General This is how you should be charging your smartphone

DrogenKinder · September 17, 2016

Science says you have been charging your smartphone in a wrong way;

One common problem that persists on all smartphones is that the battery gets drained very quickly. They hardly survive for a day.

While some of us blame ourselves for not charging the smartphone the correct way, there are some others who have a deep-rooted notion that it’s better to charge them when they are almost dead, as charging smartphones in small spurts could cause long-lasting damage to their batteries.

However, according to Battery specialist firm, known as Battery University, the lithium-ion batteries in our smartphones are sensitive to their own versions of ‘stress’. And, extended stress could be damaging your smartphone battery’s long-term lifespan, like for humans.

If you wish to keep your smartphone battery in excellent condition and stop worrying about battery life, there a few things that you need to change.

Don’t keep it plugged in when it’s fully charged

According to Battery University, leaving your smartphone overcharged is bad for the battery in the long run. Once your smartphone is fully charged and is at 100%, it receives ‘trickle charges’ to keep it at 100% while plugged in. It keeps the battery in a high-stress, high-tension state, which reduces the chemistry within.

Explaining a lot of scientific details as to why does it happen, Battery University also summarizes it nicely: “When fully charged, remove the battery” from its charging device. “This is like relaxing the muscles after strenuous exercise.”

Keep it cool

Smartphone batteries are so sensitive to heat that Apple itself suggests you to remove iPhone from cases when you charge it. “If you notice that your device gets hot when you charge it, take it out of its case first.” Also, ensure that your smartphone is covered when you are out in the hot sun. It will safeguard your battery’s health.

Try not to charge it to 100 percent

Don’t charge the battery all the way to 100%, when you don’t have to.

According to Battery University, “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” and wears it away in the long run.

If you are trying to keep your smartphone charged all day, this may seem counterintuitive. However, you should be fine, if you plug in your smartphone whenever you can during the day.

Plug in your smartphone whenever you can

Don’t wait till your smartphone battery runs down out of charge. Charging them occasionally throughout the day can help the battery’s performance instead when they are empty.

According to Battery University, charging your smartphone when it loses 10 percent of its charge would be the best-case scenario. While this may not be practical for many people, so just plug in your smartphone whenever you can. It is ok to plug and unplug it multiple times a day.

This not only keeps your smartphone’s battery performing optimally for longer, but also keeps it topped up the entire day. Further, constant top-ups also allows you to use features, like location-based features that use your smartphone’s GPS antenna that would you normally not use, as it can eat up your battery life.