{"id":3656,"date":"2019-10-29T07:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T11:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=3656"},"modified":"2019-10-29T08:08:53","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T12:08:53","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-for-a-li-ion-battery-to-degrade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/10\/29\/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-li-ion-battery-to-degrade\/","title":{"rendered":"“How long does it take for a Li-ion battery to degrade?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(Answer requested by Jake Timchak)<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degrade by how much? Lithium-ion batteries are \u201cconsumables\u201d that inevitably get used up, even just sitting on the shelf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li-ion batteries actually start degrading (very slowly) the moment they\u2019re assembled at the factory. Each discharge\/recharge cycle then accelerates the irreversible chemical changes in the battery, ever-so-slightly reducing the battery\u2019s capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How slightly? If you follow recommended 80\/20 practice as much as possible \u2014 try to recharge when the battery\u2019s no lower than around 20%, and stop charging no higher than around 80% \u2014 a Li-ion battery in daily smartphone or PC use can lose less than 10% of its capacity per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But hard use \u2014 full charge\/discharge cycles, constant use of \u201cfast\u201d and wireless chargers, etc \u2014 increase wear significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t have the reference at hand right now, but I believe the rule of thumb that manufacturers use for warranty claims is that “normal wear” allows a battery to lose about 20% capacity a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two years of 20% losses mean that the battery would only have 64% of its original capacity; three years in, it\u2019d have just 51%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, it matters a lot<\/em><\/strong> how you treat your Li-ion batteries, especially if you keep your devices for more than a year or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All batteries will inevitably degrade, but you<\/strong><\/em> can control how quickly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Permalink: https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=3656<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"[seperator]\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

COMMENT \/ QUESTION<\/strong> on THIS ITEM?<\/strong> See the<\/em> Comment box<\/strong> at bottom of this page!<\/em>

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(Want free notification of new content? Click<\/em> <\/strong>here<\/a><\/b>!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Answer requested by Jake Timchak) Degrade by how much? Lithium-ion batteries are \u201cconsumables\u201d that inevitably get used up, even just sitting on the shelf. Li-ion batteries actually start degrading (very slowly) the moment they\u2019re assembled at the factory. Each discharge\/recharge cycle then accelerates the irreversible chemical changes in the battery, ever-so-slightly reducing the battery\u2019s capacity….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7,30,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-reader-asks","category-hardware","category-smartphones"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paaiox-WY","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2505,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/04\/08\/how-to-make-lithium-ion-batteries-last-for-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":3656,"position":0},"title":"How to make lithium-ion batteries last for years","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-04-08","format":false,"excerpt":"The older column reprinted below was originally published in the August 13, 2015 , Windows Secrets newsletter. This older content supplements brand-new content posted today (April 8, 2019) in the AskWoody Plus newsletter, available here. An upcoming column will update and refine the information below. (I\u2019m reprinting selected Windows Secrets\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AskWoody Plus"","block_context":{"text":"AskWoody Plus","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/askwoody-plus\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/W20150813-TS-BatteryFromTop.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3551,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/10\/08\/is-there-any-way-to-revive-an-over-discharged-li-ion-18650-battery\/","url_meta":{"origin":3656,"position":1},"title":"“Is there any way to revive an over-discharged Li-Ion 18650 battery?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-10-08","format":false,"excerpt":"Not a good idea. The protective circuitry (in the Li-ion battery or in the device that the battery powers) is designed to prevent dangerous over- and undercharging, which can cause the battery to overheat and catch fire. (Remember all those hoverboard fires a couple years ago? That's what you get\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/18650-batteries.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5057,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/05\/21\/what-will-happen-if-i-dont-replace-immediately-a-swollen-lithium-ion-battery\/","url_meta":{"origin":3656,"position":2},"title":"“What will happen if I don’t replace immediately a swollen lithium ion battery?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-05-21","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Arnielyn Arellano) When a Li-ion battery bulges, it usually means a near-failure generated toxic, flammable gases. Your battery's case did its job --- it contained the gases so far --- but at very high internal pressure (hence the swelling). In other words, your battery\u2019s near-failure has turned\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/0nrsoMsEMNU\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5117,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/06\/02\/why-does-a-device-with-no-battery-have-enough-battery-to-show-me-there-is-no-battery-yet-does-not-let-me-do-what-i-want-to\/","url_meta":{"origin":3656,"position":3},"title":"“Why does a device with no battery have enough battery to show me there is no battery, yet does not let me do what I want to?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-06-02","format":false,"excerpt":"(Questioner requested anonymity) On Li-ion consumer devices, \"0% battery\u201d doesn't mean \u201cno energy\u201d but rather \u201cno energy available for anything except to wait for the next recharge.\u201d That's because Li-ion batteries require careful regulation of volts, amps, and temperature. The charging circuits need to save the last few percent of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/low-battery-indicator-stylized-rf-e1590776520349.jpg?fit=350%2C290&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1599,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/01\/12\/a-reader-asks-can-you-take-your-electric-assisted-bicycle-with-you-on-a-train-or-a-plane-in-the-united-states\/","url_meta":{"origin":3656,"position":4},"title":"A reader asks: “Can you take your electric assisted bicycle with you on a train or a plane in the United States?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-01-12","format":false,"excerpt":"If you can remove the batteries, then an e-bike is just like any other bike, and is subject to the same rules. A battery-less, totally inert e-bike can be shipped by almost any means. Li-ion batteries, if damaged or defective, can cause a very serious, very energetic chemical fire. That's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3759,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2019\/11\/19\/what-is-the-best-way-to-store-a-2000mah-cell-phone-battery-for-1-to-2-years-charged-or-as-it-is-packed\/","url_meta":{"origin":3656,"position":5},"title":"“What is the best way to store a 2000mAh cell phone battery for 1 to 2 years, charged or as it is packed?”","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2019-11-19","format":false,"excerpt":"(Answer requested by Md-Abdur-Rahim) Store it the same way it probably arrived from the factory: with about a 30%-40% charge, which is the \"sweet-spot\" for long-term storage with minimal self-discharge for LI-ion batteries. Once charged to around 40%, carefully pack the battery in nonconductive material (e.g. a cardboard box), and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "A reader asks..."","block_context":{"text":"A reader asks...","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/a-reader-asks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3656"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3685,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3656\/revisions\/3685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}