Are you the kind of person for whom a mobile phone is more than
just a necessity and is more of a lifeline? And you wish your battery
did not run out on you so often? It is possible to get more out of
your battery, you just have to keep a few things in mind.
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GET THE MOST FROM YOUR CELL PHONE BATTERY |
Prevent the Memory Effect - Keep the
battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at
least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion
batteries, which do not suffer from the memory effect. Do not leave
the battery dormant for long periods of time.
Always use a battery charger, which is by the same manufacturer as
your phone, it gives it more life. It also helps if you overcharge
your battery now and then.
Keep the Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery
contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good
connection between the battery and the portable device.
Do not leave your cell phone near any source of heat, a common place
being the dashboard of your car, as extreme heat may affect the
battery. The battery also operates better at room temperature,
vis-à-vis extreme cold.
The vibrator mode of your cell phone consumes more battery, so when
not needed, use the ring-tone mode.
Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for a month
or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal
objects. Batteries tend to de-charge when not in use, so make sure you
charge them again before using. The performance of any cell phone
battery, however, no matter how properly cared for, usually diminishes
after about a year. It is better to get your battery replaced then.
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NiMH |
Li
- Ion and Lithium Polymer |
| Made
from Nickel Metal Hydride. |
Made from Lithium
Ion. |
|
Higher energy density. Twice the capacity of NiCad. |
Same energy as
NIMH, but weigh 20-35% less. |
| More run time. |
More run time, at
lighter weight, thus ideal for cell phones, camcorders etc. |
| Battery's
capacity reduces over time due to frequent recharging. |
Can be recharged
without capacity reducing |
| Environment
friendly, since they do not contain heavy metals. |
Environment
friendly, as they do not contain mercury or cadmium and other
such toxic metals. |
| Require less
maintenance. |
Require little
maintenance. |
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Phones cost- Rs. 4,000 to Rs.6,000 |
Phones cost- Rs.
3,000 to Rs. 45,000 |
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
My new battery isn't charging. Is it
defective?
One needs to discharge and recharge a new battery at least 2-4
times for it to reach it's maximum rated capacity, as most of
these new batteries, are not charged. An overnight charge or 12
hours, is a good enough time for your battery. An indication could
be the battery getting warm to the touch. When charging the
battery for the first time, the device may indicate that charging
is complete after just 10 or 15 minutes. This is normal with
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| rechargeable
batteries. New batteries are hard for the device to charge; they
have never been fully charged and not "broken in." Sometimes the
device's charger will stop charging a new battery before it is
fully charged. If this happens, remove the battery from the device
and then reinsert it. The charge cycle should begin again. |
What is
"memory effect"?
A partially discharged battery at times does not fully discharges
before recharging. It sort of "forgets" to do so. This is what is the
memory effect. For e.g. if you fully charge your battery and then use
only 50% of its capacity before the next recharge, eventually the
battery will become unaware of its extra 50% capacity, which has
remained unused. The battery will remain functional, but only at 50%
of its original capacity. To deal with this, always fully discharge
your battery, before recharging it. This can be done by, unplugging
the device's AC adapter and letting the device run on the battery
until it ceases to function. This will help your battery remain
healthy.
What Are Volts and
Milliamp-hours (mAH)?
These are ratings on every battery. Milliamp-hours or (mAH), is
one-thousandth of an amp-hour (1AH = 1000mAH). The voltage of the new
battery should always match the voltage of your original unless the
batteries are different chemistries. NiMH and Li-Ion batteries have
different voltage ratings, even if they're for the same device.
How long do typical batteries last?
Generally, 11/2 - 3 years, or 500-800 charge-discharge cycles. As the
rechargeable battery begins to die, there is a decline in the running
time of the battery, till it reaches to 50% of its running time, and
you need a new battery.
Can I recycle my old
battery?
NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries should be recycled. Be
environmentally conscious - do NOT throw these batteries in the trash.
How long will my new battery run?
Battery run-time is difficult to determine. Actual battery
running time depends upon the power demands made by the mobile phone.
The use of the screen, the device and other accessories results in an
additional drain upon the battery, effectively reducing its running
time. The total run-time of the battery is also dependent upon the
design of the mobile phone.
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DOs AND
DON'Ts OF BATTERY USE |
Battery Do's:
- Fully charge/discharge battery up
to 4 cycles before achieving full capacity of a new battery
- Fully discharge and then fully
charge the battery every two to three weeks.
- Run the device under the battery's
power until it shuts down or until you get a low battery warning.
Then recharge the battery as instructed in the user's manual.
- Remove from the device and store
in a cool, dry, clean place if the battery will not be in use for
a month or longer.
- Recharge the battery after a
storage period Ensure maximum performance of the battery by
optimizing the device's power management features. Refer to the
manual for further instructions.
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Battery
Don'ts:
- Do not short-circuit. A
short-circuit may cause severe damage to the battery.
- Do not drop, hit or otherwise
abuse the battery as this may result in the exposure of the cell
contents, which are corrosive.
- Do not expose the battery to
moisture or rain.
- Keep battery away from fire or
other sources of extreme heat. Do not incinerate. Exposure of
battery to extreme heat may result in an explosion
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Tip:
Turn off the phone, take out the battery and put it in
again. Rest batteries for 24 hours before charging. It is known that
generally even when your phone is "sleeping", it is not.
Protect your phone against thefts:
The International Mobile Equipment Identity umber (IMEI) (a 15
digit code) is programmed in the phone at the time of manufacture.
This will help the police track down the phone if it is stolen. To
know this number: 1. Type *#06# on the mobile. 2. A number appears. 3.
Confirm this with the number on the battery. If this does not match
then it means that the phone has been tampered with or is refurbished.
4. Note the number in a safe place.
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