batteriesforallelectronics.com Blog

Things You Can Do To Extend The Life Of Your iPod Battery

2006-09-02T16:41-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Many people now carry some form of electronic device, such as a cell phone, or the ever popular iPod and these devices use rechargeable lithium based batteries that are extremely expensive to replace.

When iPods were first introduced by Apple, they featured battery packs that were very difficult to remove and replace. It was their opinion that once the battery was no longer useable, a new iPod should be purchased as opposed to just replacing the battery pack. Less expensive, third party battery replacement kits hit the market and Apple tried to compete with them by initiating a program to replace the worn out batteries. Since the replacement kits offered by third party manufacturers were cheaper and had more capacity than those offered by Apple, naturally the third party kits were much more popular. There are ways to extend the life of your battery, so that they won't have to be replaced as often.

Be Aware of What Drains Your Battery

Exposing your iPod to extreme temperatures is a sure way to drain the life from your battery. Never leave it where it is exposed to direct sunlight or in a hot car. If it is exposed to extreme cold, make sure that before you turn it back on, it has been warmed to room temperature.

Avoid using the backlighting and equalizer features, since these are another power drain. By going into the settings option, you can change the settings to "off" for both them.

Using the next/fast forward and the previous/rewind buttons are other features that contribute to power usage. Minimal use of these options will help save battery life

Tips to Maximize Battery Life

Ipods are often carried in pockets and purses and if it is accidentally bumped, it could turn on without your notice. Make it a habit to use the hold switch to keep that from happening.

Many people get interrupted while listening to their iPod. Be sure to use the pause feature, so that the unit will not continue to play if you have to stop listening to do something else. This will help avoid a useless drain of your battery.

Lithium batteries are rechargeable and new batteries will hold a charge longer than older ones. Charging your battery to full capacity is very important. Charging it for a short period, such as an hour, will only bring its capacity to 80%. It takes a full four hours to get a full charge. A fully charged battery will last anywhere from two weeks to almost a full month.

Keep the file sizes smaller by using compressed files. When importing to iTunes, consider using MP3s or AAC.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Cell Phone and Laptop Batteries at http://www.batteriesforallelectronics.com

Here Are The Most Important Devices You Need Yo Be Sure Have Batteries

2006-09-01T00:20-04:00

by Gregg Hall

Disasters can strike at anytime and it's important to always be prepared. Severe weather conditions like hurricanes can cause loss of power, but those are not the only things you have to watch out for. A power outage can occur during a heavy thunderstorm or a blizzard. Use the following tips to make sure you're ready in case of emergencies.

Batteries are the most important to have, since they provide the power necessary to keep us going until the lights come back on. Be sure to keep a large supply of batteries of every type. Sometimes, the power can come back on in a short time, but there's always the possibility that it could take hours or even days. Make periodic checks of dates on the batteries, so you will always have a fresh supply. It's also good to have a lot so you can share them with neighbors who might not have any.

Radios

A battery operated radio can keep you notified of important updates, where you can go for help and if it's safe to leave the home. They also provide comfort in knowing that you are not alone in the situation. Make sure you have the proper sized batteries to keep it running.

Flashlights

When the lights go out, one of the first things we reach for is a flashlight. Since there is no way to predict how long you will be without lights, having extra batteries will make sure that you won't be left in the dark. You can also get battery operated lamps to put in rooms. You don't have to hold them and they turn on with the push of a button.

Water Purifiers

Having a fresh supply of water during an emergency is extremely important. Boiling water will purify it but if the electricity is out, this might not be an option. Having a battery powered purifier means that you will always have a drinkable supply of water for you and your family.

Fans and Heaters

Since the power can go out at anytime, keep battery powered fans and heaters in your supply kit. This way you can stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter

Medical Equipment

Losing the electricity can be particularly frightening for people who rely on medical equipment that require electricity to work. A lot of this equipment has battery back ups, so make sure you have a good supply of the required batteries on hand.

Centralized Supply Location

Have a centralized location for your supplies. Dedicate a whole area just for batteries and keep them in size order. This way if the lights go out, you won't have to stumble around in the dark trying to find your supplies. They'll all be in one place, so you can easily get your hands on them.

By following these tips you will find it much easier to endure the aftermath of emergencies while you wait for power to be restored.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Batteries For All Electronics at http://www.batteriesforallelectronics.com

What Is The Difference In Batteries?

2006-03-20T10:55-05:00

Batteries are one of the most wasted items that we use. Over fifteen billion batteries a year are made and sold globally with most alkaline batteries thrown away after being used one time.

Alkaline batteries are bought by many people just because they are so cheap but in many cases they are just not the right battery for the job. Some people try to make up for this by buying rechargeable alkaline batteries. These batteries may be good for some uses but they aren’t good for digital cameras for example. The good thing about alkaline batteries is that you can find them almost anywhere.

With technological advances that have come about recently in batteries and battery chargers there are numerous alternatives to alkaline batteries. Many digital camera makers recommend the NiMH or lithium-ion batteries that are available now because of performance and economy. These batteries are the most popular digital camera batteries. Search long and hard, talk to everyone who knows anything, read as much as you can, and the answer is always the same; Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries are what you want. They are rechargeable, environmentally friendly, and relatively inexpensive. Even more importantly perhaps, they are designed for high-drain applications such as digital cameras and will provide you with more pictures per charge than any other standard battery type other than the much more expensive lithium ion batteries. If they have any weakness, it's their overall life; lasting only about 400 charge and discharge cycles.

Nickel Cadmium or NiCad batteries used to be the most widely used of rechargeable but they are very toxic and therefore an environmental nightmare. They do charge well however, and they last long in low temperatures.

Lithium Ion batteries last much longer than the NiMH batteries and they hold their charge better as well while in storage. The main issue with the Lithium batteries is that they are newer and are not as available as others.

The choice of what type of battery to use depends upon what type of device you are using. Do your research and choose the right battery for your device.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get more information on batteries at http://www.batteriesforallelectronics.com

The Early History Of Batteries

2006-03-17T08:37-05:00

Do you think batteries are a new thing? How long do you think they have been around? One hundred years? Two hundred? More?

Actually, believe it or not the oldest known battery dates back over 2,000 years!

What the heck would someone have needed a battery for 2,000 years ago?

This primitive battery found in the area now known as Iraq was discovered in 1936 and testing showed it could have produced up to two volts of electrical current. It is thought that the battery was used to electroplate gold onto silver.

In the year 1800, Alessandro Volta made a battery using multiple layers of silver, paper, and cloth soaked in salt and zinc. The electrochemical series concept which ranks the potential produced when different metals come in contact with an electrolyte. This is where the term volts comes from.

This primitive battery was not good for delivering currents over long periods time. This led to the British researcher John Frederich Daniell developing a type of battery with a copper plate located at the bottom of a wide mouthed jar. A cast zinc piece commonly referred to as a crowfoot, because of its shape, was located at the top of the plate, hanging on the rim of the jar.

Two electrolytes, or conducting liquids, were employed. A saturated copper sulphate solution covered the copper plate and extended halfway up the remaining distance toward the zinc piece. Then a zinc sulphate solution, a less dense liquid, was carefully poured in to float above the copper sulphate and immerse the zinc. As an alternative to zinc sulphate, magnesium sulphate or dilute sulphuric acid was sometimes used.

The Daniell Cell was also one of the first to incorporate mercury, by amalgamating it with the zinc anode to reduce corrosion when the batteries were not in use. We now know better than to put mercury into batteries. This battery, which produced about 1.1 volts, was used to power telegraphs, telephones, and even to ring doorbells in homes for over 100 years.

In the early 1900’s Thomas Edison developed the alkaline cell using iron and nickelic oxide. The electrolyte mixture used was potassium hydroxide which is the same used in nickel cadmium and alkaline batteries today. These batteries did well and lasted through being overcharged as well as remaining uncharged for extended periods of time.

In 1949 the alkaline-manganese battery known now as the alkaline battery was created at the Everyready Battery Company in Ohio. These batteries could supply more energy than its predecessors and further improvements have increased the energy storage capability.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. See all the batteries available now at http://www.batteriesforallelectronics.com

How To Store Your Batteries For Maximum Life

2006-03-16T09:01-05:00

Batteries begin to lose power and strength as soon as they leave the manufacturer but there are simple things that battery users can do to slow the process down.

It is recommended that most batteries be stored at about 59 degrees and while lead-acid batteries must be kept at a full charge nickel and lithium batteries should be stored at 40% of their capacity to minimize capacity loss.

Lithium-ion batteries power the majority of today's laptop computers. The battery compartment on many laptops rises to about 45°C (113°F) during operation. The combination of high charge level and elevated ambient temperature presents an unfavorable condition for the battery. This explains why the lifespan of many laptop batteries is so short.

Nickel-metal-hydride can be stored for about three years. The capacity drop that occurs during storage is permanent and cannot be reversed. Cool temperatures and a partial charge slows aging. Nickel-cadmium stores reasonably well.

Manufacturers recommend to trickle charge a nickel-based battery for 24 hours when new and after long storage. This will bring all cells to equal charge level and redistributes the electrolyte to remedy dry spots on the separator brought on by gravitation of the electrolyte. It is advisable to verify the capacity with a battery analyzer before use. This is especially important in critical applications.

Cycling is recommended to regain lost capacity after a nickel-based battery has been stored for 6 months or longer. A slow charge followed by one or several discharge/charge cycles will do this. The recovery rate is determined by the condition under which the battery was stored. The longer and warmer the storage temperature, the more cycles will be required.

Nickel-based batteries are not always fully formed when leaving the factory. Applying several charge/ discharge cycles through normal use or with a battery analyzer completes the forming. The number of cycles needed to attain full capacity differs between cell manufacturers. Quality cells perform to specification after 5-7 cycles. Those lacking formation may need 50 or more cycles to reach acceptable capacity levels. What is the difference between priming and forming? For the user, both symptoms manifest themselves as insufficient capacity.

Lithium-ion batteries deliver full power after the initial charge. Manufacturers of lithium-ion cells insist that no priming is required. However, priming is beneficial as an initial start and to verify battery performance. Excessive cycling should be avoided because of wear-down effect.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get the batteries you need at http://www.batteriesforallelectronics.com