It is clear that technology and innovation in mobile phones have come a long way in recent years. But the pending issue is still the battery life of our smartphones. This causes many users to panic when their mobiles are low on battery and unable to charge.
To avoid this situation, there are a series of guidelines or tips to optimize the charging process and make it last longer. Some of these guidelines have a factual basis, but others are not very advisable despite being standard practices.
Next, we explain why you should do or not do certain things to improve the battery charge of your mobile.
Neither 0% nor 100%
This is one of the most widely practiced beliefs on mobile. There are many who, before a new mobile, do not charge the battery until the charge that comes from the factory does not reach 0%. This is due to an idea that once had its explanation but has now become obsolete.
It turns out that older models of rechargeable batteries had what’s known as “battery memory,” which meant that their capacity adapted to charging habits. Therefore, it was better to wait for the battery to be completely depleted and then charge it to 100%.
Must do the opposite for lithium batteries, which are currently the most common, to live longer in good condition. The best way to take care of batteries is to prevent them from reaching total depletion and apply partial charges.
Therefore, it is best to connect our mobile to the charger before it tells us the battery is low. Once we do, it is advisable to keep it between 30% and 80% of its capacity, which is when modern batteries work best.
Some manufacturers, such as Samsung or Apple, recommend avoiding the charge being below 50% since the charge capacity of the ion batteries used in these phones is measured in cycles, or what is the same, in discharges and fully recharges from 0% to 100%. Therefore, for the battery to last as many processes as possible, it is important to keep it within these limits.
Although there are cases in which it is advisable to wait until the battery is exhausted and do a full discharge once a month to calibrate it.
Fast Charge only if it is Essential
Most phones today have a “fast charge” option. It could benefit certain situations and get us out of more than one jam. But, if we want to keep our mobile battery in good condition, it is not the best practice since it considerably reduces battery life. Therefore, charging the battery without rushing is the best option.
One of the main drawbacks of fast charging is the increased heat it generates. This excess temperature can damage the terminal even if it has all kinds of preventions in hardware and software.
Also, using fast charging causes charging cycles to repeat faster and more consistently, which will help shorten battery life.
Charge the Battery Overnight
Another famous myth is the one that says that it is not good to leave your mobile charging overnight. This belief is widespread, although most users do it for convenience. In any case, this practice is not harmful to the mobile or the battery. The technology is already so advanced that the mobiles themselves are capable of avoiding an overload. Additional protection chips inside ensure this doesn’t happen, and charging stops once the internal lithium-ion battery reaches 100% capacity.
If we leave the mobile charging all night, it will use only a tiny amount of energy, constantly sending a new flow to the battery when it drops to 99%. The only problem it can cause to our device is the charge and discharge cycles. We can avoid it by using a smart plug, or even if we are one of those who wake up at night to go to the bathroom, take the opportunity to disconnect it.
Load it in the Car
As a result of our daily life and rush, it is widespread for us to use any opportunity that comes our way to charge our mobile. For example, when we have a USB port, we take out the mobile and connect it with its cable.
Also, the USB of the radios and multimedia devices of the cars are highly inadvisable both for the mobile and for the device to which it is connected.
It turns out that when we connect our phone to the radio, it charges very slowly. And it is because of the output power of the ports, which is usually up to four times lower than what our terminal can support.
In addition, the latest generation cars already include a USB port that can be used for, among other applications, charging the mobile. But even so, setting the mobile in the car, using this USB port, is not the best for the phone since it gives us less electricity than our phone needs to charge.
The main reason is that the USB connector in the car is usually used for devices that consume little energy, such as a pen drive with music to enjoy during the trip.
So if we need to charge the mobile while in the car, it is best to use one of those chargers that connect to the cigarette lighter since they allow us to obtain enough energy to charge the device.
In short, to charge the mobile well, you have to follow these simple guidelines. Charge the device as little as possible to extend the battery’s useful life, keeping the charge between 20% and 80%.
If possible, do it a couple of times a day to, as far as possible, avoid doing it at night. Although doing it overnight is always better than using the fast charging option or doing it in the car.