There is a strong myth within the technological community that says that a battery must be fully discharged after it has been purchased. Only after this has been done can the battery be successfully recharged. Those who perpetuate this myth would tell you that this needs to be done because of the “memory effect.” This is when a battery remembers how full it was when it was first recharged and assumes that that level counts as being completely empty. If you charge the battery when it is half-full, then, it will never be able to hold a full charge again.
The Power Of New Battery Designs
Fortunately, this myth is false. It started because this phenomenon was actually true with nickel-cadmium batteries which are also referred to as NiCad batteries. The memory effect did work with these and many people who used laptops, mobile phones, barcode scanners, and other such devices ruined their brand new batteries. However, the lithium-ion batteries such as iPod batteries that are now being used do not suffer from the same problem. The memory effect will not impact them at all. You can charge them at any point that you would like, no matter how full they are, and you will not do any harm to the physical battery itself.
Recharging Before The Battery Is Empty
With the new batteries, it is actually advisable for you to recharge them before they have completely run out of power. If you are using a laptop, it will warn you that you are now running on reserve power. This is the best time to plug the computer in. This is not as hard on the battery because it does not have to experience the abrupt loss of function that occurs when it runs entirely out of power. This is also better for your computer for the same reason, and it can keep you from losing files and information.
The Real Cause Of Decreasing Times
If your battery seems to be holding less and less of a charge each time that you use the device, you do not have to worry about how you are charging it. The real reason is just that the battery is wearing out. These last for a long time, but they do not last forever. The amount of charge that it can hold will gradually decrease until it does not work at all.
The Dangers Of Overcharging
It should be noted that overcharging a battery can still be bad for it. Once the charge has been completely replenished, you should disconnect the device from the power supply. This is easy to remember with mobile phones and tablets, but people often forget to do it with laptops because they are simply working at a desk and leaving the laptop plugged in feels natural. This will not ruin the battery overnight, so do not worry if you forget on occasion to unplug the computer. However, as a general rule, you should only leave it plugged in until the battery is full.
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