What is the expected battery life of my Dana and how do I
get the longest life out of my Dana rechargeable battery?
Estimated Dana battery life:
- Normal use: 25+ hours or more.
- Backlight and WiFi on: 10 hours or less.
Charging a rechargeable device:
Dana’s rechargeable batteries use Nickel Metal Hydride
(NiMH) cells. NiMH cells can be charged
about 500 times.
New NiMH batteries need to be “cycled”—also known as
“conditioned”—three to five times before they hold a full charge. This means
that, during the first three to five charge cycles, the batteries hold a
successively better charge each time until they reach full capacity.
To condition the batteries:
charge your Dana with the AC adapter.
your Dana without the AC adapter until the low battery message appears.
steps 1 and 2 three to five times.
You’ll get the longest life from your batteries if you wait
for the low battery warning to appear onscreen so the batteries aren’t needlessly
recharged. Charging with the AC adapter
for about 8–16 hours fully charges it; if you charge it with an AlphaHub or USB
cable, it may take as long as 24 hours.
The charge algorithm of Dana prevents the batteries from being over
charged if left connected after a full charge is achieved.
Storing and recharging Danas:
Rechargeable batteries that aren’t used over time “self
discharge.” That is, they lose their
charge and need to be fully charged again before being used. If the batteries self discharge too much
while in storage (which can happen if you store your Dana for longer than you
intended), the batteries themselves may become damaged, which in turn can
damage the device.
Important: If you’re going to store your Dana for a
month or longer, charge it before you store it, and then again after you take
it out of storage to compensate for the batteries’ self discharge. Also be sure to backup any programs and/or
files because they will be lost if the batteries fully discharge.
Lifetime of the rechargeable batteries:
AlphaSmart rechargeable batteries last a long time, but they
don’t last forever. Well-maintained rechargeable batteries last about 500
charges, or about three years. If your batteries used to last twenty hours but
now last only one hour, you need a new battery pack, which you can purchase
from Renaissance Learning.
Dana is a trademark
of Renaissance Learning, Inc. and its subsidiaries, registered, common law, or pending registration in the United States and other countries.