Extending the Battery Life of LI-ION Batteries

[mosaix]

I've just replaced the battery** in my laptop so I was keen to find out how not to ruin the thing. Here's what I found:

1. Avoid letting the battery run completely flat or completely full. It's best to keep the battery charged between 20% and 80%.
2. Avoid exposing the battery to high temperatures. Lithium-ion batteries can be damaged by heat, so try to keep them in a cool place.
3. Avoid exposing the battery to extreme cold. Cold temperatures can also harm lithium-ion batteries, so try to keep them at room temperature.
4. Avoid using cheap or third-party chargers. Use only the charger that came with your device or a high-quality replacement.
5. Avoid charging the battery too quickly. Quick charging can generate heat and cause damage to the battery.
6. If you're not going to use your device for an extended period of time, store it with a charge between 40% and 60%.

Regarding point one. The implication is that you only get 60% usage out of the battery.

** I bought it from a UK based company who quoted 10-12 day delivery. When I asked why they said it was coming from China although there was no indication on the website. This is very irritating. I had an incident with buying a router where it wasn't as described so I wanted to return it. Turns out it had come from France and so I had to fill in export documentation!

 

[CupofJoe]

We have little body worn heart rate monitors, powered by hard-wired Li-ion batteries. Only after most of them "died" [and had to go back to be reset] did the company tell us to only charge them to 80% and never let them get flat. It was nowhere in their literature or website.

 

[Foxbat]

I’ve been exploring the notion of buying a new guitar and the one I had in mind has a built in pre-amp powered by a USB rechargeable Lithium Ion battery….good for 2500 charges - which is about a lifespan of between 5 and 7 years. Given that the guitar longest in my possession is now reaching the 45 year milestone, this seems to be somewhat short sighted. Apparently, it requires a guitar tech to replace the battery. Looking at some photos on the internet, I’m pretty sure I could do it myself but do I really want to pay a grand and a half for a guitar that will become a great inconvenience just a few years down the line?

Given the charging percentage advice on keeping them healthy, the lifespan could be much shorter.

Imagine a gigging musician, setting up with a performance only minutes away. What does he/she do if they find their instrument is flat….say ‘sorry folks, could you wait a couple of hours? I forgot to charge my guitar.’

Sometimes the, simpler method of just popping out an old-style battery and replacing it with a new one is the best (you could even use a rechargeable removable). Just because Lithium Ion batteries and USB chargers are in vogue doesn’t mean they should be used in every instance. It just makes me ponder ‘what on earth were they thinking?’

 

[Wayne Mack]

I'm pretty good at plugging in my phone or laptop whey they reach about 33%. I haven't mastered paying attention and unplugging before they get to 100%, though.

 

[farntfar]

Especially if, like many others, I'm sure, you've got used to just plugging your phone in to charge overnight.