What is the best way to charge the smartphone is perhaps the last thing that most users would believe they need to brush up on. After all, the smart gadgets have been here for well over a decade now, and most would know something seemingly as simple as ways to charge the phone.
However, new research by Cadex, a company that specializes in developing devices to test lithium-ion batteries has some interesting new tips and tricks to share.
The company claims its findings not only prove users have so far been doing it wrong, but it also offers heady suggestions on how to do it right and prolong the life of the battery in the process.
How to charge your Smartphone or Tablet battery:
Fully discharging the phone isn’t a good idea: Now this might be the most prevalent practice followed around the world, either out of compulsion or by choice. It is also widely believed to be the best way to ensure healthy battery life on the long run while for many, the only time they get to charge the phone is at the end of the day and when the battery is already on its last legs.
Start charging before it goes to red zone.
Battery life sweet spot is between 65 – 75%: As Cadex pointed out, the optimum point for keeping the battery charged is between the 65 to 75 percent mark. While that might not be practical for many, the company allowed some relaxation on that is saying users can drop down to 45 percent if they can’t stick to the 75 percent mark at all times.
Frequent charging is a better option: Meanwhile, another way to keep the battery healthy is to charge in shorts bursts instead of keeping it tied to the charger for a longer duration. As the company mentioned on its educational and public awareness site, Battery University, partial charges will have no negative impact on the battery.
A full recharge is bad: Cadex also suggested it is never a good idea to charge the battery to 100 percent, more so when the battery has been on a low initial charge. In fact, fully recharging from even 25 percent charge levels can be damaging. That’s because Li-ion doesn’t actually need to be fully charged in the first place.
Further, charging to 100 percent is also being discouraged since high voltage, Cadex claimed, causes negative stress on the battery.
Overnight charging not encouraged though not damaging as well: Also, while it is being overtly discouraged to fully charge a li-ion battery, something most commonly achieved with overnight charging, the company did mention leaving the phone plugged in again does not harm the battery. That’s because the charger gets electrically disconnected automatically once the battery is no longer getting charged.
So that makes for a lot of new steps to be followed for charging the phone while ensuring battery last the longest.
Unfortunately, following the above steps will require erasing a current set of habits while cultivating new ones. Not an easy task but will need time to get into a groove with the above steps. Till then, some more suffering for our smartphone and tablet batteries. If you have found out a way to keep the battery performance good, then let us know in the comment section.
