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Q: cordless phone battery life ( Answered,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: cordless phone battery life
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: geolund-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 22 Sep 2003 20:03 PDT
Expires: 22 Oct 2003 20:03 PDT
Question ID: 259260
I have a cordless phone. Panasonic model kx-tcc-106c-b. Should I lave
the phone off the chargere until the battery runs down or is it proper
to hang it up anytime or everytime? Does this effect the life of the
battery?
Answer  
Subject: Re: cordless phone battery life
Answered By: rainbow-ga on 22 Sep 2003 22:20 PDT
 
Hi geolund,

Since most cordless phones, including Panasonic, use the NiCD battery,
it is best to use the battery up and then recharge fully. The
following are explanations to this reasoning:

“NiCad batteries, and to a lesser extent NiMH batteries, suffer from
what's called the "memory effect". What this means is that when a
battery is partially discharged before recharging, the battery
"forgets" that it has the capacity to further discharge all the way
down. For example if you on a regular basis, fully charge your battery
and then use only 50% of its capacity before the next recharge,
eventually the battery will become unaware of its extra 50% capacity
which has remained unused. The battery will remain functional, but
only at 50% of its original capacity. The way to avoid the dreaded
"memory effect" is to fully cycle (fully charge and then fully
discharge) the battery at least once every two to three weeks.
Batteries can be discharged by unplugging the device's AC adapter and
letting the device run on the battery until it ceases to function.
This will help your battery remain healthy.”


How can I maximize the performance of my battery?

“There are several steps you can take to help you get maximum
performance from your battery:
Prevent the Memory Effect - Keep the battery healthy by fully charging
and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks.
Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries which do not suffer from
the memory effect.
Keep the Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery
contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good
connection between the battery and the portable device.
Exercise the Battery - Do not leave the battery dormant for long
periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every
two to three weeks. If a battery has not been used for a long period
of time, perform the new battery break in procedure described above.
Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for a month
or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal
objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self-discharge during
storage; remember to recharge the batteries before use.”

Sources:
Advanced Battery Systems: Cordless Phone FAQ
http://www.absbattery.com/cordlessphone/cordlessphonefaq.htm


“Ni-Cd batteries are now considered "old technology" but are still
commonly used for cordless phones, cellular phones, video cameras,
radios and other portable devises. Ni-Cd batteries tend to suffer from
what is commonly known as "memory effect" - see below. This occurs
when recharging a battery before it is fully discharged causing the
battery to "remember" its previous partial charge level and not
recharging to its full capacity…”

Rechargeable Phone Batteries
http://www.rechargeable-phone-batteries.com/about_rechargeables.htm


“…The problem with NiCDs is they are most susceptible to getting a
"memory" effect. If you recharge these batteries before they are
almost completely drained, you're shortening the life of these
batteries...”
“...To get the longest battery life, you should not recharge devices
with NiCD batteries until they are running low on power. So, don't
leave your phone sitting on the charger all the time. Wait until they
are low on power, give it a good full recharge. Then repeat.”

Weeno: How to Treat Your Rechargable Batteries
http://www.weeno.com/art/0599/49.html


[How to maximize the use of your rechargeable batteries]
http://www.zbattery.com/zbattery/memoryeffect.html
ZBattery: Battery Memory Effect


[The Do's and Don't of battery care]
http://www.rechargeable-phone-batteries.com/battery_care.htm
Rechargeable Phone Batteries


Search criteria:
“cordless phones” “battery life”
“cordless phones” “battery life” charging
“cordless phones” “battery life” FAQ
Panasonic “cordless phones” batteries


I hope the information provided is helpful. If you have any questions
regarding my answer please don’t hesitate to ask before rating it.

Best regards,
rainbow-ga
Comments  
Subject: Re: cordless phone battery life
From: stressedmum-ga on 23 Sep 2003 06:22 PDT
 
I've got a Panasonic cordless phone and the first battery lasted just
over a year. When we complained we were told that our habit of
'hanging up' the handset onto the base unit meant that we were not
ever using the full capacity of the battery, thus it didn't ever
charge fully. Since then, (four years later) we've just had the one
battery and we regularly run it down so that it's completely empty
then we recharge it overnight. Works a treat and proved to us that
batteries do have memories!

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