As I was writing my Evercade gaming device review, …
  • @[email protected]
    7•3 years ago

    I’ve heard that Lithium batteries degrade over time, and the longer it has been used, the less energy it will hold at maximum capacity.

    I have downloaded an app on my android smartphone which records the performance of the battery as it is used, as well as setting off a small alarm (during the day) to tell me to disconnect it from the charger when it reaches a set capacity (which can be adjusted by the user). Charging the device above 90-95% is responsible for a considerable portion of the strain apparently. This is a problem as the production of lithium batteries have a large carbon footprint, and batteries are not always removable, interchangeable and easy to replace. When a device becomes problematic to use due to the battery, not only does it cost the user, this also produces e-waste which is problematic to dispose of, and often hazardous to the health of humans and animals which come into contact with it or it’s by-products. E-waste can contain chemicals such as lead, benzene, cadmium, mercury, chromium, arsenic etc.

    Unfortunately I assume there is no way for charging to stop automatically with the phone’s hardware and software, so the app relies on me to do what it says, which is not always something I or others will always prioritise.

    I will leave a link to the app’s sources: https://accubattery.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/210224725-Charging-research-and-methodology

    • @[email protected]
      6•3 years ago

      Some charge controllers use top and/or bottom buffers on a battery as places to stop charging/discharging. The advantage is longer battery lifespan, but at the cost of lower capacity.

      As the battery ages & naturally loses capacity, those buffers can then be shrunk to give back what’s been lost, retaining your usable capacity.

      I know this is a common feature in EV’s, but not sure about phones.

      • @[email protected]
        1•3 years ago

        I know this is a common feature in EV’s, but not sure about phones.

        I read on Reddit that this is the case shortly after posting my original comment. They say that defeats the purpose of the app somewhat, making it mostly useful for seeing what apps are draining your battery the most, considering that using the app will drain it. However adding another limit on top of the cap at the hardware level should extend the battery life further, and I don’t think it drains my battery much, so I’m going to keep using it.