The life of rechargeable batteries can vary between several weeks to several years, depending on the type of battery, the way the batteries are charged and discharged, and the conditions they are used in.
NiCd’s & NiMh;
- Extreme high/low temperatures often reduce the life of rechargeable batteries.
- High discharge currents can also reduce the Dell Latitude D600 Battery life.
- Whilst extremely slow discharges can cause the ‘memory effect’ to appear amongst nickel type rechargeable batteries (NiCd nd NiMh – yes NiMh’s still have the memory effect but the effects are often not as severe as those experienced by NiCd’s).
- High charge rates, above the rated charging current can also reduce life, the best charge rate in my opinion is 0.5C (where the charging current is half that of the battery’s capacity: 500mA for a 1000mAH ACER Aspire 5315 Battery).
- And again, slow charge rates can cause the ‘memory effect’ amongst nickel based batteries.
- To prevent the ‘memory effect’, nickel based batteries should only be charged once they are fully discharged (i.e. below 1v per cell).
- Finally, NiCd’s and NiMh’s should not be left on trickle charge for more than 24hrs. Nor should they be overcharged.
Leads Acids;
- Lead acids, on the other hand, should be kept in a fully charged state. Therefore Sony VGP-BPS2 battery should be charged whenever the battery is not being used.
- High Temperatures above 35′C can reduce the battery life significantly.
- Charging current should not be more than 0.25C (one quarter of the battery’s capacity, i.e. 1.5A for a 7AH battery).
- Lead Acids must never be discharged below 1.5v per Cell (9V for a 12V battery and 4.5V for a 6V battery).
- Lead Acids can be left on trickle charge for an infinite period of time, to keep the battery fully charged.
- Should a battery be left in a discharged state for a period of time. Significant capacity loss can ocurr, due to a process called Sulphation. SONY Batteries in this state can sometimes be recovered using a Desulphator, but results vary.
Li-Ion and Li-Polymer;
- Should never be overcharged, as this can lead to fires and explosions.
- Should never be left to discharge below 2.5v a cell.
- Finally, these type of batteries, don’t like to be left in a fully charged state for long periods of time. Therefore, if you’re not going to use a device using a rechargeable lithium battery, like an iPod, Mobile phone or Laptop, for long periods of time; to prevent capacity loss, the battery should be stored in a 40% charged state.
Belowing these guidelines will lead to extended TOSHIBA PA3535U-1BAS battery life and will prevent capacity loss.
?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 Sony VGP-BPS13A/B 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 Sony VGP-BPS9 battery at 40% state-of-charge.
