[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] keeping cell phones charged

[Paul Garmon]

On Sun, Mar 7, 2021 Michael Alexander <mna.ma at yahoo.com> wrote:

> A couple of weeks ago I read an article that purported to explain why
> keeping Lithium-ion batteries fully charged is bad for battery life (it’s
> consistent with Komando’s recommendation):  At 100% charge, the battery
> anode has to expand to accommodate the Li+ ions; repeated full charging
> causes mechanical wear and tear on the anode.  All plausible, but if so, it
> makes one wonder why manufacturers don’t design chargers to stop before
> “fully” charging and discharging.  Maybe they want to boast that their
> phone’s charge supplies the device for longer than other manufacturers’
> phones?  (I don’t want to entertain the $ hypothesis that they just want to
> sell replacement batteries or inspire consumers to decide it’s time to jump
> to the latest model.)
>


I'd generally follow the manufacturer's recommendations. iPhones (for one)
automatically deal with all of this. Maybe they didn't in the past, but
once specific battery issues are realized, manufacturers tend to reprogram
the charging algorithm(s) to deal with it. Most lithium battery chargers
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN far more sophisticated than the older generation of NiCd
and NiMh chargers, typically monitoring battery temperature, which is the
critical thing with lithium batteries.  Of course, there are many different
kinds of lithium batteries, and each one probably has its own "how I like
to be charged".  Depending on the exact kind of battery, many of them
actually communicate information to (and from?) the chargers, for
example: Talking
To Laptop Batteries With The ESP8266 | Hackaday
<https://hackaday.com/2018/05/28/talking-to-laptop-batteries-with-the-esp8266/>
.

The big problem is a user who demands that phones (or Tesla cars
<https://www.tesla.com/supercharger> or whatever) charge instantly (or at
least very quickly).  This means that maximized battery life is not always
the goal.  Sometimes the goal is get as much power into the battery as
quickly as possible so the user can unplug and run off without the phone
going immediately dead.  There are lots of tradeoffs. I never had one, but
Sony claimed a 3-minute charge would give 3 hours of playback: Walkman Bean
- Wikipedia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walkman_Bean> (that product
didn't last long).  *Honestly, I miss my Rio
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_PMP300>, which could use a single AA
battery and function until the battery was clinically dead.  *You could use
regular AAs or rechargeable if you were environmentally conscious. 😁


   - Smartphone fast charging technology – myths and facts - SlashGear
   <https://www.slashgear.com/smartphone-fast-charging-technology-myths-and-facts-05627664/>

    (this is a fairly good technical article, explaining why things are the
   way they are, although doesn't mention that a lot of the charging tactics
   are now automatic)

   - also: Charging Your Phone Overnight: Battery Myths Debunked | PCMag
   <https://www.pcmag.com/news/charging-your-phone-overnight-battery-myths-debunked>
    [2019]
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