Extended life for cell phone batteries
How can I get more out of my cell phone batteries? With increasing new technologies and amazing applications the need for a longer battery life is a top priority in today’s environment. Cell phones are probably one of the most popular items on the market today and pretty much a necessity at the same time. Prices range from $20 to $800 for cell phones and have features that enable you to text, play music, take pictures and now video. One thing that has to increase as well is the battery life, you can imagine with all of those features your battery is sure to take a beating.
I wanted to pass along some information I found useful to help keep your cell phone batteries in working order.
- Make sure you charge your battery correctly by following the manufacture guidelines. Most of the new model phones have lithium-ion batteries, while the older models have nickel based batteries, you can check the label on the battery to find out what type it is. Nickel based batteries tend to lose there battery life if not charged properly, let the battery fully discharge before charging again. If you partially charge the battery a few times the battery will forget it can be fully charged, and it will have to be reconditioned. A lithium-ion battery on the other hand does not have to be reconditioned, the battery after it’s been fully discharged will require a charge, but do not overcharge or keep on the charger for long periods of time. So regardless of the battery type, only use the charger that came with the battery, or a charger made for your specific model.
- Keeping the battery cool will extend the life of the battery, so don’t leave your phone in your car or in direct sunlight. Excessive use at high temperatures or overcharging will cause the battery to loose some life, and will eventually cause the battery to fail.
- Initialize a new battery even if the battery indicator on the phone tells you otherwise, so that they can obtain maximum capacity. Nickel batteries should be charged and discharged 2-4 times and should have an initial charge of 16 hours. The lithium-ion batteries should be charge 4-6 hours, depending on the model. NOTE: Do not fully discharge a lithium-ion battery, the batteries life is shortened every time you fully discharge them, instead when the indicator gets to 1 bar, go ahead and recharge.
- Battery Storage is one step few of us take, if you are not planning to use your cell phone batteries for long periods of time, store them in a cool place and away from any metal objects. It is not necessary to freeze the batteries and make sure the battery is not exposed to moisture. Lithium batteries are not capable of operating at refrigerated temperatures so let the battery sit for an hour or so in a room temperature environment prior to use. Always recharge the batteries after storage.
- Keep the contacts clean on the phone, over time the contacts may accumulate some dirt, you will want to keep this clean in order to get the maximum energy transfer. You can clean them with rubbing alcohol by applying it with a cotton swab. If there is any corrosion, fretting maybe the cause, which is when the two contacts are of different metal types, like gold and tin. If this corrosion is present, apply acetone or nail polish remover with a Q-Tip to avoid damaging the plastic case.
Hopefully these helpful tips will give your cell phone batteries a longer life and increase your cell phone usage time.