Cel phone battery charging?

C

CharlesW

The Rainmaker
It seems like everyone has a different opinion on this, so I thought I might try to get a few DC residents viewpoints.

1) Is there any real benefit to not recharging the battery until it gives you the recharge warning?

2) Is there any harm to recharging the battery when it is still fairly well charged?

3) Do you feel recharging with a car charger is any better/worse than using the household charger?

When the new technology batteries came out several years back, one of the things I remember them touting was the fact that batteries no longer developed a memory for charge cycles.
Recently, I have heard that it is better to complete discharge before recharging, even with the batteries available today.
For me, charging seems to be more of a comfort level thing. If I am going to be likely to need the phone, I much prefer to have it fully charged. Because of that, I rarely completely discharge the battery in normal use.
I do try to discharge it completely every 30 to 60 days, but anytime I am going out for the day and expecting to make use of the phone, I will charge it the night before.
:dunno
Charles
 
I think that it depends on the type of battery you have. I don't know the details, but I know that some don't develop the "memories" that you are talking about. Every phone that I have owned does, so I only charge it when it dies.

I think that over time it would certainly effect the amount of charge the phone will hold.

FWIW, my girlfriend and I have had identical phones in the past. She charges it whenever, I charged mine when completely dead. Mine never needed a battery, hers required a replacement after about 18 months.

I have never seen any harm using a rapid charger or car charger. I think as long as it is designed to be used with your phone it is fine.

Hope this helps.
 
It definetely helps to let it drain before recharging, same thing with cordless powertools, If you only let it down to 30%(avg) on a regular basis than it starts to recognize that point as 0% and then it only gets worse

Eric
 
I think that it depends on the type of battery you have. I don't know the details, but I know that some don't develop the "memories" that you are talking about. Every phone that I have owned does, so I only charge it when it dies.
What you are saying is kind of what I remember being told when they sold me on buying the better batteries.
Ni-Cad batteries take on a memory. Supposedly, the newer, I think it was Nmh, batteries would not. Now I am being told that the Nmh batteries will also develop a charge memory.

It definetely helps to let it drain before recharging, same thing with cordless powertools, If you only let it down to 30%(avg) on a regular basis than it starts to recognize that point as 0% and then it only gets worse
What you are saying kind of follows what I had understood. There again, I thought most power tool batteries were Ni-Cad which would be a problem with memory. Do the newer cordless powertools use the Nmh or the Ni-Cad?

At the time I upgraded to the Nmh, I think they were about twice the cost, but I felt they would be worth it to be able to charge them anytime that was convenient.
They may have been worth it, but not necessarily because of the charging issue.

The other point made is the experiences you have had. It's kind of like car-care, use whatever works for you. Charging before the battery is discharged hasn't worked for you, probably won't work for me.
I looked at it a little like buying gas. I rarely get below 1/2 unless I am on a road trip. Don't want to run out of gas, didn't want to run out of phone.
Hey, win some, lose some. :)

Charles
 
Ni-Cad batteries will develop a memory effect. Ni-mH and Li batteries do not so charge away whenever possible!
 
More information

From a phone battery web-site.

The "Memory Effect"
"Memory Effect" is a condition of reduced battery performance (and eventual failure) due to a battery only using those cells that are fully discharged and charged on a regular basis. In other words, if on a regular basis a NiCd or NiMH battery is only partially discharged before being recharged, it " forgets" that it has usable capacity to further discharge all the way down. The result is degraded battery performance and shorter battery life because the battery is using less than it's true full capacity. Lithium-ion batteries do not develop the "memory effect". NiMH batteries, while considerably better than their NiCd counterparts, are prone to developing "memory effect." However, proper care and conditioning over the life of a NiMH battery will significantly reduce the potential negative impacts

In the article it also discusses the value of fully discharging the NiMH batteries periodically. They suggest every 3 to 5 charging cycles.
While this is only one article and one opinion, there were several similar comments on various other sites.
I guess what it means to me is that I will try to avoid regular shortcharging of the battery, but do it when needed.
(shortcharging?) :D
 
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