tip(s) of the day

I know a few people who have the very popular iPod made by Apple. I also plan on purchasing one in the next couple months. I recently read an article that gave some tips to maximize the life of your battery for not only the iPod but any other device that uses Li-Ion (lithium ion) batteries for power such as laptop computers.

Tip #1: Leave some gas in the tank.
Letting a Li-Ion batter run all the way down is a bad idea. It reduces the overall life of the battery and can trigger a protective cut-off circuit that may prevent the battery from being recharged at all. It is ideal to discharge 80% of the battery's capacity before re-charging and to recharge frequently.

Tip #2: Store at 40%.
Never store fully charged Li-Ion batteries for any length of time. The self-discharge of lithium-ion is about 5% per month. Once the charge level, cut-off circuitry kicks in, and the batter goes to sleep and quite often cannot be woken up unless you have special equipment.
For Notebook computers - it's recommended that the user removes the battery from the system anytime the machine draws power from the wall socket, other wise the battery stays in a less-than-ideal 100% charged condition at all times. Only top off the batter before you go on trips, when you know you'll need the extra juice.

Tip #3: Keep your cool.
Hot temperatures can significantly reduce the lifespan of a Li-Ion battery, and exceedingly hot temperatures can cause the battery to leak or even explode. Keep your battery packs or iPods in a cool place (59' F or lower) when ever possible. [note from Scott: so don't leave them in your car on a hot day, after all they're made to be extremely small and portable, and chances are that your pocket or purse will be much cooler than inside your car] For products with removable batteries, take the battery out whenever possible when using them on AC power to avoid heat and over-charging issues that can reduce the lifespan of the batteries.

Tip #4: Beware of old age.
Because of their chemical makeup, Li-Ion batteries deteriorate as time passes, and there is nothing that can be done to prevent this process. Over a period of 18 months to three years, the capacity of the battery slowly diminishes until finally it won't accept a charge, at which point there is no way to resuscitate it.

Tip #5: A couple of solutions.
- 1) If still under warranty AppleCare only charges $29.95 for shipping and handling. Out of warranty: Apple's Battery Service costs $99 plus a $6.95 S&H (total of $105.95).

- 2) iPod ResQ - cost $79. Service: ship a padded box to customer via overnight with prepaid overnight shipping back to the company, technicians switch out the battery that day and box it and send it back to the customer via overnight.

- 3) Two others to check out: PDA Smart.com and iPod Battery.com.

The Article Recommends: Use Apple or iPodResQ


Websites to check out for further research and information:
iPod's Dirty Secret
CE Tips.com
Cadex Electronics
Battery University

Hope this is useful to everyone. Send feedback!