Cell Phone Batteries ??

[billt460]

My wife and I each have a Motorola Moto E cell phone, we purchased from Consumer Cellular a little over 2-1/2 years ago. Overall they've been good phones. The other day we noticed the batteries were swelling up, bulging the back of the case out. Internet investigation reported that 2-1/2 years is about it for a Motorola battery, and this is not uncommon after that length of time.

So we ordered, and yesterday we received 2 new Motorola Moto G Pure phones. After much hassle over the phone, we managed to get both of them up and running, and get the data transferred from both of the bulging old phones, into the new one's.

We left our old phones plugged in most of the time, and the only time we took them off charge is when we went somewhere. So the batteries were usually always at or near 100% charge.

Now the Consumer Cellular girl told us to only charge them until they get to 100%, then don't leave them on charge beyond that. And to let them run down below 50% before recharging.

So now I have them rigged up to a power strip when we're home, that can be switched on and off, without constantly plugging and unplugging them. The phones we had before these bulging beauties were also Motorola, and were also left plugged in all the time.

They never bulged the batteries in almost 4 years. The only reason we got rid of them, was because the screens were too small. I'm guessing these paper thin batteries the new phones have now, are more prone to swelling. Anyway I'll play along and only charge them when they require it. (I don't want to go through all this B.S. again).

How about you guys? What are your, "charging habits"? How long have your batteries lasted? I know the batteries on a lot of these things are seemingly becoming more problematic. The new Samsung Galaxies were recalled for exploding and catching fire. Anyone else have a battery bulge or blow up?

 

[billt460]

If this switching on and off deal becomes too much of a PITA, I'm thinking of something along these lines. A type of "smart charger & maintainer" for cell phone batteries. You can set it to the percent of charge you want, and it does the rest. A bit like a automotive Battery Tender, but for cell phone batteries.

Chargie protects your Android phone’s battery like an electric car

Chargie is a device that aims to bring the smarter charging features offered by a few Android phones to all smartphones –...

9to5google.com

 

[Shel_B]

I'm a relatively new cellphone user, and recently I heard that batteries shouldn't be charged past 80-90% or so. Decided to look into that and came across this site:

Battery charging tips and tricks for prolonged life

Can you damage a phone's battery by charging it too often, or for too long? We round up the best battery care tips to keep your smartphone battery healthy for as long as possible

www.techadvisor.com

I no longer charge to 100%, and am trying to follow the other suggestions on the site.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

There are battery alarm apps which you can download and set a charge alarm at 80% and 20%. It kept the battery on my just replaced 2017-18 HTC 11 in excellent shape. In fact I'd still be using my HTC 11 if the messaging app hadn't started to fail.

 

[billt460]

I'm a relatively new cellphone user, and recently I heard that batteries shouldn't be charged past 80-90% or so. Decided to look into that and came across this site:

Battery charging tips and tricks for prolonged life

Can you damage a phone's battery by charging it too often, or for too long? We round up the best battery care tips to keep your smartphone battery healthy for as long as possible

www.techadvisor.com

I no longer charge to 100%, and am trying to follow the other suggestions on the site.

There is a lot of good information on that site.

 

[Schandyman]

Are the batteries removable, I would have picked up new batteries. But yes it's not good to keep on the charger for extended periods of time. I usually, let my phone drop off to 15-20% charge to 100% and good for 2 or so days.

 

[billt460]

Are the batteries removable, I would have picked up new batteries. But yes it's not good to keep on the charger for extended periods of time. I usually, let my phone drop off to 15-20% charge to 100% and good for 2 or so days.

I don't know if they're replaceable or not. The new phones were only $150.00 each, so we decided not to mess with them. If we had the latest 4 digit I-Phones, then yes, I would have gotten the batteries replaced.

 

[Schandyman]

I don't know if they're replaceable or not. The new phones were only $150.00 each, so we decided not to mess with them. If we had the latest 4 digit I-Phones, then yes, I would have gotten the batteries replaced.

Understandable friend.

 

[demarpaint]

Lots of opinions on when to charge and how long to charge a cell phone battery. Apple says to charge it to 80% and let it drain to 20%. IMO I really don't think it matters, batteries are disposable wear items, when battery performance declines either replace the battery or the phone.......

 

[Skippy722]

Lots of opinions on when to charge and how long to charge a cell phone battery. Apple says to charge it to 80% and let it drain to 20%. IMO I really don't think it matters, batteries are disposable wear items, when battery performance declines either replace the battery or the phone.......

I’m in the same camp. If Apple wants us to stay between 80 and 20%, they should give us a toggle to limit the charge to 80%. I digress…

As for not leaving it on the charger after it reaches 100%, the phone and the batteries own internal stuff won’t let it overcharge. My phone is on a charger for my entire 12 hour shift at work.

 

[billt460]

If Apple wants us to stay between 80 and 20%, they should give us a toggle to limit the charge to 80%. I digress…

As for not leaving it on the charger after it reaches 100%, the phone and the batteries own internal stuff won’t let it overcharge. My phone is on a charger for my entire 12 hour shift at work.

This is my opinion as well. If leaving it plugged into the charger all the time was that bad for the battery, it wouldn't have taken 2-1/2 YEARS to swell the battery. It would have happened far sooner.

As I mentioned, I had a pair of older Motorola phones that were left plugged into the charger for the better part of 4 years, and showed zero ill effects.

And if this whole "charging balance" of between 20% and 80% was so important, they would have chargers designed to implement precisely that type of charge. Every cell phone charger I've ever seen will charge any battery hooked up to it to 100%. Assuming it was left on long enough.

I understand the manufacturers don't want these things to last too long, or it would cut into their sales of new phones and / or batteries. Especially those like myself, who aren't interested in owning, "the latest and the greatest". I just want a dam phone.

 

[alarmguy]

I believe there is truth to the story, actually I think factual. With that said I never did anything special for any cell phone battery.
I plug it in when I go to bed and unplug it when I get up, without fail, everyday of the week.
With that said, Apple does do some funky stuff to preserve battery life while charging, never much paid attention to it but it would hold off the last 20% of the full charge right until I got up in the morning. Meaning it learned my pattern of usage and adjusted the last 80% right before I got out of bed.
My 2.5 year old iPhone XR showed a remaining battery health of 88% when I literally just got rid of it a few days ago for a new iPhone 13. So I will never have to worry about battery because I will never have the same phone for more than 3 years. I never did anything to preserve battery.
and ... if worst came to worst and you wanted it 3,4,5 years you could always get the battery replaced, even from Apple.

Ok, my wife is a whole other story, she charges her phone right before she goes to bed and always unplugs it once the charge is between 80 and 90%. Her battery health on her iPhone 11 after owning it for 1year and 3 months was 97% and she just got rid of it days ago as well for a new iPhone 13. Being she works from home and I now retired I do use my phone way more than her...

Anyway, I guess I will never have a phone long enough to worry about battery life but if for some reason I decided not to get a new phone in 3 or more years I could always have the battery replaced.
With all the above said, these are Apple devices and I am sure with Apples efforts in this area they outperform Android phones. I do see the appeal of wanting to preserve battery, just something I dont bother with but I do give my wife credit how she handles her phone charging.

 

[BMW Dom]

If the battery is bulging, that is very dangerous.

The battery will stop charging after 100%.

 

[billt460]

If the battery is bulging, that is very dangerous.

It won't be after I put 3 or 4 rounds of .45 ACP through it.

 

[BMW Dom]

It won't be after I put 3 or 4 rounds of .45 ACP through it.

What causes a battery to become swollen in the first place?
Physical damage, manufacturing defects, and age are all potential causes of swelling. When charging, a chemical reaction takes place between the molecules in the battery. Sometimes in old cells, the reaction can't be completed correctly, so instead of charging, a very flammable gas is created which causes the cell to expand. In damaged cells, the separators between the layers of the battery can break down causing swelling or fire. If the outer casing has been damaged, the chemicals in the cell can react with the air to cause fire.

What do I do if I have a swollen battery?
DO NOT CHARGE THE DEVICE! Try to drain the battery as much as possible to reduce the risk of fire. If you are not comfortable with removing the battery yourself, take it to a local electronics repair shop. If you do opt to remove it yourself, take precaution by wearing gloves and eye protection to protect your body from the hazardous chemicals inside the battery. Outside or in a well-ventilated area and away from combustible materials, carefully remove the battery from the device and place it in a fireproof container.

DO NOT THROW THE CELL AWAY. Lithium ion batteries are hazardous materials and even when not damaged should not be thrown in the garbage. Use a service like Call2Recycle to find a hazardous material recycling center near you to bring the battery.

How dangerous is it to have a swollen battery?
As long as proper precautions are taken, it is not incredibly dangerous. There are many safety measures put into batteries to make them as safe as possible. Even though a battery is swollen, that doesn't necessarily mean that it is a ticking time bomb. As long as it is kept away from heat and left undamaged, it is unlikely to catch fire or vent gas. The gas that is vented is very flammable and toxic, so avoid damaging the cell.

What happens if my battery gets punctured?
DO NOT INTENTIONALLY PUNCTURE A BATTERY.

A puncture can cause the battery to swell, vent gas, or catch fire. If you have a punctured battery, store it in a fireproof container in a well-ventilated area. The gas that these batteries give off if punctured is toxic and flammable. The fire that can be produced is considered Class B, so keep a Class ABC or BC fire extinguisher on hand in case of fire. Water can be used if a fire extinguisher is unavailable since lithium ion batteries contain very little lithium metal. Contact a computer repair shop or other professional to see what disposal options are available in your area.

Is it possible to prevent a battery from becoming swollen?
Batteries will eventually need to be replaced, but here are some ways to extend the lifetime of them.

• Avoid extreme temperatures. Very hot and cold temperatures can damage batteries and reduce its lifespan.
• Don't leave your device plugged in all the time. Leaving your battery fully charged or fully discharged for long periods of time can damage them. If you're storing a battery for longer than a couple weeks, try to store it at about 50% charge.
• Use only high-quality, certified chargers. Knock-off chargers may not be held to the standards of manufacturer chargers and may not be able to provide sufficient quality power to the device.

 

[JohnnyG]

This is my opinion as well. If leaving it plugged into the charger all the time was that bad for the battery, it wouldn't have taken 2-1/2 YEARS to swell the battery. It would have happened far sooner.

As I mentioned, I had a pair of older Motorola phones that were left plugged into the charger for the better part of 4 years, and showed zero ill effects.

And if this whole "charging balance" of between 20% and 80% was so important, they would have chargers designed to implement precisely that type of charge. Every cell phone charger I've ever seen will charge any battery hooked up to it to 100%. Assuming it was left on long enough.

I understand the manufacturers don't want these things to last too long, or it would cut into their sales of new phones and / or batteries. Especially those like myself, who aren't interested in owning, "the latest and the greatest". I just want a dam phone.

Android 12 does provide a toggle for battery longevity, at least in Android 12 on my Samsung S10. It limits charging to 85%. They also state (in the settings menu under battery care) That for the longest battery life, the state of charge should stay between 40% - 85%.
I learned long ago that a phone should not be charged overnight, or left plugged in after it reaches full charge.
The Samsung makes it easy. Charging for 20 min each morning and I'm good for two days if I don't use it heavily, and that's at 85% charge. 100% charge is good for two days as well, if I'm using it for navigation or some other prolonged usage.

 

[Danh]

I’m in the same camp. If Apple wants us to stay between 80 and 20%, they should give us a toggle to limit the charge to 80%. I digress…

As for not leaving it on the charger after it reaches 100%, the phone and the batteries own internal stuff won’t let it overcharge. My phone is on a charger for my entire 12 hour shift at work.

Apple has a setting (may be default on later models) that learns your use habits. For example, if you typically start your cell phone day at 7AM and plug the phone in overnight, it will charge to 80% and hold there, with the last 20% starting to be ready at 7AM.

 

[2010Civic]

For a $150 phone just do whatever is convenient for you and don't worry about it. If it was a $1150 phone then you may want to pay more attention to it.

 

[SubLGT]

.....We left our old phones plugged in most of the time, and the only time we took them off charge is when we went somewhere. So the batteries were usually always at or near 100% charge.

That's an excellent strategy for maximizing the service life of a lead-acid battery. Not a good strategy for Li-ion.

 

[Dave9]

Service life of Li-Ion goes down substantially based on amount of time sitting above 4.1xV. Unfortunately most charge to 4.2V for that bit extra runtime. Life based on depth of discharge is not so clear cut. I wouldn't try to make it a rule to discharge down to 20% then be in situations where you are running out of power so can't use the phone, unless you have a relatively high capacity battery and know its limits vs your use cases.

Just about any battery is replaceable if you have the tools, and for older folks, eyesight and steady hand to do it.