Prolonging lithium-based batteries
I’m sure like myself, there are loads of people out there that has migrated from the Desktop PCs to the Notebooks and like myself, I’m sure alot of people out there who aren’t too sure about how to properly maintain the batteries of their notebooks. With the last notebook I had, I was told that whenever I use it running on batteries, it’s a must to use it until the battery is drained to the max. But I realized that by doing so, my battery life wouldn’t last, by the 6th month of usage, my battery life only last more than 5min.
Well, with this new notebook I’m using, I decide not to make the same mistake and searched the net for an answer and I came across this article. Written by Isidor Buchmann, it explains the best way to prolong your Li-Ion battery lifespan.
Here’s some simple guidelines taken from there.
Simple Guidelines
Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for lithium-ion than one deep one. Recharging a partially charged lithium-ion does not cause harm because there is no memory. (In this respect, lithium-ion differs from nickel-based batteries.) Short battery life in a laptop is mainly cause by heat rather than charge / discharge patterns.
Batteries with fuel gauge (laptops) should be calibrated by applying a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges. Running the pack down in the equipment does this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate and in some cases cut off the device prematurely.
Keep the lithium-ion battery cool. Avoid a hot car. For prolonged storage, keep the battery at a 40% charge level.
Consider removing the battery from a laptop when running on fixed power. (Some laptop manufacturers are concerned about dust and moisture accumulating inside the battery casing.)
Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later use. Observe manufacturing dates. Do not buy old stock, even if sold at clearance prices.
If you have a spare lithium-ion battery, use one to the fullest and keep the other cool by placing it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze the battery. For best results, store the battery at 40% state-of-charge.
