The Best Long-Life Batteries – Factors, Expansion and Battery Type

Who can live without a smartphone, a computer, or any electronic device today? Well, the simplest answer is, nobody. The world has become so dependent on these devices that it seems we may go back to the dark ages if they don’t exist.

But the most important aspect of these devices is their power source. These are portable devices that are power by batteries.

In other words, we cannot live without batteries. Yes, we have electricity and fossil power, but we don’t use these energies as often as we do batteries.

Batteries are used to harness and store solar energy. With the world moving more towards green energy, solar power has become very important.

However, the best batteries are very expensive. And the last thing you want is to keep buying new batteries for your smartphone.

Hence, you need to learn the best ways to extend your battery life. Consider the following ideas.

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What factors will affect battery cycle life?

Both rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries come with a specified lifecycle. For instance, a lithium-ion battery, which is considered a market standard, has three years of the life cycle.

This life-cycles can be extended or shortened depending on how you use your device.

Lithium on batteries has been evolving steadily over the years. It is mainly because of the emergence of electric cars and mobile devices.

?We refer to lithium-ion batteries in most cases because they are the most popular. There is nowhere you will without bumping into a device using these batteries.

Theoretically, these batteries should last forever. But that is not the case because batteries are exposed to different factors that affect their lifecycle. Consider the following:

The Lifecycle Itself

The life of a battery is mainly determined by the battery’s use cycles. For instance, an AGM or flooded battery may come with a life cycle ranging between 300 and 700 cycles under normal use. A gel battery, on the other hand, ranges from 500 to 5000 cycles.

Note that a complete cycle is when the battery is fully charged and discharged once. For example, a solar system battery is charged during the day and discharged during the night. Hence, one life cycle is equal to one day.

Depth of Discharge (DOD) Effect

Consider the normal working of any machine. The harder it works, the sooner it wears out and fails. This is the same thing with batteries. The more you use your battery, the faster it will fail.

In other words, withdrawing a higher capacity from a battery reduces its life cycles. For instance, withdrawing 100% capacity from a Gel battery gives it 450 lifecycles, while withdrawing 10% give it 5700 cycles.

Temperature

Perhaps temperature is the biggest threat to the battery lifecycle. Whether it is the battery performance, shelf life, charging, or voltage control, it is the temperature that has the highest amount of effect.

If the temperature is high, it leads to drastic and more chemical activities inside the battery, than lower degrees.

Most batteries require a recommended temperature range of between 65-90f. High temperatures reduce the life cycle of your battery.

Recharge Voltage and Rate

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Just like the depth of discharge, recharge voltage, and rate do affect the life cycles of your batteries too. This mostly depends on the type of battery in question.

All lead-acid batteries, for instance, release hydrogen from the negative side and the oxygen from the positive when being changed. Valve regulated batteries come with pressure-sensitive valves, hence the ability to retain pressure within the cells. Otherwise, hydrogen and oxygen would be lost into the atmosphere, making the electrolyte separator to dry out.

Also, a battery comes with the ability to store only a specific amount of electricity. As it gets close to full charge, the slower it needs to be charged.

Normally batteries should be charged up to 90% within 60% of the total charging time. The remaining 10% will take the remaining 40%.

Excessive overcharge causes the battery to dry out and fail prematurely. This can happen to any VRLA battery.

Humidity

Batteries work best in a place that dry and cool. High humidity can cause short-circuiting with the cells and end it prematurely.

Mechanical Shocks

Dropping your batteries can bend or break the internal components. This can lead to swelling and unhealthy reactions, reducing the overall life of the batteries.

Electrical Stress

Sudden discharge and charge of your batteries can cause issues in the internal components. This issue extends to trickle charging, which is keeping the battery charged continuously.

How do you expand battery cycle life?

Based on the issues discussed above, you may be wondering how to extend your battery life cycle. Here are a few tips to get you moving.

Understand How Your Battery Degrades

Every time you charge you charge and discharge your battery, it degrades slightly. If you charge a phone from 50% to 100% is considered a half-cycle, which becomes full when you do it twice.

The manufacture will give you the life cycle information and possibly the degrading rate. You need to understand this to keep your battery safe.

Fast Charging A Draining the Battery to 0% or Overcharging Is Not Good

Fast charging causes stress to the battery. Unless you really need it, avoid fast charging. The slower you charge, the better your battery will last.

Also, do not drain your battery to 0% or overcharge to 100%. Older batteries had ‘battery memory’ which made them remember if you didn’t discharge or charge to 100%. But modern once, don’t have such things, but it would still help to just keep them safe.

Avoid high Temperatures

As discussed above, the high temperature is one of the biggest threats to battery performance. Try as much as possible to keep your device cool.

We have already seen what affects the battery life cycle, try to avoid them, and you can be sure of a longer service cycle.

What battery lasts the longest?

With the world flood with all sorts of battery brands, finding the longest lasting one is vital. For dry cells, consider brands like Duracell, Panasonic, and Energizer. They are the best on the market.

For rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion batteries are most recommended. The latest version comes with better capacity and longer lifespan.

Conclusion

Using batteries is unavoidable today. And if you get the right one, it is critical to keep it safe for a longer service. We hope this article has been helpful.