There is nothing worse than being out of the house only to find your cell has died, are we right? How else will you Instagram your coffee shop order or text your friend that you have just seen their crush? That’s why it’s so important to keep your gadgets charged at all times. However, overcharging out electronics could be doing more harm than good. Here’s how overcharging gadgets actually kills the battery – who could have guessed?
How batteries work
Nowadays, most of our gadgets will come equipped with lithium-ion batteries. These clever energy stores are the perfect way to keep us fully charged while out and about. Understanding the ins and outs of these batteries can get a little confusing, but they basically work by transferring electrons around your gadget whenever they are needed. Once the electrons are all gone, your battery will need a recharge. Then, it’s time to top up the electrons until the next time!
Too much energy
Although our gadgets are designed to be recharged, that doesn’t mean they should always be filled to 100%. Perhaps you find yourself getting restless once your phone dips below the 80% battery mark? Fear not; you could be doing your cell a favor. Batteries work best between 30% and 80% charge. Anything above or below could put unnecessary strain on the battery and cause it to lose power more quickly.
Heating things up
Have you ever wondered why your gadgets are so hot when they are charging? This is because of all the energy going between the charger and the battery. Unfortunately, this heat isn’t good for our battery life. In fact, overcharging your battery can cause it to get even hotter. Being plugged in for too long means the battery heats up which can put it under unnecessary stress. All this pressure means the battery can lose space to store the energy. So a hotter battery means less gadget life. Ouch.
Jumping between charges
Our gadget chargers are clever things, but it looks as though they could be too smart for their own good. Many of these chargers will slow down after reaching a certain battery percentage, and will usually jump between around 99% and 100% if they’re left on charge. However, this constant changing of charge can wreak havoc with our battery’s life. It causes the batteries to heat up which, in turn, can have a corrosive effect on the components of our gadgets.
How to avoid killing your battery
There are many ways that you can help protect your battery’s life for as long as possible. Making sure you keep your gadgets cool while charging is one of the best ways to void any damage. This could be making sure it’s placed out of the sunlight or removing the case. Another tip to avoid killing your battery is to make sure you charge it little and often rather than letting the battery drop all the way before one big charge. It’s also best to make sure you store any gadgets with around 50% charge if you’re not going to use them for a long time. If not, you could find yourself in the battery danger zone – and no one wants that!
Unfortunately, our batteries will naturally lose some of their power over the years. However, that doesn’t mean we should fill them with as much charge as possible – especially as overcharging gadgets actually kills the battery. It could be time to start taking care of the things we love by letting them die once in a while. Oo-er!
