Author: BatteryEducation

What Causes Batteries to Fail?

Why do batteries fail? Can there be such a thing as a bad battery? How do I know if my battery is bad? The most effective means of understanding the status of a battery is to test the battery using a battery analyzer. However as this may not be readily available for you let’s examine some of the possibilities that could cause a battery to “fail” and also understand some things you can do to help isolate if a battery is indeed bad.

First of all batteries with different cell chemistries or constructions may fail in different ways. For example:

• Batteries can have faulty cell design
• Batteries can be manufactured under uncontrolled processes
• Batteries can be operated in uncontrolled conditions
• Batteries can be abused
• Batteries can degrade and lose power

Battery Cell Design Faults – include weak mechanical design, inadequate pressure seals and vents, the specification of poor quality materials and improperly specified tolerances can be responsible for many potential failures.

Uncontrolled Manufacturing Processes include – badly run production facilities which lead to cell short circuits, leaks, unreliable connections, sealing quality, mechanical weakness, and contamination. An example of a manufacturing process out of control is variable coating thicknesses of the active chemicals on the electrodes would affect cell capacity, impedance and self discharge.

Uncontrolled Operating Conditions – perfectly good batteries fail when you use operate them in conditions where they shouldn’t be like: using the battery in a device that it was not specifically designed for, charging the battery with an incorrect adapter/charger, extreme environmental conditions (most handheld consumer batteries operate best when ambient temperatures are between 32°F-95°F), and physical damage.

Abuse – Abuse means deliberate physical abuse by the end user as well as accidental abuse which may be unavoidable. This may include dropping, crushing, penetrating, impacts, immersion in fluids, freezing or contact with fire.

Battery Degradation and Power Loss – A battery over time degrades and eventually stops working, this is no surprise, but why this occurs is really a fascinating yet technical process. These reasons are complex issues that are way beyond user control and are wholly contained within your battery and within your device! These reasons for battery degradation and power loss over time is due to declining capacity, increasing internal resistance, elevated self-discharge, and premature voltage cut-off on discharge. For a more detailed analysis of battery degradation and power loss please visits this special report on Battery Degradation and Power Loss.

Until next time Dan Hagopian, 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.

Memory Effect – Digital Camera Battery

Memory Effect is the common term people use when there is a "'Voltage Depression" problem with a battery. Voltage Depression does not necessarily cause permanent damage to a your battery. It is more of a nuisance with the incorrect charging of your battery and can most likely be corrected by fully charging and discharging the battery.

Voltage Depression (the common Memory Effect) is often “incorrectly” used to explain low battery capacity. In actuality the so called memory effect should reference inadequate charging, overcharge, or exposure to high temperatures.

Voltage Depression occurs primarily in NiCad batteries. NiMH batteries are almost never affected and Li-Ion batteries are NEVER affected.

Maximize the use of your rechargeable batteries by:

  • Buy a good charger. NiMH batteries should not be charged in a NiCad charger, unless the charger is specifically made for both chemistries. Chargers with micro-controller chips are usually the best choice.
  • Occasionally discharge your batteries fully before recharging them. This is especially helpful to NiCad batteries. Some chargers have a conditioner that will actually cycle the battery for you.
  • Do not leave your batteries in a hot car, or in humid conditions. The best storage conditions are a cool, dry place. The refrigerator is fine if you stick in a packet of silica gel with your batteries in a sealed bag to keep them dry.

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

How Long Will My Battery Last?

Battery life depends on many factors:

  • the battery chemistry
  • the quantity and quality of the load on the battery
  • the number of recharge cycles
  • the length of non-use
  • the age of the battery
  • the internal design of the battery
  • the usage

These are some of the basic factors that will dictate how long your battery will last. Personally I have seen some battery's capacity (ability to power a device) last for 36 months whereas other battery's last only 8 months. Road warriors (people who use their battery power 3-4 hours per day – or more – will generally use the useful life of their battery a lot quicker than those people who use their battery power about 10-15 minutes per day.

One thing for sure every battery will die. Battery Replacements however are easy to find however.

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

Hard Reset or Soft Reset On Your iPAQ

There are two types of iPAQ Resets you can do: a soft reset and a hard reset. Many times a either a soft or hard reset is necessary after installing new hardware like a battery.

A soft reset stops all open programs and "reboots" your iPAQ. When the iPAQ powers back up, you'll start with all programs closed and the unit will be ready to use. The soft reset is intended to reset the iPAQ if it is malfunctioning or has become bogged down. A reset could also be necessary after some software is installed.

A soft reset are similar on all iPAQ models but there are definite differences from model to model. For example on the iPAQ 1900 Series Pocket PCs you can perfom a soft reset by pressing the tiny recessed button on the left-hand side of the unit. There is a reset nib in the stylus that can be found by unscrewing its top.

A hard reset on the other hand wipes the RAM and returns the iPAQ to its factory specs. In effect, after the hard reset, the Pocket PC will be just as it was when you purchased it. All data entered, preferences set or software installed on the Pocket PC after purchase will be lost after a hard reset and will have to transferred or reinstalled via ActiveSync.

Hard resets are similar on all iPAQ models but there are definite differences from model to model. For example on the iPAQ 1900 Series Pocket PCs a hard reset can be performed by pressing and holding the power button at the top of the unit while simultaneously pressing and holding tiny recessed reset button on the left-hand side of the unit. Make sure that you press and hold the power button before pressing and holding the reset button. Keep both buttons pressed for several seconds until the screen fades. Turn the unit back on. The iPAQ will now be as it was when it left the factory and you can start fresh.

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

Battery Chemistry Types

Their exists today, for commercial consumption, 6 battery types. Their is considerable amount of work and investment dollars being poured into new fuel cell technology but as of today nothing is yet on the market. So of the battery types that are readily available they are as follows.

1. Nickel-cadmium batteries were first invented in 1899 and are a mature energy type with moderate energy density. Nickel-cadmium is used in batteries where long life, high discharge rate and extended temperature range is important. The main applications for nickel-cadium batteries are for two-way radios, biomedical equipment and power tools.

2. Nickel-metal-hydride batteries has a higher energy density compared to nickel-cadmium. Applications include mobile phones and laptop computers not much needs to be talked about here since nickel-metal hydride batteries are not too commonly used anymore for your portable consumer applications other than powertools to acheive higher battery capacities than NICD batteries.

3. Lead-acid batteries are the most economical portable power source for larger power applications where weight is of little concern. Lead-acid is the preferred choice for hospital equipment, wheelchairs, emergency lighting and UPS systems. The most common place where most of us find lead-acid batteries are in our personal vehicles. Automobiles, light trucks and vans almost always use a 12-volt, six cell, and negative grounded, lead acid automotive battery used to start gasoline or diesel engines. You will find lead-acid batteries in motorcycles, boats, snowmobiles, jet skis, farm tractors, lawn and garden tractors, SUVs, etc.

4. Lithium-ion batteries are widely used today since they offer significant benefits for portable consumers. Lithium is the lightest of all metals, it has the greatest electrochemical potential, and the largest energy density for its weight.The load characteristics of lithium are reasonably good in terms of discharge.The high cell voltage of 3.6 volts allows battery pack designs with only one cell versus three (less costly and compact). Lithium ion is a low maintenance battery with no memory and no scheduled cycling being required to prolong the battery’s life. And finally Lithium-ion cells cause little harm when disposed.

5. Lithium-ion-polymer batteries are very similar to lithium-ion, but with an even far more slimmer
geometry and simple packaging but of course with a higher cost per
watt/hours. Main applications are cell phones and PDAs. The lithium-polymer differentiates itself from the conventional battery in the type of electrolyte used (a plastic-like film that does not conduct electricity but allows ion exchange – electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms). The polymer electrolyte replaces the traditional porous separator, which is soaked with electrolyte. 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). Lithium polymer can be formed and shaped in any way imagined. Commercial lithium-polymer batteries are hybrid cells that contain gelled electrolyte to enhance conductivity. Gelled electrolyte added to the lithium-ion-polymer replaces the porous separator. The gelled electrolyte is simply added to enhance ion conductivity.
Capacity is slightly less than that of the standard lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion-polymer finds its market niche in wafer-thin geometries, such as PDA batteries. Lithium ion also offers improved safety – more resistant to overcharge; less chance for electrolyte leakage.

6. Reusable Alkaline – Its limited cycle life and low load current is compensated by long shelf life, making this battery ideal for portable entertainment devices and flashlights. Great batteries if you want to store on demand power for a emergencies.

Until next time – Dan Hagopian, BatteryShip.com

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.