Here at BatteryFly.com we're always receiving questions about how to extend the life of batteries. Below we’ve compiled our Top 5 Tips For Battery Longevity! True, by releasing these surefire battery saving tips we’ll probably sell less batteries in the long run, but we’ll sleep better knowing our BatteryFly.com customers are getting super long battery life!
BatteryFly's Top 5 Tips For Battery Longevity
#5 - New battery? Cycle it!
Whenever you buy a new battery always make sure to “cycle” the battery the first 3 – 4 times you charge it. This means give your battery a full charge and allow it to fully discharge. Even though newer technologies like Lithium-ion batteries are not susceptible to “memory effect” like old Nickel Cadmium batteries, the cells in a Lithium-ion battery need to be "awakened" from their dormant state and allowed to take a full charge to produce peak performance.
#4 - The Number One Deathblow For A Laptop Battery Is…
The number one way to kill your laptop battery (aside from dropping it off your roof) is to keep your laptop plugged-in at all times. Leaving your laptop plugged-in will keep your battery in a constant state of charging and will ruin it’s run time. Even though the little icon on your laptop toolbar indicates you’re on “AC power” you’re still running power through your battery and it'll continually stress your battery’s cells. When your battery is full disconnect your laptop from AC power and allow the battery to discharge while you use it. And if your laptop is turned off unplug it!
#3 - Room Temperature Is Your Friend!
Try your best not to leave your battery in any extreme temperature conditions. Exposure to extreme heat, like being left in a hot car, will kill your battery’s capacity because hot batteries drain rapidly. Cold batteries aren’t able to produce power as well as they can at room temperature. Obviously there are going to be times you need to use your batteries out in the sun or in the cold but do your best to keep them in moderate conditions to get premium use out of them.
#2 - Don’t Store Your Battery On Your Camera
When you’re done using your camera or camcorder make sure to give your battery a full charge and then remove it. Storing your battery on/in your camera will slowly discharge the battery and you’ll eventually end up storing a completely dead battery, which is a bad thing! Get in the habit of giving your battery a full charge, removing it from your camera or camcorder, and storing it in a dry room temperature environment.
#1 - Don’t Over Charge!
Leaving your battery on the charger for long periods of time when the battery is fully charged is the quickest way to ruin your battery’s life. Over stressing your already full battery cells is a big no-no! If your battery is full, take it off the charger. A few extra hours on the charger isn't going to hurt, but don't leave a fully charged battery on the charger for days on end. Otherwise you'll end up having to go back to BatteryFly.com to replace your worn out battery with a fresh new one.
Well there you have our top five tips on keeping your batteries in tip-top shape! Pass this list along to your friends and family and help them get the most life their batteries too!
Jordan Olsen
Marketing Director
www.batteryfly.com