.gov users hadn't scheduled Web conferences. Karen Olson, health program coordinator for the county, said she was currently struggling with Grants.gov.
"I'm finding it a little bit challenging to know exactly what forms to fill out. I'm not familiar with all of the numbers and information they're asking for on the forms," Olson said, adding that she also had trouble finding grants on the site's search function, even when she entered the grant identification numbers.
Olson hadn't heard of the WebEx feature but was eager to schedule a meeting after learning about it.
"I will definitely look into it," Olson said. " I do think it sounds helpful."
She had attended a few of the preorganized occasional webcasts open to all Grants.gov users that explain fresh news.
"Those are useful if there is a question-and-answer session," Olson said.
However, the less known private request Web conference gives users the meeting to themselves. The entire conference is devoted to that user's issues, and he or she doesn't have to sit through inapplicable questions.
Potential Improvements
Pellegrino begins the Web conferences with a PowerPoint presentation. Then he goes live into the Web site, shows attendees where to find important information and answers questions. Fischer said she discussed with Pelligrino the possibility of expanding the Web conference to enable breakout discussions for various topics. Users would click into whichever discussion group topic interested them, and Pellegrino would move among groups and aid the discussions. Grants.gov hasn't announced plans to make those changes, but it's a possibility.
Fischer is a trainer herself and prefers in-person training.
"It's still a bit of a sterile environment, but for crying out loud, for an hour, you get the information you need, and to get on with life, it's fine," Fischer said. "I wouldn't do a daylong training program in that sterile environment. I would rather hammer my toes."
"I think this is just the beginning. Pretty soon we're going to have Michael coming in holographic form teaching classes," Fischer joked. "Let's keep supporting the technology because it's going to get there and it will make us virtual people in essence."


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With the Mets acquiring little in the way major league talent this offseason, Sandy Alderson making no promises they'll acquire any more during what's left of it and the scheduling of something as ostensibly upbeat as Banner Day/Night somehow managing to piss people off, this correspondent seeks something encouraging or at least intriguing to get him through these final weeks of winter Met malaise.
For that, there's always Daniel Murphy.
Ah, Murph. Sort of like "Ah, Bach" on M*A*S*H, it doesn't mean anything, but it sounds like it might. That's been Daniel Murphy for going on five years now — which in itself is encouraging or at least intriguing.
Daniel Murphy seems almost permanently planted onto our baseball landscape. In an age when players who aren't David Wright don't exactly endure on the Mets depth chart, Murphy could practically be said to engender blue-and-orange longevity. How long has Daniel Murphy been a Met?
So long that only Wright and Johan Santana are current Mets who've been Mets longer.
So long that he played a significant role on a Met playoff contender.
So long that Daniel Murphy has succeeded, has failed, has persevered and has succeeded again.
But not so long that we're absolutely sure what Daniel Murphy will be when his final story is told.
In a sense, Daniel Murphy is a throwback, a '10s version, loosely speaking, of Wayne Garrett: a guy who came up to the Mets as a kid, was in and out of their primary plans, had his ups and downs at different positions, and then — when you were likely thinking about something or somebody else — had suddenly been here forever. Garrett, the only semi-regular third baseman of extended tenure the club could claim across its first two decades, was a Met from 1969 to 1976 and still sits fifteenth on the all-time Mets games-played list with 883 (three more than Keith Hernandez, 44 ahead of Carlos Beltran).
Murphy, despite missing all of 2010 and the last two months of 2011, cracked the Top 50 last year, having now played in 469 games as a Met, or one more than Carlos Delgado and Cliff Floyd. With another healthy year as the regular second baseman, he's likely to pass Joel Youngblood, Gary Carter and Lenny Dykstra in 2013 and reach No. 35 on the list. Not that there's any inherent magic in those numbers, but it is an indicator that amid multiple roster reconstructions and a lingering air of clueless mayhem, Murph has truly hung in here as a Met.
It leads me to hope he'll be around when the Mets turn the same corner they seemed far beyond when he arrived. When Murph made his debut on August 2, 2008, they were fighting the Phillies for first place. Daniel's blazing bow (.404 after 18 games) was one of the reasons they pushed their way into a division lead within a couple of weeks. The Mets' reliance on a rookie uncomfortably manning left field — two, counting the starts allotted Nick Evans — may also have been one of the reasons they slipped out of that lead and into a Wild Card dogfight they couldn't win. There were lots of reasons for that, actually.
Still, Daniel Murphy was a pennant-race Met and a Shea Stadium Met. There aren't many of those left: him, Wright and Santana plus September '08 coffee-sippers Jon Niese and Bobby Parnell. If the Mets had made that postseason, lefthanded Murph would've been the starting left fielder in Games One and Two of the NLDS at Wrigley Field against righties Ryan Dempster and Victor Zambrano. He might've sat in Game Three at Shea against Rich Harden, but who knows? The Mets didn't beat out the Brewers, didn't play the Cubs and have not since gotten within wishing distance of postseason play. Yet when I got to gaggle around Murph at the Mets' holiday party in December 2011 and heard him tell one of my fellow bloggers that "there's no better place to win than in New York City," I knew he was talking not from cliché or watching other teams win on TV. For nearly two months, Daniel Murphy was a part of winning — or almost winning — in New York City, and as long as we were close enough to dream, there was indeed no better place.
I think it's that recollection of rookie Daniel Murphy participating in late-season drama and rehabbing Daniel Murphy implying he remembered what it was like that made me a little sad the other day when I read his remarks on the current state of Met affairs. Murph was the latest in a line of Mets to visit areas hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy this winter — Far Rockaway, on Wednesday — and was asked, after doing his good deed, what he thought of what his team has done and hasn't done this offseason.
He spoke like a veteran, like someone with a proprietary as opposed to a mercenary interest in the long-term fortunes of his team, like someone who's worked in the same place for quite a while. He found reasons for optimism, he put a good face on things that could've gone better, but then he said something that managed to remind me how long ago the last Met pennant race really was. Acknowledging the unsettled nature of the outfield — a pasture Murph wisely abandoned several seasons ago — he spoke up for one his new prospective teammates:
"I've heard nothing but good things about Collin Cowgill. I actually got a text message right after he [was traded to the Mets] from Andy Green, who used to be in our organization. He said that we're going to love this guy — that he comes to play hard every day. He said he'll really fit in well in the clubhouse. While it may not be big-league free-agent splashes that we've made so far, I think we've added some pieces that are definitely going to help us."
I wouldn't have expected Murph to mutter, "Collin Cowgill? Who the hell is that? Where the [bleep] is Justin Upton?" Nevertheless, that scouting report…"he comes to play hard every day"? Is that unusual? Having watched the Mets too closely for my own good this past August and September, sadly I know the answer. I can see why Murph would value having a teammate who plays hard every day, since he was one of the few Mets I was convinced continued to do so after 2012 went irretrievably south. But I always thought that sort of thing was a given.
And "he said he'll really fit in well in the clubhouse"? I wonder what that's code for. It put me in mind of Henry Hill's explanation of how wise guys talk: "You're gonna like this guy. He's all right. He's a good fella. He's one of us. You understand?" In light of how the Mets have disintegrated second half after second half in this decade, they could use someone who doesn't fit snugly within their milieu. Asking a projected platoon center fielder with 216 plate appearances under his belt to be an agent of change might be a bit much, but here's hoping Collin Cowgill shakes things up more than he conforms to the established norm of his new surroundings. (As long as he doesn't wear a t-shirt to the clubhouse, heaven forefend!)
What really got me, though, was Murph's source for all things Cowgill. "I actually got a text message…from Andy Green, who used to be in our organization."
Andy Green? The Met for four minutes (OK, games) in 2009? Murph's still in touch with Andy Green? I couldn't decide whether that was touching or strange. A person can forge a lifelong friendship from the briefest of encounters, but that's people. These are ballplayers. Daniel Murphy is a Top 50 Games Played Met. Andy Green took a Citi Field tour and wandered onto the diamond against the Giants. They actually shook hands?
That impression, however, doesn't take into account the big baseball fraternity and Spring Trainings and minor leagues. Murph and Green were together in the organization in 2010 even though neither played in the majors. Why shouldn't they have gotten to know each other? Further, what the hell do I know about Andy Green besides how quickly he was here and gone? I didn't know, for example, that since he and I crossed paths in 2009 (he was batting and I was ironically cheering him on at the tail end of a blowout loss from the top of Promenade) Andy Green has become a manager. Not of a Dick's Sporting Goods, to borrow a line from Moneyball, but the Double-A Mobile BayBears, affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, for whom Green wasn't playing much before coming to the Mets and playing hardly at all.
Mobile is Green's new managerial assignment. Last year, his first as a skipper, he helmed the Missoula Osprey of the Pioneer League. Turns out that as Andy was passing through the Mets, he was realizing his real future was as a molder of young men — or something like that. "It was at that time when I was walking other teammates through pressure situations and game situations and talking about the game," he told the Missoulian last summer, "that I began to really fall in love with the game and began to really want to coach after my playing days were done."
So maybe there's more than meets the eye to Daniel Murphy citing Andy Green's endorsement of Collin Cowgill. Or maybe it's just the way guys in the fraternity talk about other guys in the fraternity. Or, perhaps, Murphy's climb back from outfield infamy and knee injury and evolution toward becoming a representative second baseman and doubles-producing machine had something to do with a little advice he got along the way from a washed-up utilityman who knew more about baseball than one would have guessed from examining his statistics.
The only things I can really glean until Cowgill proves a mighty contributor or a negligible addition to the 2013 Mets, is Daniel Murphy played on the 2009 Mets with Andy Green; 2009 was both pretty long ago and the beginning of the ongoing dismal epoch in which the Mets remain stuck until an 82nd win is secured; and Murph goes back even further than that — to another stadium and another era, one when Mets fans weren't reduced to parsing quotes about spare outfielders because we were far too excited about our chances in the season ahead to dive headfirst into that kind of minutiae.


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Battery Facts and FAQs
- Does using replacement batteries void the warranty of my device?
- How is a lithium battery different from an alkaline battery?
- What is the difference between lithium batteries and lithium Ion batteries?
- What are the advantages of lithium Ion batteries compared to other rechargeable batteries?
- What is the difference between Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) and Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH) batteries? What is "Memory Effect?"
- I just received my battery from BatteryMart.com and it isn't fully charged.
- How long should my new rechargeable battery last?
- How to safely jump start a battery with booster cables
- Does it really help to store batteries in the refrigerator?
- Storing your battery for long periods of time
- How do I recycle my battery?
- Traveling by air with your battery
- Three simple maintenance tips assure longer life for wet lead acid batteries
- Battery warning
Laptop Batteries Facts & FAQs
- What are main batteries?
- What are CMOS or clock batteries?
- What are RAM or resume batteries?
- How long will the new main battery power the laptop?
- Is it possible to upgrade the device's battery to a newer chemistry?
- What is a "smart" battery?
- Maximizing your battery's performance
- Important laptop battery notes
Does using replacement batteries void the warranty of my device?
No! The Federal Trade Comission Magnoson-Moss Act states that a manufacturer cannot sell a product under the pretense that the consumer must purchase consumables, add-ons, replacement parts, etc. from the OEM in order to maintain their warranty. This pratice is called "Tie-In Sales" and is strictly prohibited.
Therefore, by law, manufacturers cannot threaten to void your warranty or use scare tactics to prevent you from purchasing batteries from BatteryMart.com
How is a lithium battery different from an alkaline battery?
The difference between alkaline and lithium batteries is that the battery chemistry and construction differ in the two systems. Since lithium is a very active material, it provides a great deal of power relative to the amount of material used in a battery. The lithium discharge curve is longer and flatter than alkaline, providing a consistently higher voltage throughout the life of the battery.
What is the difference between Lithium batteries and Lithium Ion batteries?
There are several important differences. The practical difference between Lithium batteries and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is that most Lithium batteries are not rechargeable but Li-ion batteries are rechargeable. From a chemical standpoint Lithium batteries use lithium in it's pure metallic form. Li-ion batteries use lithium compounds which are much more stable than the elemental lithium used in lithium batteries. A lithium battery should never be recharged while lithium-ion batteries are designed to be recharged hundreds of times.
What are the advantages of Lithium Ion batteries compared to other rechargeable batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries have several advantages: They have a higher energy density than most other types of rechargeables. This means that for their size or weight they can store more energy than other rechargeable batteries. They also operate at higher voltages than other rechargeables, typically about 3.7 volts for lithium-ion vs. 1.2 volts for NiMH or NiCd. This means a single cell can often be used rather than multiple NiMH or NiCd cells. Lithium-ion batteries also have a lower self discharge rate than other types of rechargeable batteries. This means that once they are charged they will retain their charge for a longer time than other types of rechargeable batteries. NiMH and NiCd batteries can lose anywhere from 1-5% of their charge per day, (depending on the storage temperature) even if they are not installed in a device. Lithium-ion batteries will retain most of their charge even after months of storage. So in summary; lithium-ion batteries can be smaller or lighter, have a higher voltage and hold a charge much longer than other types of batteries.
What is the difference between Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) and Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH) batteries? What is "Memory Effect?"
Both NiCad and NiMH batteries are rechargeable. The main difference between the two is the fact that NIMH batteries offer higher energy densities than NiCads. In other words, pound for pound, NIMH delivers approximately 30% more capacity than its NiCad counterpart. What this translates into is increased runtime from the battery with no additional bulk. NIMH also offers another major advantage: NiCad batteries tend to suffer from what is called a "memory effect". What this means is that when a NiCad battery is only partially discharged before charging, the battery "forgets" that it has the capacity to further discharge all the way down.
To illustrate: If you, on a regular basis, fully charge your battery and then use only 40% of its capacity before the next recharge, eventually the battery will become unaware of its extra 60% capacity which had remained unused. Your battery will remain functional, but only at 40% of its original capacity.
The way to avoid the dreaded "memory effect" is to fully cycle your NiCad battery at least once a month. In other words, fully discharge your battery and then fully charge it.
Batteries can be discharged by allowing the device to run on the battery until it ceases to function. This will insure your battery remains healthy. NIMH batteries are "memory free" - they do not suffer from this affliction. Thus, if you have a NIMH battery, the only time it is necessary to cycle it is during its initial use and after a long storage period. This is done to "exercise" the battery and bring it up to full capacity.
I just received my battery from BatteryMart.com and it isn't fully charged.
New batteries are shipped in a discharged condition and must BE charged before use. We generally recommend an overnight charge (approximately twelve hours) for NiCad batteries and a 24 hour charge for Nickel Metal Hydride. Refer to your manual for charging instructions. Rechargeable batteries should be cycled - fully charged and then fully discharged - 2 to 4 times initially to allow them to reach their full capacity. (Note: it is perfectly normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charging and discharging).
Rechargeable lithium batteries, such as Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) are also shipped in a discharged condition. ICAO/IATA regulations will limit the state of charge to 30% for shipping, so you will need to fully charge these batteries once you receive them to maintain them.
How long should my new rechargeable battery last?
The life of a battery operating under normal conditions should be between 500 to 800 charge-discharge cycles. This translates into one and a half to three years of battery life for the average user. As your rechargeable battery begins to die, you will notice a decline in the running time of the battery. When your two hour battery is only supplying you with twenty minutes worth of use, it is time for a new one. NiCad and NIMH batteries have an average shelf life of three to four years. When a battery is not used for extensive periods of time it should be removed from the computer and stored in a cool, dry and clean environment. Self-discharge will occur when the battery is not used for an extended time period. Fully charge the battery before use after storage.
How to safely jump start a battery with booster cables:
- Always wear proper eye protection.
- Never lean over battery.
- Do not jump start a damaged battery
- Inspect both batteries before connecting booster cables.
- Be sure vent caps are tight and level.
- Place a damp cloth over the vent caps of both car batteries.
- Make certain that the vehicles are not touching and both ignition switches are turned to the "OFF" position:
- Connect positive (+) booster cable to positive (+) terminal of discharged battery.
- Connect other end of positive (+) cable to positive (+) terminal of assisting battery.
- Connect negative (-) cable to negative (-) terminal of assisting battery.
- Start vehicle and remove cables in REVERSE order of connections.
Does it really help to store batteries in the refrigerator?
Yes, but only if they can be kept dry as well. The higher the temperature, the more the free flow of ions or self-discharge from the battery. Storing primary batteries (D, C, AA, AAA, 9 volt, etc.) in a cooler environment slows down this rate of discharge that all batteries experience even when not in use, hence a longer shelf life. However, if this is done, it is important that the batteries be kept as dry as possible by keeping them in an airtight container in the driest part of the refrigerator, the door for example. Long term exposure to moisture inside the refrigerator can cause internal corrosion to the battery. When removing batteries from the refrigerator, allow them to warm up to room temperature before using them in your device.
Storing your battery for long periods of time:
If you use your battery for seasonal activities only and must store it for extended periods of time, a battery maintainer is recommended. A maintainer is an electronically controlled charger and will not over charge your battery when hooked up for extended periods of time. Your battery will be ready for use when you are and last longer.
Maintainers are also great for winter starting - A fully charged battery has maximum starting power!
- Charge the battery until it is completely charged.
- Store it in as cold as possible but not where it will consistently go below 32 F. All batteries lose some charge when stored, but the lower the temperature, the lower the self discharge.
- Check the battery every two months and recharge if necessary.
How do I recycle my battery?
NiCD and NiMH batteries should be recycled properly. Do NOT throw these batteries in the trash. NiCD batteries are composed of approximately 20% cadmium, an extremely hazardous element which is environmentally detrimental. While NiMH batteries are environmentally friendly, the higher capacity NiMH cells still contain trace amounts of cadmium.
Battery Mart accepts the following types of Consumer Batteries for Recycling-Shipped Prepaid to our location:
- Cell Phone & Laptop
- Sealed Lead Acid Batteries from Computer UPS, Emergency Lighting, and Back Up Power
- Wet Cell Lead Acid Batteries can be dropped off at either of the Store Front locations.
Please contact us for quantities over 12 batteries
We DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TYPES:
- Alkaline and Carbon Zinc Batteries*
- Cordless Phone, Two Way, Cordless Power Tool, Rechargable Consumer Type Cells (D-C-AA-AAA-9V)
- Large NiCD Cells from Standby Power or Switchgear Applications*
*We can provide contact information for companies that accept these.
Please call us at 800-405-2121 or email us at [email protected] for more information and return procedures.
Traveling by air with your battery
Certain batteries (i.e. lithium or wet-filled with acid-electric storage), when transported via air have to be properly declared to the air carrier, marked, labeled, and packaged per the Hazardous Materials Regulations. At a minimum, all battery types must be packaged securely and in a manner that prevents the dangerous evolution of heat, for example, by effective insulation of exposed terminals.
Three simple maintenance tips assure longer life For wet lead acid batteries:
- Regularly clean the battery top and terminals. Apply baking soda to any corrosion and flush entire cover with water. Be sure the vent caps are tight before cleaning to prevent water or baking soda from entering into the cells.
- Check your battery's water level before charging and if the level is low, add sufficient (distilled) water to cover the plates. After charging, check and add distilled water to bring level up to the bottom of the vent walls. DO NOT OVERFILL. Distilled water is best for long battery life...but if not available, use a good grade of drinking water.
- Recharge your battery as soon as possible after discharge; never leave it discharged for an extended period of time.
Do NOT short-circuit or disassemble your battery. A short-circuit may cause severe damage to the battery. Do not drop, hit or otherwise abuse the battery. This behavior may result in the exposure of the cell contents, which are corrosive. Do not expose the battery to moisture or rain. Keep battery away from fire or from other sources of extreme heat. Do not incinerate. Exposure of battery to extreme heat may result in an explosion.
What are main batteries?
The main battery (also called the power battery) is the battery pack which allows a laptop or notebook to operate independently of an AC power source. These rechargeable batteries are designed to operate the computer for a certain amount of time (generally 1 to 4 hours).
What are CMOS or clock batteries?
CMOS & Clock Backup batteries perform the same function in desktop and laptop computers: when the computer is turned off, the battery maintains the time and date, thus insuring their accuracy when the system is once again restarted. More importantly, the battery saves the computers BIOS setup configuration, which allows the system to efficiently reboot once it is restarted. The computer knows what type of hard drive it is dealing with, etc. Not surprisingly, these batteries are known alternatively as CMOS batteries, Real Time Clock (RTC) batteries, or simply internal batteries.
The most common CMOS battery chemistries are Lithium, Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) and alkaline. They are usually somewhere in the 3 to 7.2 volt range and either solder onto the motherboard or plug in via a snap-in connector (depending upon the computer manufacturers design).
In most cases, replacement of the CMOS battery is an easy task. It is simply a matter of locating the battery on the computer's motherboard, removing it and plugging in a new one. As a rule, internal batteries should be replaced by the same type of battery which was originally used in the machine or according to the manufacturers specifications. The major exception to this rule are older PCs which were manufactured with a NiCad battery soldered onto the motherboard. These computers usually have a three or four pin male plug, with two of the pins connected via a jumper (this is generally found in the same area of the motherboard as the original battery). This plug gives you the option of leaving the soldered battery in place and replacing it with a plug-in lithium or alkaline battery. Removing the jumper tells the computer to ignore the soldered battery and to look to the pins for its power source. If the motherboard has this provision, you can install a standard PC plug-in battery instead of removing the soldered battery and re-soldering a new one (the standard PC plug-in battery is Electro Battery part number BAT 2005 (lithium) or BAT B40 (alkaline). These batteries are interchangeable).
A word of warning: some computers have 4 pins on the motherboard, whereas today's plug-in batteries come with a 3 pin connector (one of the pinholes is closed in order to prevent the user from inadvertently plugging the battery in with reversed polarity). If this is the case, you should clip the pin from the motherboard that corresponds to the sealed pinhole on the battery plug. That pin is nonfunctional and by clipping it you ensure that future batteries will not be installed on the motherboard with reversed polarity.
What are RAM or resume batteries?
Some notebook computers are designed with a dedicated battery for backing up RAM (random access memory) functions when the machine temporarily loses power from the main battery. This feature allows users to change the main battery pack without losing the current applications and settings residing in memory. This is called a "battery hot swap" - switching the main battery pack without having to turn off the computer.
These type of batteries are alternately known as bridge batteries, RAM batteries, auxiliary batteries or resume batteries.
Most RAM batteries are rechargeable NiCad or NiMH and will last around 2-3 years. It is recommended that you replace your notebook's RAM battery when replacing the CMOS battery.
How long will the new main battery power the laptop?
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. Generally, a new Hi-Capacity battery will run 30% to 50% longer than the old battery did when it was new.
Is it possible to upgrade the device's battery to a newer chemistry?
NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion are all fundamentally different technologies and cannot be substituted for one another unless the device has been pre-configured from the factory to accept more than one type of rechargeable battery. The difference between them stems from the fact that each technology requires a different charging pattern to be properly recharged. Therefore, the portable device's charger must be properly configured to handle a given type of rechargeable battery.
Refer to the owners manual to find out which rechargeable battery types the particular device supports or use our QuickFind search engine to find the device in our database. The database will automatically list all of the battery types supported by the machine.
What is a "Smart" battery?
Smart batteries have internal circuit boards with smart chips which allow them to communicate with the notebook and monitor battery performance, output voltage and temperature. Smart batteries will generally run 15% longer due to their increased efficiency and also give the computer much more accurate "fuel gauge" capabilities to determine how much battery running time is left before the next recharge is required.
Maximizing your battery's performance
There are several steps you can take to insure that you get maximum performance from the battery:
Break In New Batteries
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.
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, we recommend storing 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 break them in 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.
For Notebook Users
To get maximum performance from the battery, fully optimize the notebooks power management features prior to use. Power management is a trade off: better power conservation in exchange for lesser computer performance. The power management system conserves battery power by setting the processor to run at a slower speed, dimming the screen, spinning down the hard drive when it's not in use and causing the machine to go into sleep mode when inactive. The notebook users guide will provide information relating to specific power management features.
NiCad batteries are rechargeable, whereas Lithium and alkaline batteries are NOT. Therefore, Lithium and alkaline batteries must be replaced by equivalent batteries of the same type. Attempting to replace these non-rechargeable batteries with a NiCad will result in a nonfunctional battery because the computer lacks the proper charging circuitry to charge the NiCad battery.
If a motherboard lacks the above-discussed male pins for an external battery, the NiCad battery MUST be unsoldered and replaced by a NiCad battery ONLY. Attempting to use an alkaline or lithium battery in place of NiCad on such a board could be hazardous. These batteries are not designed to be recharged, and an attempt to do so may cause the battery to "burst", or explode.
CMOS batteries generally last for two to three years, although some (especially the lithium type) have been known to last much longer. Ironically, the less the computer is used the faster the CMOS battery will run out. This is because when the computer is turned off the battery begins to function. It is recommended to replace the CMOS battery approximately once every two years or when servicing the computer. If the computer has been idle for an extended length of time it is a good idea to change the battery. Changing the battery is a relatively easy and inexpensive task, especially (as were sure many of you out there know) when compared to trying to reboot and configure a computer which has lost its BIOS settings.