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Cell Phone Tips |
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A Look At Cell Phone Batteries
There are four different types of cell phone batteries on the market. The first cell phone battery was the NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) followed by the NIMH (Nickel Metal Hydride batteries), the Lithium Ion and the newest and the most expensive is the Lithium Polymer.
The NiCad is the oldest type of cell phone battery. It has the shortest usage time while tending to be the bulkiest battery. To maximize the life, usage of these batteries and minimize irreversibly damage, they should be fully discharged before recharging. They last for approximately 700 charges. The NiCad’s also has more memory defects than the other batteries. Since they are made of Nickel Cadmium, these batteries are highly toxic. Cell phone manufactures are phasing these batteries out and they are difficult to locate sellers.
NiMH was the next generation battery. They use a hydrogen-absorbing alloy for the anode instead of cadmium and like in NiCad batteries, nickel is the cathode. These batteries are non toxic. They hold a charge 50 percent to 100 percent longer than the NiCad batteries while being less bulky. You can recharge these batteries before they are fully discharged with no ill effects although batter life will be impacted if these batteries are exposed to extreme temperatures.
The most common battery used by cell phone manufactures today is the Lithium Ion (Li-ion). This battery is superior to the NiMH increasing performance by approximately 15%-20%. The Lithium Ion battery is also about 20-30%.lighter than NiMH batteries. One of the primary advantages is that there is no significant memory effect allowing for much longer life. Lithium Ion batteries have a low self-discharge rate of approximately 5% per month. The NiMH has over 30% per month, and NiCad has 10% per month. To prolong the life of these batteries, they should be charged early and often. They should be kept cool. The aging process for Li-ion begins as soon as the battery is manufactured so you should buy only when needed.
Introduced in the late 19990’s, the Lithium Polymer, also known as Li-Poly, is the most recent introduction into the cellular battery market. They are very slim, often as thin as a credit card and are very lightweight. One other major advantage of the lithium polymer batter is that it will not explode, even if pierced. They do not have memory defects since the elements are enclosed in plastic pouches. The li-Poly batteries tend to be more expensive.
Most of today’s cell phones use the Lithium Ion batter because this technology represents the best combination of size, capacity, and value. But keep in mind, the Lithium Polymer is the best battery on the market. |
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