Tuesday, 28 June 2011

Tips to prolong mobile phone battery life


I discussed with friends about this issues yesterday. We found out that all of us have different opinions on how to charge phone battery which we think it will help to prolong battery lifespan.
So I did a google search today and found out this article. Just wanna share with all of you who are reading my blog.

Below are some tips which I think most of us will agree with but some of us forgot about them:

  1. Initialize a new battery. New batteries should be fully charged before their first use to obtain maximum capacity. Nickel-based batteries should be charged for 16 hours initially and run through 2-4 full charge/full discharge cycles, while lithium ion batteries should be charged for about 5-6 hours. Ignore the phone telling you that the battery is full—this is normal but is not accurate if the battery is not initialized. #DO NOT fully discharge a lithium-ion battery! Unlike Ni-Cd batteries, lithium-ion batteries' life is shortened every time you fully discharge them. Instead, charge them when the battery meter shows one bar left. Lithium-ion batteries, like most rechargeable batteries, have a set number of charges in them.
  2. Keep the battery cool. Put the battery in the freezer or fridge. Your battery will last longest if used near room temperature, and nothing wears on a battery like extended exposure to high temperatures. While you can’t control the weather, you can avoid leaving your phone in a hot car or in direct sunlight, and you don’t have to carry your phone in your pocket, where your body heat will raise its temperature. In addition, check the battery while it’s charging. If it seems excessively hot, your charger may be malfunctioning.
  3. Charge your battery correctly, in accordance with its type. Most newer cell phones have lithium-ion batteries, while older ones generally have nickel-based batteries. Read the label on the back of the battery or in the technical specifications in the manual to determine which yours is.

    • Nickel-based batteries (either NiCd or NiMH) DO NOT generally suffer from a misunderstood phenomenon known as the "memory effect." As described in Wikipedia and many expert sources, the term "memory effect" has been widely mythologized to describe any and all deterioration of NiCd (and other battery chemistries), in many cases misleading consumers into further shortening the lives of the batteries through over-discharging to "recondition" them.
    • [This section formerly read: If you charge the battery partially enough times, eventually the battery "forgets" that it can charge fully. A nickel-based battery suffering from memory effect can be reconditioned, which requires the battery to be completely discharged, then completely recharged (sometimes several times). The appropriate length of time between reconditionings varies. A good rule to follow for nickel-battery cell-phones is to discharge them completely once every two to three weeks, and only when you have a charger available. ]
    • Lithium ion batteries can be preserved by careful charging and avoiding storing them at full charge. They do not require "reconditioning."
    • Regardless of the battery type, use only a charger rated for your battery, and discontinue use of a charger that causes the battery to heat up excessively.
  4. Store batteries properly. If your battery will be out of use for a while, disconnect it from the phone and store it in a cool and dry but not freezing place (an airtight container in a refrigerator, but not a freezer). Don't keep it with metal objects that might move around and short-circuit the terminals. Lithium ion batteries are not rated to operate at refrigerated temperatures, so let the battery sit outside the refrigerator for at least an hour before using it again. Lithium ion batteries oxidize least when they are stored at 40% charge. Never store a lithium battery at low voltage. Recharge batteries after storage.
  5. Clean the battery contacts on the battery and on the phone. Over time, contacts may accumulate dirt which reduce the efficiency of energy transfer. Clean them with a cotton swab and rubbing or isopropyl alcohol. If the contacts are two different metals, such as gold and tin, accelerated corrosion known as "galvanic or bi-metallic" occurs. Cutting the corrosion from the contacts often requires solvents, such as acetone or nail polish remover. Be careful: these solvent dissolve plastic, so use a Q-Tip to avoid damaging the battery housing or the phone.
SHOULD do and SHOULDN'T do

  • Most phones now days don't need the backlight to view the screen, so it might be wise to leave the backlight off.
  • Regardless of how well you care for your battery, it will die eventually. When it does, you may be able to have it refurbished by sending it to the manufacturer or bringing it back to the retailer. If it cannot be refurbished, or if you just want to get a new battery, be sure to recycle it, either by returning it to the manufacturer or retailer, or by bringing it to a recycling center. Most major retail electronics stores have drop-off boxes for recycled phones.
  • Check to see if your phone has a "Battery Save" option. If so, you can turn this on to increase the life of your battery.
  • You should not have to turn off your phone to charge it. Most battery chargers deliver more than enough current to power your phone and charge it at the same time. Doing so will not lengthen the charge time, and leaving a phone on allows the user to be aware of its fuel gauge, so that you can remove it when the battery is full.
  • When using a car charger, do not charge the battery when the inside temperature of your car is hot. Wait until the car has cooled before you plug in the phone.
  • Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries naturally get quite warm while charging, unless you use a specialized "slow charger". If your phone uses a NiMH battery, do not worry about the heat generated during charging unless it becomes so hot that it is uncomfortable to touch.
  • mAh is an abbreviation for milli-ampere hours which are units of electrical charge. Larger values, for batteries of the same battery voltage, indicate that the battery has a larger capacity and will power your phone for a longer period of time before charging.
  • If your phone is connected to your email, make sure it's not set to check your email every 15 minutes or half an hour. This means that every time it checks, you lose a little battery. Set it to where it doesn't check automatically, and you'll save a lot of battery this way

 the original article from wikiHow How to Make Your Cell Phone Battery Last Longer

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