subject: How Should I Charge My Cell Phone Battery? [print this page] It's hard to believe that many of us were alive before cell phones became an everyday object. These portable communicators have transformed from large, heavy "bricks" carried only by the most important or wealthy people, to small, lightweight devices that almost no one leaves home without. No one asks whether you have a cell phone anymore. Instead, they ask what kind of phone you have or tell you when and when not to use it. Like many other modern inventions, cell phones have all but become an extension of ourselves instead of a separate gadget. So what would you do if your hand suddenly stopped working and flashed a "low battery" warning? It wouldn't be good, would it? Well that's how many people feel when their cell phone battery dies.
Cell phone batteries, by rule of thumb, always die at the least convenient time. At least it seems that way. Cell phone and cell phone battery manufacturers have gone to great lengths to stretch the life of a single battery charge as far as possible, but the technology has its limits. So while the batteries seem to be getting smaller and tend to last longer now than they used to, the batteries eventually run down. And, after many charge/discharge cycles, they will give out completely. Depending on how you use your phone, you may replace the phone long before you are forced to replace the battery. But, if you are the kind of person who uses a cell phone 24/7, there are certain charging habits you can adopt that will prolong the life of the battery and make sure you don't have to replace the battery prematurely. So if you are asking yourself "How should I charge my cell phone battery?" read on for the best charging practices and advice for when the battery does eventually become useless.
The most important thing to remember about cell phone batteries, as mentioned before, is that they have a limited number of charge cycles they can go through before they stop taking a charge altogether. Now consider the fact that every time you plug your phone into the home or car charger, you are depleting that limited number of cycles. If you are like some people who plug their phone in every night and every time they get in the car, the battery can lose functionality quite quickly. Of course, you need to charge the battery as often as is needed to keep the phone powered, but excessive charging can deplete the battery quicker than normal. So, it is best to let the battery run down quite a bit and only charge when necessary before the battery dies. This will reduce the number of charge cycles and allow the battery to keep functioning normally for a longer time.
This universal tip can be applied by any user to any cell phone. Other tips for charging cell phone batteries really depend on the type of battery the phone uses. Most recently-released cell phones have a lithium ion or lithium polymer battery. These batteries use some of the latest battery technology and are designed for use in mobile devices that may be charged frequently or irregularly. Most manufacturers recommend charging these batteries so that they do not run down below 15% or so. So, while keeping in mind that more charging means shorter overall life, you can basically charge these batteries however you need to to fit your usage habits.
Older cell phones were equipped with NiMH batteries, which are not as efficient as lithium batteries but were still a step in the right direction for portable power. These batteries followed a more traditional set of rules for charging. Namely, it was recommended that they be fully charged and discharged once in a while and that they not be left discharged for very long periods of time. If you still have a cell phone with this type of battery, it is best to follow these guidelines.
The oldest cell phones used NiCD batteries. These have been almost completely phased out in cell phone use, but we know some people hate to give up an old but perfectly functional device. So for anyone who may still have this type of battery in their phone, just remember that these must be completely drained and recharged to avoid the memory effect. Also, be sure to avoid leaving this type of battery on the charger after it is charged to avoid over charging.
