You’ve Been Charging Your SmartPhone Wrong All Along

By Michael Avery in Science and Technology On 18th October 2016

#1

Many of us know the struggle of having our phones die on us half way through the day. Even when we charge it to 100% capacity overnight, it fails after a few hours of usage. Well, the key to prolonging the life of your battery lies in the way you charge your phone.

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Cadex, a battery company with a site called Battery University, goes into detail about how the lithium-ion batteries in our smartphones actually work and how it affects the way we should charge our phones.

If you're like most people, you probably plug your phone in overnight so that it's fully charged by the time you wake up in the morning. However, Battery University says charging your phone this way may ruin your battery in the long term.

Lithium-ion batteries are sensitive to stress, which can deteriorate the chemistry of your battery. When your phone reaches 100%, "trickle charges" keeps the battery in a state of high-stress and tension when it is left plugged in. Give your battery a break!

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#3

Battery University advises:

"When fully charged, remove the battery" from its charging device. "This is like relaxing the muscles after strenuous exercise."

We typically aim to charge our phones to the maximum 100%. However, continually charging your phone throughout the day lessens the wear on your battery. Battery University explained:

"Li-ion does not need to be fully charged, nor is it desirable to do so. In fact, it is better not to fully charge, because a high voltage stresses the battery."

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Ideally, you should charge your phone whenever it loses 10% of its battery. Though it may be a hassle to constantly plug your phone in, it will keep your smartphone battery performing optimally for longer.

Lastly, keep your smartphone in a cool place since the batteries are sensitive to heat. That means don't leave it in the sun or bring it into your hot yoga class with you. In fact, Apple even suggests users remove certain phone cases before charging their iPhones as some cases are known to insulate heat.

Your smartphones do a lot of work for you so do it a favor and charge it properly by following these steps.

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1. Charge in short bursts

The site claims that you shouldn't let your phone trickle all the way down to one percent before you boost it's charge all the way back up to 100.

Charging any lithium phone battery for a long time can wear it out, meaning you're best off plugging it in for a few short bursts rather than a long stint.

2. Don’t charge overnight

For the same reason, it's unwise to keep any phone battery plugged in all night since this will overwork it and make it more likely to wear out.

Long charges should always be avoided if possible, since they put the battery into a high-stress state and contribute to it becoming worn down in the long run.

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3. Don’t charge to 100 per cent

Gradually topping your phone up throughout the day is much better for the battery than boosting it to 100 per cent, since this also risks stressing the battery.

Instead of filling it all the way up, try to regularly top up your phone's battery when it needs the extra juice.

4. Take off your phone’s case

Whipping your mobile's case off can work wonders at keeping the battery in a good state, since cases can make batteries overheat as they charge.

Charge your phone naked instead to keep your device cool and prevent the heat from wreaking havoc on your battery's lifespan.

Check out this useful video for more tips on how to properly charge your phone.