[Menneisyys]

Originally Posted by rob_ocelot

A Li-ion battery in general will last about 2 years regardless if you use it or not, now factor in how you initally charged it (12 hours minimum is recommended, even if the charging is finished in an hour)

Actually, there IS some topping charging of Lithium-based batteries after the main, high-current charging fades away (and the charging LED stops blinking).

The topping charging lasts, in general, 2-3 additional hours after reaching some 95% charging level, with the charging current exponentially being lowered. This is why battery manufacturers ask for long initial chargings. Actually, I'm not really sure it's needed at all. According to the folks at Battery University (link below):

"Lithium-ion is a very clean system and does not need priming as nickel-based batteries do. The 1st charge is no different to the 5th or the 50th charge. Stickers instructing to charge the battery for 8 hours or more for the first time may be a leftover from the nickel battery days."

Don't be mislead that the charging led stops blinking after an hour or two. There IS still topping charging behind the scenes.

NB. topping charging has nothing to do with the constant-current, constant trickle charging of Nickel-based batteries. Lithium-based batteries are very sensitive for overcharging; this is why they all (or, at least, most _ I coould tell you horror stories of the 1940/2210 Li-Ion batteries produced by HardCE.com... 2 of them died on me because of the almost non-existing protection circuitry) contain protection circuitry to avoid situations like this.

I recommend the article at http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm - it's IMHO the best intro to charging of lithium batteries.

[Menneisyys]

Originally Posted by rob_ocelot

A Li-ion battery in general will last about 2 years regardless if you use it or not, now factor in how you initally charged it (12 hours minimum is recommended, even if the charging is finished in an hour)

Actually, there IS some topping charging of Lithium-based batteries after the main, high-current charging fades away (and the charging LED stops blinking).

The topping charging lasts, in general, 2-3 additional hours after reaching some 95% charging level, with the charging current exponentially being lowered. This is why battery manufacturers ask for long initial chargings. Actually, I'm not really sure it's needed at all. According to the folks at Battery University (link below):

"Lithium-ion is a very clean system and does not need priming as nickel-based batteries do. The 1st charge is no different to the 5th or the 50th charge. Stickers instructing to charge the battery for 8 hours or more for the first time may be a leftover from the nickel battery days."

Don't be mislead that the charging led stops blinking after an hour or two. There IS still topping charging behind the scenes.

NB. topping charging has nothing to do with the constant-current, constant trickle charging of Nickel-based batteries. Lithium-based batteries are very sensitive for overcharging; this is why they all (or, at least, most _ I coould tell you horror stories of the 1940/2210 Li-Ion batteries produced by HardCE.com... 2 of them died on me because of the almost non-existing protection circuitry) contain protection circuitry to avoid situations like this.

I recommend the article at http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm - it's IMHO the best intro to charging of lithium batteries.

[damager]

Where do you buy these things in the States? There is no distributor listed.

[Oregon Trail]

I'd like to see an independent organization such as Consumers Union do a report. Organizations like them do careful analysis of the claims and benchmark testing.

[amnon]

Originally Posted by rob_ocelot

The real problem with testing these sort of devices is that every battery has a different history of use/abuse and how many recharge/discharge cycles it has had.

A Li-ion battery in general will last about 2 years regardless if you use it or not, now factor in how you initally charged it (12 hours minimum is recommended, even if the charging is finished in an hour), and then factor in your daily habits with the battery -- do you use it for a few min at a time and then 'top it up' in the charger or do you discharge down to 40% and then charge it? Finally factor in any incidences of battery abuse -- did you ever accidentally discharge it to zero charge? (btw, very easy to do on the newer power hungry 128 MB VGA models like the e800. Even in standby mode I coudn't leave my unit for a few days without it being drained to 20% charge). Heck, even the ambient temperature you use the battery in makes a difference

The point is that there are far too many variables to keep in control when you try to scientifically investigate something like this. I wont even get into differences in application of the product by the end consumer.

OK, so can anyone tell me what is good usage of a battery? Is it better to top it off (I use it mostly in the cradle, especially during office days) or drain it to 20%? 40%? faster drain? slower drain?

Thanks,
Amnon

[Lex]

It works if you believe it works. As would a postage stamp. This reminds me of a doctor I used to know who scotch taped one of those antenna booster stickers directly to his cell antenna. A guy who had plenty of scientific training scotch taping a sticker to his antenna !

Now put your hand on the computer screen and imagine your battery getting stronger !

[Menneisyys]

Originally Posted by amnon

OK, so can anyone tell me what is good usage of a battery? Is it better to top it off (I use it mostly in the cradle, especially during office days) or drain it to 20%? 40%? faster drain? slower drain?

Thanks,
Amnon

It is ALWALYS preferable to top off Lithium-based batteries . Always charge them whenever possible. Only cheap batteries like those of HardCE can actually be damaged by keeping the PDA/the battery on the charger.

[Freepaq]

Originally Posted by Lex

It works if you believe it works. As would a postage stamp. This reminds me of a doctor I used to know who scotch taped one of those antenna booster stickers directly to his cell antenna. A guy who had plenty of scientific training scotch taping a sticker to his antenna !

Now put your hand on the computer screen and imagine your battery getting stronger !

I'm not with BatterLife, I have made the tests from my own.
And what I have made on the result is exactly what I have see.

[Lex]

OK with me if it really works. No offense intended. I might buy it if someone can explain it well enough. No cell-phone antenna booster stickers for me though.

[DaViD_BRaNDoN]

Originally Posted by Lex

It works if you believe it works. Now put your hand on the computer screen and imagine your battery getting stronger !

Haha... LOL... :mrgreen: *hands on notebook screen now*

[Chafic]

Originally Posted by Sven

An old one that has spent the majority of it's life plugged into an AC outlet.

Hey, stop talking about my laptop like that. ACtually my laptop lasts about 1.5 minutes before it dies. I wonder if I get any boost from this magic device