Thks ... I will give it a try ... i have replaced many before.  It has been my experience that most of these type of batteries last up to 10 years. Maybe they lasted 10 years in the "good ole days".  And even if it's not the battery this time, you'll rule it out for ~$2. One more thing - Before replacing the battery, boot up and tap F2 when you see the Dell splash screen which opens BIOS setup. Copy all the current BIOS settings to be safe. After you remove the old battery, press/hold power button for ~30 sec to clear BIOS and then install the fresh one. Copying the settings gives you a record because removing the battery will reset BIOS to the default BIOS settings, which might not be right for your PC.
When i first start up the device it stalls on the Dell screen and there is no hard drive activity light.  I then have to press (once) the on/off switch and the unit shuts down.  Turn the unit back on and it will boot to windows .... slow but acceptable.  Any ideas? Victor
Startup issues - Inspiron 3847 - windows 8.1