Do IPods Have Lithium Batteries - Types, Cycle Life, Charging and Discharging

iPod is a brand of digital audio player or portable media device, and multi- functional pocket computers designed and merchandised by the company, Apple Inc. Apple devices range from mp3 players to ear pods, phones, universal serial bus (USB) cabels, laptops, DVD players etc.; the devices have been seen to upgrade over the years with the advancement of technology.

Lithium batteries are rechargable batteries used for several electronic devices, including the iPod; these batteries have high energy densities and low self discharge.

WHAT KIND OF BATTERIES DO IPODS HAVE?

Ipods have internal recyclable lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries.  Lithium ion battery (LIB) or Li-ion battery is a type of secondary cell, i.e. it is a rechargeable battery type that can be charged, discharged and recharged severally. These batteries consist of one or more electrochemical cells connected together; a lithium based derived compound (e.g. lithium oxide) is used as the positive electrode, carbon (graphite) is used as the negative electrode, and the solution of lithium salt in an organic solvent serves as the electrolyte. LIPO batteries on the other hand, is derivative of Lithium and a Polymer; it iys a lithium-ion polymer battery with rechargeable properties based on lithium-ion technology and uses a polymer electrolyte. The LIPO battery is a storage battery that can be recharged over time with a highly dense energy and low rate of discharge, that uses macromolecules as electrically conducting solution.

Rechargeable lithium-ion technology currently offers the best performance for iPod devices when compared with other battery types; they last longer, charge more efficiently and has a higher power density for more battery life. The beauty of the lithium technology is that all of these attributes are embedded in a light package, I.e, the batteries are usually not heavy.

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Another unique thing about the batteries in iPod is that it charges fast for convenience and slow for longevity; what this means is that the Apple lithium-ion battery uses fast charging to quickly get to 4/5 of its battery  capacity, then switches to slower trickle charging. The tme varies with device type and settingson your settings while charging, however there is a form of regulation when battery temperatures are exceeded; this process not only saves time, it also extends the lifespan of your battery.

HOW LONG DOES AN IPOD BATTERY LAST?

Battery life  is the amount of time a device, in this case, the iPod,  runs before it needs to be recharged, while Battery lifespan, also called the cycle life of the battery,  represents the amount of time the battery of a device lasts until it needs to be replaced. Lithium batteries have lasting life span, howeever the varied use in the iPod devices also determines the longevity of the battery.

The average cycle life of a lithium-ion battery is an average of 2 to 3 years for a range of 300-500 charge cycle while according to Apple Inc, an original apple battery lasts 10hours per charge.

Apple lithium-ion batteries work in charge cycles, a complete charge cycle is when an amount that equals 100% of your battery’s capacity has been used, i.e. discharged. This charge cycle is not necessarily all from one charge, a practical example is this: if 70% of the battery’s capacity is used in one day, then the device is recharge fully overnight, using 30% the next day, sums up to the discharge to a total of 100%, the two days therefore makes up one charge cycle. It could also take several days to complete a cycle, depending on usage. The capacity of any type of battery will diminish after a certain amount of recharging, however with lithium-ion batteries, the capacity diminishes slightly with each complete charge cycle. Apple lithium-ion batteries are designed to hold at least 4/5 of their original capacity for a high number of charge cycles, and this is dependent  on the product.

HOW DO YOU CHARGE AND DISCHARGE AN IPOD LITHIUM BATTERY?

The purpose of a battery in any device is to store energy and release it when needed. Most rechargeable batteries can experience overloading, but this must be reduced to avoid damage to the battery, as the  longevity of the battery  is directly related to the level and duration of the stress on it, and this stress could b in form of charge, discharge and temperature.

Generally, to charge an iPod lithium battery, the battery must first be place in the iPod device, and the iPod is connected to a power outlet via the appropriate USB cable and USB power adapter.

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When charging a battery in a device, positively-charged lithium ions move from positive electrode, cathode, to the negative electrode, anode, through an electrolyte solution in the battery cell. This phenomenon results in the concentration of electrons   at  the anode, the reverse process occurs when the battery is discharging.

Lithium-ion batteries operate safely within the designated operating voltages; however, the battery becomes unstable if charged to a voltage above the specified voltage. The battery is designed to work with a safe margin of 3 to 4.2v; discharging below the minimum voltage will lead to a lost in the performance of the battery and hence its damage, while charging above the maximum voltage of 4.2v  would lead to the exploding of the battery.

Simple Guidelines for Charging iPod Lithium-based Batteries

1. Turn off the device or disconnect the load on charge to allow the current to drop without restriction when the battery is saturated.

2. Charge at a moderate temperature, preferably room temperature. This is because excess heat doesn't only damage the processor it also damage the battery.

3. Charge within the safe voltage margin

3. Lithium-ion batteries  do not necessarily have to  be fully charged; a partial charge is better.

4. Discontinue using charger and/or battery if the battery gets excessively warm.

Experts say that after 30 charges, it is advisable to completely discharge lithium ion battery before charging again to maintain the life.

Basically, batteries are discharged when used, lithium-ion batteries do best when discharged for a little while, say half the battery percent. This preserves the battery than dischaging to 0%.