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05/23/2014 01:31:09 PM · #1 |
I am have mixed advice on my batteries and when to charge them up..
After googling, I have read where some saying yes, the batteries must be drained completely before attempting to recharge them..
The other side tells me, no, it does not matter, and can be at any percentage or drainage, charge whenever you like.. But doesn't it loose the battery life that way too?
I have two Lithum ion NIKON batteries, then my third battery is a Rayovac lithium as well..
I do alternate the batteries, giving usage time on each of them.
So far, my practices have been just using them till they die then switch it out and charge it up.
Is there a firm guideline, rule or "law" about the correct usage for charging or using batteries?
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05/23/2014 01:38:46 PM · #2 |
These are twe two main tips I normaly use. Most of the time I recharge after 75% use of my battery
Allow partial discharges and avoid full ones (usually)
Unlike NiCad batteries, lithium-ion batteries do not have a charge memory. That means deep-discharge cycles are not required. In fact, it's better for the battery to use partial-discharge cycles.
There is one exception. Battery experts suggest that after 30 charges, you should allow lithium-ion batteries to almost completely discharge. Continuous partial discharges create a condition called digital memory, decreasing the accuracy of the device's power gauge. So let the battery discharge to the cut-off point and then recharge. The power gauge will be recalibrated.
Avoid completely discharging lithium-ion batteries
If a lithium-ion battery is discharged below 2.5 volts per cell, a safety circuit built into the battery opens and the battery appears to be dead. The original charger will be of no use. Only battery analyzers with the boost function have a chance of recharging the battery.
Also, for safety reasons, do not recharge deeply discharged lithium-ion batteries if they have been stored in that condition for several months. |
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05/23/2014 01:39:56 PM · #3 |
| If I am not mistaken (and there is no guarantee that I'm not...), the practice of draining batteries completely was to avoid battery hysteresis, the process where a battery's life became increasingly shorter with use. I think that issue has been resolved with the newest batteries. I have never drained my batteries completely, and they appear to last as long now as they did when they were new. |
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05/23/2014 02:07:32 PM · #4 |
I bought a spare battery so that i could fully drain and know that i have a solid backup. by "fully drain" i mean wait until the battery guage goes red and flashes, or they still have enough power for a device to turn on and say "battery dead", not to the point where a device won't turn on, so i guess you could call it 95% drained.
i've been caught with my "pants down" before by not realizing how low the charge was in my camera and missing out on shots on a trip (still had the P&S charged but wasn't the same...) |
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05/23/2014 02:36:48 PM · #5 |
For what it's worth, here's a link to the manuals for Nikon DSLR batteries.
Battery manuals
Here's a few snips that seemed somewhat relevant.
- Recharge the battery before using the product for the first time, or before using the product following an extended period of disuse.
- Do not attempt to recharge a fully-charged battery. Failure to observe this precaution will result in reduced battery performance. |
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05/23/2014 02:41:16 PM · #6 |
| Some pretty extensive info on batteries at www.greenbatteries.com/faqs/ ... |
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05/23/2014 02:49:24 PM · #7 |
| NiCad batteries have issues with developing a charge "memory" where they would not discharge below a certain point if they had been recharged before being fully drained. That's why many NiCad chargers would fully drain the cells before recharging. Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Polymer batteries do NOT have this problem. They do however require special circuitry to keep voltage and current within safe limits. Remember Dell laptop battery fires? Usually the circuitry is built into the batteries and the devices they're used in are smart enough to not let the battery go beyond safe limits. The device will say the battery is drained and shutdown the device before the battery reaches the point of being unsafe or damaged. For Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries, the OP's approach of simply using a battery til it's done the switching to a charged one is fine. There's no harm in switching before it's fully drained nor will you damage it by charging a partially drained battery |
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05/23/2014 04:02:53 PM · #8 |
Thanks guys, This helps me out a lot, so much information and its hard to know which way to go on certain things.
I knew I could trust you guys :-)) I wish these posts had likes on them like facebook LOL ... I just didn't want to ruin these batteries because they were not cheap.
This all makes more sense to me. I appreciate it..
Another question that I had as well, sorry, forgot to post it in the main post. Do you all have special pockets or special bags that you keep them in or do you just all throw them in your zipper parts of the bag? right now, I have mine separated from everything else into its own zipped compartment, but I don't have it in a plastic bag, or anything special to keep the ends clean. I don't think that matters much, I hope, but then again I don't know that either. |
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05/23/2014 04:14:13 PM · #9 |
| My Nikon battery came with a plastic cap to protect the end with the contacts. No need to keep it apart or in a plastic bag. |
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05/23/2014 04:16:43 PM · #10 |
Like others have mentioned it does not matter too much with the lithium batteries, but I still run mine down most of they way just because there is a limit to how many times they can be charged before they begin to degrade. If I am getting ready for a weekend or more of shooting I just go ahead and charge them all up no matter how full or empty.
When I store them in my bag I put the plastic cap they come with on and put them in a seperate pocket to make sure they can not short out on something.
Edit, I hate spell check
Message edited by author 2014-05-23 16:18:00. |
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