Battery Education

100 Million iPod Batteries

100,000,000 iPod owners and counting! A remarkable tribute to Apple’s iPod music player – no question! I wonder how many of these iPod owners know how their iPod battery works. Understandably most people don’t really care as long as it does. However I am interested and I’m sure there are others out there as well who want to know how their iPod battery actually delivers power to their iPod.

Most people would never realize how complex an iPod battery is nor would they realize how many components can be found within their iPod battery. For starters your iPod battery is made up of highly specialized battery components including:

• iPod battery connector
• iPod battery fuse
• iPod battery charge and discharge FETs
• iPod battery cell pack
• iPod battery sense resistor
• iPod battery primary and secondary protection ICs
• iPod battery fuel-gauge IC
• iPod battery thermistor
• iPod battery pc board

These components together allow your iPod battery to function so that you can listen to music while doing the various activities of your day. Before we can delve deep into each of these ipod battery components I want to make sure that we understand that these components together work in an effort to produce electrical current to supply to the iPod.

iPods require electrical power in order to function. iPods’ draw electrical current on demand from your iPod battery. However your iPod battery is not a storage house of electrical energy but instead your iPod battery is your iPod’s internal electrical “factory” that creates electrical energy through a process known as an electrochemical energy conversion and subsequently your iPod battery delivers electrical current to your iPod. The electrochemical energy conversion is a process of replenishing of electrons and it is this electron replenishment that causes the chemical conversion to take place and create the electrical energy byproduct. To understand electrochemical conversion let’s see how electricity is created in the first place.

Electricity is a property of subatomic particles which couples to electromagnetic fields and causes attractive and repulsive forces between them. This repulsive force between the subatomic particles creates an electric current; the flow of electric charge transports energy from one atom to another. Electrical current is measured in amperes, where 1 ampere is the flow of 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second!

Inside your iPod battery engineers have designed a constant state of disequilibrium, which cause a continuous flow of electrons. When electrons move between the atoms (atoms are made up of particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons) a current or flow of electricity is created. But how is this current of electricity created to begin with? This comes back to our electrochemical conversion. In order to create electrical energy (or a constant state of disequilibrium, which cause a continuous flow of electrons) there must be an electrochemical system which includes the electrodes and the electrolyte housed within your battery. Electrons flow from one electrode to another and the electron flow is conducted by an electrolyte. In ipod batteries for example an electrochemical system can be comprised of the electrodes consisting of Carbon/Graphite for the negative electrode and Lithium cobaltite for the positive electrode. Between these electrodes is an electrolye which can be a highly conductive solution consisting of lithium hexafluorophosphate. The electrolyte solution is a chemical compound that when dissolved in a solvent (i.e. water) forms a solution that becomes an ionic conductor of electricity. Hence the electrochemical conversion!

Once the electrochemical conversion begins then the balance of the ipod battery’s specialized hardware components I mentioned above can be put to work transferring and monitoring the iPod battery and the iPod – all for the sole purpose of delivering power to your iPod.

Until next time, Dan Hagopian - www.batteryship.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

What is Inside My iPod Battery?

The iPod is the fastest selling music player, selling over 100,000,000 iPods in the last 5 years! In fact just in the last 3 months of 2006 Apple sold 21 million iPod players. So it is no real surprise that 48% Apple’s $7.1 billion in revenue is comprised of iPod sales. Wow quite an accomplishment!

There is downside to this and that is the 100 million people who bought an iPod will at one point or another need to have their iPod battery replaced. The good news about replacing your iPod battery is that iPod battery replacements can be done relatively easily and cost right around $10. iPod battery replacements kits come with tools and you can find your iPod’s battery online or at retailer’s like www.Batteryship.com.

However since so many people have purchased an iPod and since the demand for iPod batteries is quite high it is my curiosity to take a quick peek inside the iPod battery to find out what inside makes it work!

All iPod Batteries will ultimately fail, stop working, and cease to operate, and or otherwise end their useful life. It is the nature of the ipod battery’s design. iPod battery’s are designed to power iPods for a specific amount of time and are also designed with a certain number of battery charge cycles before the battery will not hold enough charge to power your iPod.

But let’s take a step back for just a moment and look at how iPod batteries work and why? First of all iPod batteries are in effect a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. iPod batteries have two electrodes, an anode and a cathode and running in between the two nodes runs an electrical current caused primarily from a voltage differential between the anode and cathode. The voltage runs through a chemical called an electrolyte (which can be either liquid or solid).

The most common cause of battery failure is not really a battery failure but normal internal battery wear or use. This is technically classified as declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and or premature voltage cut-off on discharge. Of these normal battery wear and tear factors the most common is declining capaicty caused by the creation and transfer of chemical energy into electrical energy.

The chemical used to create electrical energy is lithium polymer. Lithium polymer is used as a battery anode material in dry cells and storage batteries. In fact the energy of some lithium-based cells can be five times greater than an equivalent-sized lead-acid cell and three times greater than alkaline batteries. Lithium cells often have a starting voltage of 3.0 V. This means that batteries can be lighter in weight, have lower per-use costs, and have higher and more stable voltage profiles. Some specific benefits of the lithium polymer chemical includes:

• Lithium polymer chemistry uses a plastic-like electrolyte film that does not conduct electricity but allows ion exchange - electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms.
• The dry polymer design offers simplifications with respect to fabrication, ruggedness, safety and thin-profile geometry.
• Cell thickness measures as little as one millimeter (0.039 inches).
• Can be formed and shaped in any way imagined.
• Lithium polymer offers a safer design – it is more resistant to overcharge; and is less prone to electrolyte leakage.

In addition to the iPod battery’s cell chemistry there are other specific hardware components that makeup the iPod battery and that together, working in concert with the battery cell that allow the iPod battery to push electrical current to your iPod.  These specialized hardware components include:

• the iPod battery connector
• the iPod battery fuse
• the iPod battery charge and discharge FETs
• the iPod battery cell pack
• the iPod battery sense resistor
• the iPod battery primary and secondary protection ICs
• the iPod battery fuel-gauge IC
• the iPod battery thermistor
• the iPod battery pc board

Until next time, Dan Hagopian - www.batteryship.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

iPod Battery Capacity

In my last article about the 24 Hour iPod Battery we discussed the true capability of such an iPod battery. Now however, I wanted to speak directly about the primary limitations of current battery technology that makes it difficult to truly get an iPod battery to last 24 hours given the multifaceted demands of consumers. Question: can an iPod battery power your iPod with 24 hours of music playback, a bright screen, cycling through your music files while all the while you are connecting external devices to your iPod? I do not believe so and the testimonies of thousands of iPod users support my belief. Now we must question why?

The reason why an ipod battery may not perform as specified when your average consumer is using thier iPod is due to the limitations of the iPod batteries themselves, specifically the limitation of capacity. All iPod batteries including the (iPod 3rd Gen Battery, iPod Mini Battery, iPod Nano, Battery, iPod Video Battery, iPod Photo Battery, iPod 4th Gen Battery, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Classic Battery) have all been specifically designed for a battery rating that will perform a single function – to power their intended iPod Player. Battery Ratings will look very similar to:

IPOD MINI BATTERY
PART # EC003
3.7 VOLTS
550 mAh

The battery rating number that defines battery capacity in the example above is the 550 mAh (milli Amp hours). To understand, battery capacities, then we need to follow some basic electronic formulas. First however let’s define battery capacity as a reference to the total amount of energy stored within a battery. As I alluded to above battery capacity is rated in Ampere-hours (Ah).

Amp hours - or Ah - measures capacity. That is what we want to know about iPod Batteries - how long can it deliver a certain amount of charge before it runs out. As with all metric measurements, Amps can be divided into smaller (or larger) units by adding a prefix.

In the case of our example above a milliAmp hour (mAh) is most commonly used on iPod battery specs. Note that 1000 mAh is the same a 1 Ah. (Just as 1000mm equals 1 meter.) iPod batteries with a 1 Amp hour rating could deliver ½ Amp of current for 2 hours, or they could provide 2 Amps of current for ½ hour.

Ampere-hours (Ah) are the product of: Ah= Current X Hours to Total Discharge

The capacity is normally tested or compared with a time of 20 hours and at a temperature of 68F (20C).

Five Factors that Govern iPod Battery Capacity

Physical Size - the amount of capacity that can be stored in the casing of any battery depends on the volume and plate area of the actual battery. The more volume and plate area the more capacity you can actually store in a battery.

Temperature - capacity, energy store decreases as a battery gets colder. High temperatures also have an effect on all other aspects of your battery.

Cut off Voltage - To prevent damage to the battery and the device batteries have an internal mechanism that stops voltage called the cut-off voltage, which is tpically limited to 1.67V or 10V for a 12 Volt battery. Letting a battery self-discharge to zero destroys the battery.

Discharge rate - The rate of discharge, the rate at which a battery goes from a full charge to the cut off voltage measured in amperes. As the rate goes up, the capacity goes down.

Battery History - Deep discharging, excessive cycling, age, over charging, under charging, all reduce capacity. Note charging your battery 1 time will reduce capacity as much as 15%-20% depending on your battery's chemistry.

Until next time, Dan Hagopian www.batteryship.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

The 24 Hour iPod Battery

The 24 hour iPod Battery: Fact or Fiction? It would be great if our iPods could play non-stop for 24 hours but is it really possible that such a battery exists? Apple has just introduced the completely remastered iPod Nano. The new Nano is more of the same with the exception of its new ability to hold up to 2,000 songs and can come to you in 5 new colors.

Apple’s marketing spin touts that the remastered iPod Nano, with its new anodized aluminum enclosure and rounded edges, makes the iPod nano look as dazzling as it feels. Apple says the new iPod Nano is sleeker than ever—3.5 inches tall, 1.6 inches wide, and just over quarter of an inch thin. Plus with the iPod Nano’s brighter color screen, album art & photos gain even more brilliance thanks to a 1.5-inch color display that's 40% brighter than before. The new iPod Nano’s can come in silver, green, pink, blue, and black.

Apple also announced new movie downloads from their iTune service. You can buy and download movies starting at $10.00.  The final announcement from Apple is that they unveiled a new 80 Gb iPod Video player.

All of these new announcements would be great if they were coupled with a practical 24 hour battery life for watching those movies and listening to those iTunes and MP3 files! The reality is contrary to that! For example:

The ipod battery life of an ipod classic with a 2200 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 20 hours, or 79% longer than the original ipod classic battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod 3rd gen with a 850 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 13 hours or 35% longer than the original ipod 3rd gen battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod 4th gen with a 830 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 12 hours or 32% longer than the original ipod 4th gen battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod mini with a 500 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 6 hours or 25% longer than the original ipod mini battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod photo with a 900 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 14 hours or 29% longer than the original ipod photo battery.

When considering battery life claims remember to consider just like Apple’s legal team is careful to stipulate that the real nature of iPod Batteries is that the iPod battery can power iPods “Up to” the indicated times with music playback only. Also like Apple’s legal stipulations “Rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced and that battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings.”

The legal stipulation that Apple makes clear can be broken down as follows:

First, rechargeable iPod batteries once their useful life is complete will stop working. This is no surprise since a battery is a device that stores chemical energy and through an electrochemical process (electromotive force) converts the stored chemical energy into electric energy via a direct current. The chemical conversion is a process of chemical change created by adding or losing chemical substances (electrons, oxygen, lithium etc.) inside the battery and used by a connecting iPod. As the chemical conversion begins a reaction produces an electron flow. Once the chemical is activated oxidation and reduction occurs and the flow of electrons takes place, thereby creating a direct electrical current. Considering that electrons flow 62 quintillion per second (62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons per second) then it takes only a very small moment for power to be created and here is the kicker – the only way to stop is to let the chemical exhaust itself! The chemical inside the iPod battery can be activated  by placing a load on the battery (i.e. by connecting your battery to a device regardless if the device is turned on).  Once the load is placed on the iPod battery electrons collect on the negative electrode, when an electrolyte separates and conducts electrons between the negative electrode and the positive electrode. This flow creates a current. The electron current, or electricity, can then be directed to an iPod and used as a power stream. Once electrical current is established then the only way to stop it is to let the chemical degrade to the point where the capacity is almost non-existent. This is called battery degradation and begins once the chemistry has been activated. Battery degradation is the normal wear and tear effect of battery usage and its inevitable effects are declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge.

Second, iPod Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. What this means is that Apple designed the iPod battery to power an iPod under specific conditions (i.e. controlled test conditions). From those tests Apple made their claim about the iPod battery life span. There is nothing wrong with this whatsoever; however what is critical to remember is that consumers don't live in a controlled test environment. Having worked with hundreds of thousands of battery users I can tell you confidently that every user of rechargeable battery devise (i.e. iPods, PDAs, Laptops, DVD Players, Cameras, Cellphones) user their device slightly different. These differences impact how long or how little your rechargeable battery will last. This is a fact. You can test this yourself by using your iPod battery in different tests and time each test to see how long your battery will last. It will be different each time.

But regarding Apple’s iPod battery life claim the key phrase to remember is "up to". So even if the battery lasts an hour Apple is legally covered!

For example Apple claims that the 30GB iPod Video will play music for 14 hours, photo and music slideshows for 3 hours, and iPod on-screen video for 2 hours. In a iLounge test they found that the new iPod Video played music for 15 hours and 30 minutes, photo slideshows for 2 hours and 32 minutes, on-iPod video for 2 hours and 10 minutes, and iPod-to-TV video for 3 hours and 10 minutes.

Apple also claims that the new 60GB iPod will play music for 20 hours, photo and music slideshows for 4 hours, and video for 3 hours. Again in In a iLounge test they found that the new iPod Video played music for 19 hours, 50 minutes, but exceeded Apple’s photo and video claims, playing a music photo slideshow for 4 hours, 47 minutes, iPod-screen video for 3 hours, 23 minutes, and on-TV video for a hefty 5 hours and 24 minutes.

But again everyone may experience slightly different battery life play times. For example here is a situation from a user quoted from the Apple fourms:

"It is clear that when you use the click wheel a lot, you assume that your battery life gets smaller quickly. I had a problem with my ipod 5G 30Gb battery life : Firstly, I charged it (as soon as i received it) until the plug icon appeared on the screen (1h 30mn) . Then I listened music 'til it was fully discharged. The battery life was approximately 8hrs. Then, this battery life decreased to 5hrs last day. I called Applecare ; the guy told me to restore my ipod, then to let it discharge fully, and to refill it for 4 hrs even if the plug icon appear on the ipod screen. After that, I synchronized ipod to itunes and let it play all night long to see the battery life now. It played music with default settings during 15hrs 'til it shut down. These are the Apple specifications for that ipod. My problem wasn't the battery, but the battery life calibration, which has not been done as it should."

The reality is all batteries including batteries designed specifically for iPods (regardless of generation) have a certain amount of capacity and once the full amount of the capacity has been used then your battery will stop working. This is the normal function of battery design.

In fact consider this taken from Apple iPod Warranty Care: "Your one year warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery. You can extend your coverage to two years with AppleCare Protection Plan. During the second year, Apple will replace the battery if it drops below 50% of its original capacity. If it is out of warranty, Apple offers a battery replacement for $59, plus $6.95 shipping. Apple disposes your battery in an environmentally-friendly manner." So basically Apple is correctly telling you that your battery will die with time and use. No questions about that; and that Apple is telling you that your battery replacement plan will cost you a total of $59, plus $6.95 shipping. Folks: iPod batteries can be bought for $9.99 depending on your iPod model.

The admittance by Apple that your ipod battery will eventually die is based on real limitations of the battery's internal design specifically the iPod battery’s capacity.

Until next time - Dan Hagopian, www.batteryship.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

Batteries That Overheat Stop Working

I had an interesting conversation with a customer this morning and the customer’s scenario went like this: A customer with a 4G iPod states that his iPod overheats and his battery is completely drained when attached to his computer's USB’s port. In addition his backlight does not work unless connected to AC power.

We discussed software settings: iPod has backlighting, so you can see the display in low light. This will help save your battery power so your battery will last longer. You can configure the iPod so the backlight turns on for a set amount of time when you press a button or move the scroll wheel. See your manual for specific instructions, but in short you can have backlight always on or have it off after a period of time between 2 and 20 seconds.

There is also a condition with iPod’s called the “Black Screen of Death” (iPod users have named this condition not I) where an iPod's screen gets dark after a few minutes of operation and the back of the iPod gets hot hot. It is a condition where the iPod itself is defective.

But what to me is interesting is that the iPod was only getting hot when connected to a USB port. It reminds of the worst possible condition of lithium ion or lithium polymer.

The worst condition is keeping a fully charged battery at elevated temperatures, which is the case when running a battery powered device on AC power for extended periods of time.  If used on main power, the battery inside a device will only last for 12-18 months. Also the battery will not all of sudden stop working but over time gradually lose the capacity to power your device little by little.

This raises the question then; should a battery pack be removed when the device is running on main AC power? Considering the fact that a fully charged battery operates at an internal temperature of 113°F and then keeping a battery in the device and keeping it fully charged will create a constant state of elevated internal temperature and ultimately cause a decline in battery capacity over time.

Removing the battery in a device then will protect the internal circuitry from maintaining a high internal temperature. It is interesting how Apple warns against the iPod battery from being operated at high temperatures over 95°F. It seems then that a prolonged USB connection to an iPod will indeed cause a battery to decline gradually since the battery can be charged via a USB connection. Obviously the longer the prolonged connection then the faster the battery capacity decline!

But since removing an iPod battery is not the easiest thing to do use the USB connection in temporary states and you will avoid most overheating issues with your iPod battery and help prolong its life.

Until next time Dan Hagopian www.batteryship.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

My iPod Displays an Exclamation Point and Folder Icon?

The battery charge may be low. If you just received a new battery then you will need to charge it for at least 3 hours. Charge the battery via an adapter and wall outlet for best results (charging via a usb/firewire cable can pose many other issues). Also the iPod may display a lighting bolt icon or charging animation which means that your iPod is receiving a charge. FYI: iPod's battery works best at room temperature. (between 32° to 95° F). A low battery icon will appear if you have left your iPod iPod in the cold or in the sun on a very hot day. Never leave your iPod in a vehicle's interior when parked in the sun. Do not expose your iPod to direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Do not take your iPod into a sauna or steamroom and never submerge your iPod in water.

If the Exclamation Point and Folder Icon appears and it is not a battery charging issue then it could mean that your iPod is “locked up”. A lockd iPod (frozen iPod or won't turn on iPod) may be caused by the iPod being paused or the Hold switch is in the locked position. If so, a lock symbol may appear on the screen. Slide the Hold switch to the unlocked position and check the screen. After that reset your iPod. Even if the Hold switch is already in the unlocked position, I would toggle it so it's locked and back again to eliminate problems that are easy to fix.

Some iPod models require a specific or later version of iPod software and if these iPods do not have this required software then the exclamation point and or folder icon may appear. This can happen if the iPod was partitioned or reformatted using an incompatible format. To fix the problem restore the iPod using the iPod Updater application. If the iPod Updater doesn't recognize the iPod, try forcing the iPod into disk mode and then try the restore process again.

Until next time - Dan Hagopian BatteryShip.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

How Long Will My iPod Play

All these ipod batteries listed below can be found at BatteryShip.com. One word about these play times and that is the playtimes listed are dependent on how each consumer uses their iPod. Yes the use of accessories and iPod settings do effect these playtimes. However the playtimes listed below are a general guide.

The ipod battery life of an ipod classic with a 2200 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 20 hours, or 79% longer than the original ipod classic battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod 3rd gen with a 850 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 13 hours or 35% longer than the original ipod 3rd gen battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod 4th gen with a 830 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 12 hours or 32% longer than the original ipod 4th gen battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod mini with a 500 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 6 hours or 25% longer than the original ipod mini battery.

The ipod battery life of an ipod photo with a 900 mAh, measured in hours is UP TO 14 hours or 29% longer than the original ipod photo battery.

Until next time - Dan Hagopian, BatteryShip.com

iPod Battery Diagnostics

Your iPod battery should last between 12 months and 36 months. This broad range exists because every person uses their iPod battery differently. Some use their ipod battery 10 hours per day 365 day a year and some use their ipod battery a couple of hours a week.

If your iPod battery needs a replacement then you have a simple option. Buy an ipod battery.

However there are a couple of easy diagnostics you can do on your own before spending under $20 for an ipod battery.

Is it really the iPod battery (or the iPod meter)? 

If you spend anytime in the Apple forums you will come across a common complaint that goes something like: ‘I charged my iPod for more than four hours and then when I turn it on, the battery meter says it only has about 25% (or less) charge. So I plugged it back in to charge overnight and it still says very little charge.’

The good news is is that your iPod is probably fine, fully charged, and ready to play for many uninterrupted hours. How is this possible when the ipod battery meter reads as if there is no battery charge whatsoever? Because the battery meter only approximates when you should recharge your ipod battery!

Some ipod battery meters will read empty but after about 20 minutes of use fills in the black bars to read more like the real capacity of the battery.

Since the meter is an approximation to indicate a need to recharge why then is my ipod powering down? If your battery is truly dead then buy another one and replace it yourself. If your battery is not dead then recalibrate the ipod battery meter. To re-calibrate, run the iPod until it shuts down. Recharge fully, using the AC power (mains) adapter, not a USB or Firewire port. Do not recharge until the iPod shuts down due to low battery again. This does not mean you have to leave it running for hours; use it normally, but hold off on any "top-off" recharges.

If recalibrating does not solve your problem, try resetting your iPod (method varies by model) and/or restoring it (be sure you have all of your music on your computer before doing this). Then repeat the full cycle of discharge and recharge.

iPod Battery Cycles

As preventive maintenance for your meter and battery, be sure your iPod gets about one full cycle per month. A battery recharge cycle is defined as one full charge all the way to maximum battery capacity followed by a complete discharge to the automatic shutdown point.

iPod batteries with a chemistry make-up of lithium ion or lithium polymer have the ability cycle 300-500 times on average. This means that you can cycle your battery 300-500 times on average before you must buy a new one.

Overnight Rundown

If you bought an ipod replacement battery and find that it seems to be losing its charge (running down) overnight don’t assume you have a bad battery. First check the alarm clock. Is it off or on? Keep it off overnight! Check the date and time – is it accurate or mysteriously off (indication that the iPod reset itself or the CPU entered into some type of loop and crashed and kept using power) – nothing to do with a defective battery.

Yes that is right the iPod CPU like any CPU on any computer can crash. When your iPod CPU crashes it goes into an endless loop and drains the battery a lot faster than when it is in normal or deep sleep. If this happens reset your iPod. What causes the crashes? Not precisely sure (corrupted software, corrupted song files, or something else beyond the battery). Again if this happens try and reset your iPod.

Another option is to delete the corrupted file (if you know which one it is) from your iPod and Library. If you do not know which file is corrupt then wipe the iPod hard drive clean of all files and begin from the beginning.

If it's frozen and the ipod battery seems to be dead force a reboot by letting your iPod battery drain entirely (a 24+ hour process), you need to let it run all the way down to force a reboot.

Until next time - Dan Hagopian, BatteryShip.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

iPod Battery Charging Tips

In order to get the best use out of your ipod battery it is well advised to fully charge it (called conditioning your ipod battery) prior to first using your ipod battery.

By the way there is no way that charging your battery for a super long time will add more amps to your ipod battery. That is silly. Volts and amps are set designs from the battery manufacturer.

The iPod stops charging once the battery is full. Never run your iPod battery all the way down actually the ipod will shut down before it happens. Also don’t leave your ipod battery uncharged for days on end as you could shorten your iPod battery life.

For best ipod battery life results, try not to use computer ports to charge your iPod – there may be a charging icon displayed but might not be adding much juice to your ipod battery.

iPod's have built-in, rechargeable lithium-ion and or lithium polymer batteries. To see what they look visit BatteryShip.com.

It takes about 4 hours to fully charge an ipod battery. You can fast-charge the battery to 80 percent capacity in 1 hour (2 hours for iPod (Click Wheel)). Charging the battery may take longer if you're using iPod as it charges.

The best way to charge your iPod is to use your iPod power adapter.

There is no need to "prime" your iPod battery. Just charge it until your battery indicator reads full.

You don't need to empty (completely drain) the battery before charging it. Lithium-based batteries, do not have a memory loss, as seen in nickel-based rechargeable batteries.

Your ipod battery stops charging when it's full. Leaving it connected won't charge it any more or add more power to it. And yes you can leave it It's perfectly fine to leave it connected so it can charge overnight.

The nice thing about lithium based batteries is that you can charge them whenever it's convenient. So charge your ipod when it suits you, you won't hurt it.

Your ipod battery will maintain a charge for about 1 month without being used. After a month of non-operation you may find that the battery will not be at it full capacity. Why because even when your ipod is not in use the ipod uses a very small amount of battery power to maintain the integrity of the overall system.

Regarding your ipod battery indicator, understand that the indicator is a mere approximation of power available.

All rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge cycles and will eventually need to be replaced. iPod battery life will vary

Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. As with other rechargeable batteries, you may eventually need to replace your battery. Lithium based batteries can be charged a finite number of times, as defined by charge cycle. A charge cycle means using all of the battery's power, but that doesn't necessarily mean using it during a single charge. Here is an example of 1 charge cycle: you listen to your iPod for a few hours one day, using half its power, and then recharge it fully. If you did the same thing the next day, it would count as one charge cycle, not two, so you may take several days to complete a cycle. Every time you cycle your battery you will diminish the battery's capacity. Battery cycles on lithium based batteries will range from 300-500 cycles. So you will get quite abit of use out of your ipod battery before you have to buy a new one.

Until next time - Dan Hagopian, BatteryShip.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.

How to Fix Your iPod 5 Easy Repairs

If your iPod is not performing then you can perform 5 simple repair steps to get your iPod up and running. Remember that your iPod is a computer and computers do act up from time to time and no it is not always your ipod battery.

To repair your iPod follow the Five Rs:

1. Reset Your iPod.
2. Retry your iPod.
3. Restart your computer.
4. Reinstall your iPod software (using iPod updater).
5. Restore your iPod.

Resetting your iPod varys slightly on iPods but for the following iPods:

iPod mini
iPod mini (Second Generation)
iPod with color display (iPod photo)
iPod (Click Wheel)
iPod nano
Fifth Generation iPod (also known as iPod with video)

Then toggle the Hold switch on and off. (Slide it to Hold, then turn it off again.) Press and hold the Menu and Select buttons until the Apple logo appears, about 6 to 10 seconds. You may need to repeat this step.

If you are having difficulty resetting your iPod, set it on a flat surface. Make sure your finger that is pressing the Select button is not touching any part of the click wheel. Also make sure that you are pressing the Menu button toward the outside of the click wheel, and not near the center.

If the above steps did not work, try connecting your iPod to a power adapter and plug the power adapter into an electrical outlet, or connect your iPod to your computer. Make sure the computer is turned on and isn't set to go to sleep.

Retry your iPod with a different USB or FireWire port on your computer (the latest iPods can only be synced through USB).

Restart your computer, and make sure that you have the latest software updates installed.

Reinstall your iPod and iTunes software. You can download the latest versions of ipod updater and iTunes from their respective websites.

Restoring your iPod with the latest iPod Updater will erase all songs and files on your iPod and restore it back to its original settings. After restoring your iPod, you can transfer your music and files from your computer back to your iPod again.

Until next time - Dan Hagopian, BatteryShip.com
Copyright © BatteryEducation.com. All rights reserved.