iPod battery question

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Keeper of the Purple Twilight - 13 Mar 2005 08:32 GMT

Is it better for an iPod if I charge its battery whenever possible (I
use my iPod in my car, but I bring it into the house every night), or
should I let its charge run out completely before I charge it up again?
It's a brand new iPod photo, and I don't want its battery to get hosed
like my last iPod did.

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Garner Miller - 13 Mar 2005 16:29 GMT

> Is it better for an iPod if I charge its battery whenever possible (I
> use my iPod in my car, but I bring it into the house every night), or
> should I let its charge run out completely before I charge it up again?
> It's a brand new iPod photo, and I don't want its battery to get hosed
> like my last iPod did.

Deep-discharging a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery (which the
iPods use) will *shorten* their lifespan. It's better to do partial
discharges and recharges than to drain the battery all the way on a
regular basis.

There is no "memory effect" like older NiCad batteries had, where
partial discharges were to be avoided. Quite the opposite with the
lithium-based batteries.

An occasional full discharge isn't going to fry it, but it should be
avoided if possible to prolong the battery's life. Additional
information is here:

http://forums.ipodlounge.com/showthread.php?threadid=19556

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Garner R. Miller
Clifton Park, NY =USA=

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Garner Miller - 13 Mar 2005 16:50 GMT

> Deep-discharging a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery (which the
> iPods use) will *shorten* their lifespan.

I mean "its lifespan." I should know better than to post before the
coffee is absorbed.

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Garner R. Miller
Clifton Park, NY =USA=

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o-chan - 13 Mar 2005 21:50 GMT

>>Deep-discharging a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery (which the
>>iPods use) will *shorten* their lifespan.
>
> I mean "its lifespan." I should know better than to post before the
> coffee is absorbed.

OWC offers iPod batteries for $25-40 with a tool to install it, so I
wouldn't be too concerned about it.

That being said, the only really bad thing seems to be letting it
completely discharge and leaving it that way for months.

Check out this page: http://www.ipodbatteryfaq.com/

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Scott - 16 Mar 2005 22:08 GMT

>>>Deep-discharging a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery (which the
>>>iPods use) will *shorten* their lifespan.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>That being said, the only really bad thing seems to be letting it
>completely discharge and leaving it that way for months.

On the subject of iPod batteries...has anyone tried the portable
battery powered iPod chargers?

I'm looking at a couple models for sale on eBay. One uses four
'AA' batteries and the other uses a single 9 volt battery.

I will need something like this as I travel for a few weeks through
South America, where I won't have regular access to a plug-in
charger, or even electricity.

Thanks in advance.

- Scott Smith: scott@sludgereport.org
Sludge Report: http://www.sludgereport.org

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P M Evans - 16 Mar 2005 22:51 GMT

> On the subject of iPod batteries...has anyone tried the portable
> battery powered iPod chargers?
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> - Scott Smith: scott@sludgereport.org
> Sludge Report: http://www.sludgereport.org

I have the one that uses 4 AA batteries. I¹ve used it with my iPod mini
a few times now, and I¹m happy with it. I¹m using rechargeable NiMHs in
it and have taken the mini from half charge to full charge while
playing it, and the rechargeables are still good to go.

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Mac Forum / General / Hardware / March 2005

iPod battery question