May 20, 2020
How to maintain the batteries in your phones and computers
In a world filled with smartphones, tablets, laptops, chances are they have a Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) battery inside. It is important to take steps to prolong the longevity of those batteries. Here are some tips below to keep your devices batteries in tip top shape!
Avoid many charge cycles.
A charge cycle is when you deplete your battery from 100% to 0% and then charge it back up to 100%. This puts excess stress on the battery and will likely cause you to replace your battery prematurely. “The recommended estimated life of a Li-Ion battery is about two to three years or 300 to 500 cycles" according to Battery University.
Try to charge your phone to 80% instead of 100%
You may think it is ideal to charge your device to all the way up to 100%. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the case. If you want to get the most longevity out of your battery’s life, consider charging to no more than 80%. If you are on an Apple smartphone or tablet, there is a feature called "Optimized Battery Charging". GearPatrol says optimized battery charging learns from your daily charging habits and will charge your device to 80% and then to 100% before you are ready to take it off the charger.
Try to use partial-discharge cycles.
Instead of depleting the battery all the way to 0% and recharging it, try to make a habit of performing partial-discharge cycles. A partial-discharge cycle is when you use only 20-30% of your battery’s capacity before a full or partial recharging. Doing this will greatly extend your batteries life, says Power Electronics.
Store your batteries at room temperature charged to about 50%.
This is particularly important because improper storage can cause a process called “thermal runway.” During thermal runway the battery can overheat and possibly catch fire. Battery Guy tells us that storing it partially charged and at a safe temperature is the best way to maintain the battery and minimize risk. This is why when you purchase a new phone that it comes only partially charged.
Do not expose the battery to excess heat during regular use.
Do not expose the battery to temperatures greater than 140 degrees. This can cause damage to your battery and premature replacement (source: Newark.com). There have been multiple fires reported as a result of sleeping on phones and other behavior that causes heat to become trapped and the battery is not able to cool.
If your battery is swelling, it should be disposed of immediately.
A swelling battery means the battery is severely damaged. It is important that you dispose of the bad battery properly and safely. Your local Home Depot uses a third-party battery recycling service called Call2Recycle. You can take it there and dispose of it in the appropriate bin in-store. If you don't want to discard the whole device or want to have someone else handle the battery, take it to an appropriate location. Many kiosks in malls have places that can change out the battery as well as companies like uBreakiFix.
We hope these pointers have been useful! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us for further information.