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Whether smartphones, notebooks, electric toothbrushes or robotic lawnmowers: Many everyday devices contain batteries that are constantly being charged and discharged.
If the electricity runs out, it goes to the socket.
It's that simple. There are still a few things to consider.
Because consumers can already extend the service life of their electricity storage devices while charging.
"Modern lithium-ion batteries, which are now found in all smartphones and laptops, have the longest service life if they are always between 30 and 80 percent charged," explains Blasius Kawalkowski from the technology magazine "Inside-digital.de" .
"This so-called flat cycling in a limited charging window has a positive effect on the service life of lithium-ion batteries, as the materials are less stressed," explains Tobias Placke from the MEET battery research center at the University of Münster, explaining the benefits of never fully charging the battery never let it run empty.
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“Almost all batteries today have charging electronics.
This ensures that the device is switched off in the event of a deep discharge in order to protect the energy source from a short circuit, for example, ”explains Kawalkowski.
"Because if the voltage drops below the end-of-discharge voltage, the battery will be permanently damaged."
Battery protection by switching off
The shutdown protection mechanism should never be overridden by turning the smartphone back on too early.
This means: If the battery has been discharged so deeply that the mobile phone has switched itself off automatically, it should not be switched on again as soon as the power supply is connected.
It is better to wait until some current has flowed into the battery again.
The memory effect, which was often quoted earlier, is no longer an issue.
It only affects nickel-cadmium batteries, which are rarely used.
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The lifespan of a battery is also beneficial if it is not exposed to extreme cold or heat.
“When it is cold, the ion transport in the cell can be slowed down, which increases the resistance in the battery and limits its use,” explains researcher Placke.
In turn, intense heat could have a negative effect on the service life of lithium-ion batteries, as the materials in the battery, in particular the electrolyte, then degrade more.
“Generally speaking, aging reactions proceed more quickly at elevated temperatures,” summarizes Placke.
A smartphone should therefore be protected from extreme cold in winter as well as from heat in summer.
Smartphones heat up noticeably during wireless charging, but this does not necessarily have to damage the battery.
"If the cell phone is exactly in the ideal position of the wireless charger, so that the coil in the cell phone and the coil in the charging cradle are directly opposite each other, the temperature usually stays within a reasonable range," explains Christian Just from Computer Bild.
It is therefore important to ensure that the back of the phone is placed as centrally as possible on the charging cradle.
Battery life in charging cycles
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The service life of a battery is measured in charging cycles and is between 500 and 2000 charging cycles, depending on the quality of the battery.
According to Just, only complete charging processes or a discharge of 20 to 95 percent count.
"So there is no disadvantage if the smartphone is plugged in in between and only charged for 20 percent," explains the expert.
Replacing batteries from household use with rechargeable batteries is generally a good idea, but the area of application should be considered.
“Nickel-metal hydride batteries, for example AA or AAA size, are very sensitive.
Wrong polarity, deep discharge or overcharging can very quickly lead to a complete defect, ”warns Kawalkowski.
AA and AAA: Nickel-metal hydride batteries of these sizes are found primarily in devices at home.
And that's a good thing because of their limited temperature range
Source: dpa-tmn
In addition, nickel-metal hydride batteries can only be fully used in a limited temperature range.
For example, they are well suited for children's toys due to the constant room temperature, says Kawalkowski.
But if you have to supply cameras or flash units with power outside in the cold, you should better use commercially available alkaline batteries.
Those who replace so-called primary batteries with secondary batteries, i.e. rechargeable batteries, usually have a little less power available, which has very practical reasons: "The rechargeability has to be built into the cell chemically and geometrically by means of additional, space-consuming measures," says battery researcher Slump.
"This is why the energy content and thus the discharge time of the disposable version is always higher with batteries of the same size."
Batteries are becoming more and more powerful
The bottom line is that batteries are becoming more and more powerful.
The Nokia 3310, which appeared in 2000, had a fat and large battery with a capacity of 900 milliampere hours (mAh).
“The current Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has a flat battery with 5000 mAh,” Kawalkowski compares cell phone batteries from today and 20 years ago.
Batteries are becoming more and more powerful.
Nevertheless, in the past, significantly weaker batteries made you much further, because cell phones weren't as power hungry as they are today
Source: dpa-tmn
The fact that today's potent smartphone batteries still have to be recharged faster is due to their features.
"The display is the biggest consumer of electricity," says Kawalkowski.
“The larger it is and the higher it has a resolution, the shorter the battery life.” In addition, many apps would increase power consumption if they were used for several hours a day.
Find out the maximum battery capacity
Anyone who buys a used smartphone will usually want to know how powerful its battery is.
"After about two years, the battery performance drops considerably, and even earlier if you charge it several times a day," says Just.
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However, the maximum battery capacity can be seen in the menu for Apple from the iPhone 6.
“Good batteries have values over 95 percent there.
Even at around 92 percent, intensive users often no longer get through the day without reloading, ”says Just.
The percentages there are calculated by Apple, so they are not necessarily identical to other laboratory values.
There are apps for Android smartphones that analyze the state of the electricity storage system.
If you work with exchangeable batteries on your camera or other devices, it is best to keep them at temperatures between zero and five degrees.
Under these conditions, the power storage systems lose the least power, explains Blasius Kawalkowski.
The sometimes recommended refrigerator as a storage location, however, carries the risk of moisture causing oxidation and damage to batteries, warns Kawalkowski.
"The better place to store batteries for a longer period is therefore a cool and dry cellar."