It’s no secret – we’ve become far too dependent on our smartphones. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. Of course, there are legitimate issues with our smartphone dependency, and not least with children. Our over-reliance on smartphones can cause mental health issues as well as a tendency to waste time and lose our focus on what really matters.
But, when used appropriately, we can do amazing things with our smartphones. From booking flights to ordering meals – planning routes to connecting with long-distance relatives.
And all of these tasks, of course, demand a lot from the battery. Our smartphone batteries are the engines that keep everything going from the minute we turn them on, to the minute we turn them off – or when they die because you forgot to charge them!
On average, smartphone users in the UK start their morning by checking their phones within the first 12 minutes of waking up. Are you one of those? If you are, do you wake up to your phone still connected to the charger from the night before?
These are just a few smartphone charging mistakes that will limit – or even damage – your battery. Battery Shop Sussex share their top 6 charging mistakes in this infographic.
Only charging when the battery gets low & then up to 100%
Though it may be tempting to only charge your Lithium-ion battery when it needs it most, you’re actually doing more harm than good to it.
Li-ion batteries don’t need to be drained fully and then re-charged to full capacity. Charging when your battery gets low only adds unnecessary stress to your little battery’s life – ultimately cutting short its lifespan.
In fact, Li-ion batteries perform at their best (and live longer) when charged to around 30% – 80% capacity. So, if you want more juice for longer, it’s best not to drain your battery completely before charging it to full capacity.
Phone case while charging
Again, this is a charging sin that many of us are guilty of. If you live life on the edge with no phone case, you don’t have to worry about this one.
For the vast majority of us that do swear by phone cases, this one is essential.
Charging with your phone case may not be an obvious risk to your battery, but it all begins to make sense once temperature is thrown into the mix.
We all know our smartphones can become overheated when charging. And when Li-ion batteries are exposed to extreme temperatures, they stop working properly. Keeping phone cases on while charging means all that heat is being retained in the smartphone.
However, by removing phone cases while charging, you’ll help to remove all that excess heat and ensure your battery charges at a happy temperature.
Wrong place, wrong time
Where you charge your battery matters just as much as the frequency. As we said earlier, Li-ion batteries need to be charged in reasonable conditions. How often do you charge your phone underneath your pillow, or on a warm surface? Or how often does your battery get exposed to cold areas like in front of the air conditioning? Where you charge your battery has a huge influence on its performance, so it’s important to keep the environment as neutral as possible.
Overcharge
Standard Li-ion batteries take around 2-4 hours to reach 100% charge. Wake up to your phone still gathering juice, and your battery will become overworked and overheated.
Using the wrong charger
This seems an obvious one, but it happens far more than you think! Not all smartphone charge inlets are compatible with every charger on the market. You could seriously damage your smartphone’s charging capabilities if you become too adamant that you’ve got the right charger.
Some chargers will help reduce overcharging once the battery reaches full capacity by switching off. If you leave yours in overnight using one that doesn’t, you’ll risk damaging both your device altogether by overcharging.
