There is a lot of information about extending the charge of your smartphones on the internet by turning off unused features like Bluetooth etc. but there is very little information about making sure the Li-ion batteries in your tech gadgets are charged correctly and how to look after them.
Having recently bought a new iPhone 6 and invested in an external battery pack for when I’m away on remote sites, I researched on how to extend the life of the batteries and to keep them from going flat after a charge. The external battery pack contains some rechargeable Li-ion batteries like the smartphone and here are some basic tips on how to keep your tech gadgets running longer…
✓ Try and charge your Lithium-ion batteries at normal room temperature (about 20 – 30°C) as temperature extremes (heat) can damage the battery. Most modern charges these days have built-in temp cut-outs to avoid any damage.
✓ Li-ion batteries DO NOT have an internal charge memory like the old NiCad batteries. So a little and often charges are not an issue, in fact your battery life will be extended if you keep your battery topped up at about 75% of a full charge all of the time.
✓ Allow a full discharge about once per month and all other times try and avoid a full discharge if possible. This will reset the charge indicator on your device to give a more accurate battery charge level.
✓ Store in a cool dry place. If you are not going to use the device for a while remember to unplug it from any chargers and store in a cool dry place. Store your batteries at about 60 – 70% charged. Try and avoid storing them at 100 or 0%. Give them a charge every 6 – 9 months to extend battery life. The shelf life of a typical Li-ion battery is about 10 -15 years.
× Do not store batteries in the refrigerator or freezer! I know but some people are telling you to store your batteries this way. Well don’t! Cold temperatures could harm the battery health.
