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Gopher Wireless
When it comes to batteries it looks like we are at the same point we were 10 years
ago. Batteries don’t last longer than a few days. But to be fair to the battery
designers we have to admit that nowadays’ smartphones require much more
energy than phones 10 years ago. We can’t really compare them but what we can
do is use them with more care. Here are a few good tips how to go about it:
Break In New Batteries - New batteries come in an uncharged condition. To
break in a new battery, we suggest charging and then discharging the battery 2 to 4
times so they can reach their full, rated capacity. You can discharge most batteries
by unplugging the AC adapter and leaving them turned on until completely
discharged. Some phones have a desktop charger/conditioner which will speed up
the process.
Charging Your Battery - Never charge your battery for more than 14 hours. If you
are using a Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMh) or Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery, your
charging time should be less than 14 hours. Manufacturers’ manuals normally state
not to charge a battery for more than 24 hours, but if you leave it on the charger for
more than 14 hours you risk damaging the battery by overcharging.
Turn off your Bluetooth – I find Bluetooth to be the most power hungry
application; turn it off when you don’t use it.
No Signal? Turn it off. If you are out of your service area and are getting no
reception, turn your phone off. Phones work a lot harder when they have no
reception because they are trying to find a tower.
Disable sounds and vibrating alert – you don’t really need keypad tones to be
on, do you? What about vibrating? It is surely useful on the meetings or in a cinema
but most of time you’ll do just fine without it; I usually set up a vibrating profile to be
used in places like cinema or theatre and in all other profiles I have vibrating turned
off.
Brightness – lower the brightness of your screen; not too low, otherwise you’ll
destroy your vision.
Setting the Power saver time-out and the Light time-out to the low values will
help too (you’ll find them in the display settings).
If you are not using an application switch it off – you’ll get a list of all active
applications by long pressing the menu button; this is a general rule that can be
applied to any device.
Games – it’s fun to play games on your way to school but they are power-hungry
beasts; I can’t tell you not to play games but think about your battery when you are
playing.
Turn off your phone when you don’t use it – I know that for many of you this is
not an option and I’m not sure if turning it off and on is even good for your battery but
I heard this tip from so many people that I just had to mention it.
Eliminate Memory Effects - Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) batteries suffer from an
affliction known as the memory effect. The battery will only charge to the level of
which the battery was last discharged due to an accumulation of gas bubbles on the
cell plates. If a battery is discharged to 30% and then recharged, the battery will only
charge to 30% of its capacity and thus shrinking the battery’s "gas tank."
Burp Your Battery - The best way to eliminate memory and remove the
accumulated gas bubbles on the cell plates is to "burp", or condition it. This means
draining the battery until your portable phone shuts off, and then recharging it. Again,
the desktop charger/conditioner will speed up this process.
Exercise Your Battery - To increase the life of your batteries, don’t leave them
dormant for extended periods of time. Even if you use AC power most of the time,
use the battery periodically to keep it fresh and healthy. Unplug your AC adapter /
car charger when the phone is not in use.
Battery Storage - Store batteries in a cool, dry place away from heat and metal
objects. Batteries left idle for extended periods of time will self-discharge. Just
remember to charge them before use.
Battery Replacement - If your battery used to last 8 hours and now only lasts 2
hours, it could be memory effort or just time for a new battery. NiCad batteries last
approximately 700 charge/discharge cycles, or about one and a half years on
average. However, NiMh batteries will normally last for only approximately 400
charge/discharge cycles.
Recycle Dead Batteries - Please be kind to the environment and not throw your
batteries in the trash. The environmental protection agency (EPA) estimates that
200 tons of cadmium and 260,000 tonnes of lead enter the waste stream annually.
You can drop off your old cell phones and batteries at Gopher Wireless. We are a
drop off location for the Call2Recycle.org Program.
ago. Batteries don’t last longer than a few days. But to be fair to the battery
designers we have to admit that nowadays’ smartphones require much more
energy than phones 10 years ago. We can’t really compare them but what we can
do is use them with more care. Here are a few good tips how to go about it:
Break In New Batteries - New batteries come in an uncharged condition. To
break in a new battery, we suggest charging and then discharging the battery 2 to 4
times so they can reach their full, rated capacity. You can discharge most batteries
by unplugging the AC adapter and leaving them turned on until completely
discharged. Some phones have a desktop charger/conditioner which will speed up
the process.
Charging Your Battery - Never charge your battery for more than 14 hours. If you
are using a Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMh) or Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery, your
charging time should be less than 14 hours. Manufacturers’ manuals normally state
not to charge a battery for more than 24 hours, but if you leave it on the charger for
more than 14 hours you risk damaging the battery by overcharging.
Turn off your Bluetooth – I find Bluetooth to be the most power hungry
application; turn it off when you don’t use it.
No Signal? Turn it off. If you are out of your service area and are getting no
reception, turn your phone off. Phones work a lot harder when they have no
reception because they are trying to find a tower.
Disable sounds and vibrating alert – you don’t really need keypad tones to be
on, do you? What about vibrating? It is surely useful on the meetings or in a cinema
but most of time you’ll do just fine without it; I usually set up a vibrating profile to be
used in places like cinema or theatre and in all other profiles I have vibrating turned
off.
Brightness – lower the brightness of your screen; not too low, otherwise you’ll
destroy your vision.
Setting the Power saver time-out and the Light time-out to the low values will
help too (you’ll find them in the display settings).
If you are not using an application switch it off – you’ll get a list of all active
applications by long pressing the menu button; this is a general rule that can be
applied to any device.
Games – it’s fun to play games on your way to school but they are power-hungry
beasts; I can’t tell you not to play games but think about your battery when you are
playing.
Turn off your phone when you don’t use it – I know that for many of you this is
not an option and I’m not sure if turning it off and on is even good for your battery but
I heard this tip from so many people that I just had to mention it.
Eliminate Memory Effects - Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) batteries suffer from an
affliction known as the memory effect. The battery will only charge to the level of
which the battery was last discharged due to an accumulation of gas bubbles on the
cell plates. If a battery is discharged to 30% and then recharged, the battery will only
charge to 30% of its capacity and thus shrinking the battery’s "gas tank."
Burp Your Battery - The best way to eliminate memory and remove the
accumulated gas bubbles on the cell plates is to "burp", or condition it. This means
draining the battery until your portable phone shuts off, and then recharging it. Again,
the desktop charger/conditioner will speed up this process.
Exercise Your Battery - To increase the life of your batteries, don’t leave them
dormant for extended periods of time. Even if you use AC power most of the time,
use the battery periodically to keep it fresh and healthy. Unplug your AC adapter /
car charger when the phone is not in use.
Battery Storage - Store batteries in a cool, dry place away from heat and metal
objects. Batteries left idle for extended periods of time will self-discharge. Just
remember to charge them before use.
Battery Replacement - If your battery used to last 8 hours and now only lasts 2
hours, it could be memory effort or just time for a new battery. NiCad batteries last
approximately 700 charge/discharge cycles, or about one and a half years on
average. However, NiMh batteries will normally last for only approximately 400
charge/discharge cycles.
Recycle Dead Batteries - Please be kind to the environment and not throw your
batteries in the trash. The environmental protection agency (EPA) estimates that
200 tons of cadmium and 260,000 tonnes of lead enter the waste stream annually.
You can drop off your old cell phones and batteries at Gopher Wireless. We are a
drop off location for the Call2Recycle.org Program.
| Tips To Extend Your Battery Life |
| NEW!!! St. Cloud Area Phone Number (320) 223-2426 |
601 NW 5th Street, Suite 2, Brainerd, MN 56401
(218) 270-0052
(218) 270-0052