22 Years' Battery Customization
Jul 19, 2021 Pageview：535
When you are looking for better ways to improve the life of your batteries, it will shock you that everyone suddenly becomes an expert. There are so many opinions about charging smartphones, storing batteries, and using them differently.
But the most common question concerns storing batteries in refrigerators. If you open the freezers in many homes, you will find batteries piled in plastic bags.
So, what is it with batteries and freezers? How do the negative temperatures affect the performance of your batteries?
We will be answering this question here.
Does putting a battery in the freezer work?
The most common myth among many battery users is that storing them in a freezer prolongs their life. Whereas there is a good reason to believe so, it does not really work those ways.
This is partially true, which is why it would be best to avoid it all the same. You will learn that a lot happens with your batteries that are just charging and discharging.
How batteries work？
To know what we are talking about, you need to have a clue about how batteries work. And in this guide, we will focus on standard AA and AAA batteries. Later we can look at rechargeable cells.
All batteries work by releasing energy through a series of chemical reactions. Electrons move from one positively charged terminal through the powering device and back through the negatively charged terminal.
However, these electrons can still sneak out of the battery even when not in use. And that is why your batteries drain even when you are just storing them. This is called self-discharge.
When the chemicals react, heat is produced, which further reduces the lifespan of the batteries. You may have noticed that it drains faster when your battery is hot.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see why anyone would want to put their batteries in freezers. Some even assume that doing this recharges those batteries.
As stated above, this is not entirely true. We all have a different experience with using batteries. And if you thought somehow your battery lasted longer after refrigerating it, there is a good explanation.
If you can slow down the chemical reaction, your batteries will stay longer without losing any of their juice. Where hot temperatures increase the reaction, cold temperatures do the opposite.
And that’s why we said there is a half-truth to this idea. What happens is that cold temperatures keep the battery at the same charge level for longer.
So, if you store your batteries in the freezer at 75% charge, chances are it will stay with this power until the day you decide to use it. Ideally, this makes it last longer.
Should you put the battery in a freezer?
According to battery makers, it’s not advisable to put batteries in refrigerators. Tom Van Voy Panasonic Energy says that “this is a myth many have held on for long. And the answer is no.”
All manufacturers recommend using them at clean, dry, and room temperature. If you store them well, the discharge rate of your batteries should be negligible. It’s about 3% per year for single-use alkaline batteries. This rate can be even lower for single-use lithium batteries.
When it comes to rechargeable batteries, the chemical reaction is much higher. Storing them at low temperatures should reduce the reaction, and hence, making them last longer.
If you have been storing batteries in a fridge, don’t worry. That is why we have the myth and the explanation.
What happens if your leave your phone charging after 100?
Your charging habits affect the health of your batteries. There is so much that happens in terms of chemical reactions here.
Everyone seems to be an engineer here, designing new ways to keep the batteries working for longer. Some will tell you never to charge them to 100%, while others opine those modern batteries can handle it.
Your aim should be to keep the battery in top conditions. A dead one means your phone is useless.
You must keep in mind that your battery’s performance will decline over time, no matter what you do. But there are different methods to slow the process and have it serve you for longer.
One of the most debated tips is whether or not to charge your phone overnight. There is a lot of views about these.
Many phone manufacturers say you should not. Apple says, “the health of your battery can be affected if it stays at full charge for a long time.” Even when it greedy apps that drain your battery, it would be wise to let them.
Android brands have the same stand. Samsung is against leaving the phone connected to the charger overnight. Huawei says the best way to increase your battery’s life is to keep it between 30 and 70% as much as possible.
It would be best to keep your phone charged but not fully charged. Once it drops to 99%, it takes more energy to bring it back to 100, which affects its lifespan.
On the other hand, many experts believe that this notion of ‘overcharging is bad’ is outdated. According to Ronald Ho of Google, “the phone’s internal battery charger will stop charging to prevent overcharging. This means leaving the battery on charge does not change anything.
Put your phone in the Freezer to fix the screen.
This is another myth many users have held on to for a long time. The truth is, leaving your phone in the freezer due to a cracked screen does not help in any way.
If the display is not working, cooling it down might help ab bit. But do not leave the phone in such environments for more than a few minutes.
You will only end up damaging your device. If your phone is overheating, that can be bad for the battery and for the phone, which is why many people would think of a fridge. But DON’T leaves your phone in there.
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