Battery charging

[Marauder2003]

IPad, 6th generation. Multi port charger.

When using the USB-A to USB-C cable the iPad charges at 5.2 volts and 2.8 amps.

When using the USB-C to USB-C cable the iPad charges at 12 volts and 2 amps.

When using the 12v option the iPad gets warm. It does charge up in an hour or so.

When using the 5.2 volt option the iPad does not get warm but does take 7+ hours to charge.

I am under the impression heat is what kills batteries.

Should I use the 7+ hour option whenever I can. Charging is done overnight.

[yolocalypso]

[Citadelgrad87]

I have read that letting a device sit on a charger past capacity is bad for them, too. They don't "overcharge", but they do bump up against full charge over and over, which are cycles that are what measures battery life.

I always try to take my stuff off around 95% charged.

[pacrat]

A couple of years ago over 30 people died in a fire on a dive boat off the channel islands.

Causation was attributed to cell phone and laptop batteries CHARGING OVERNIGHT.

Since that time, I NEVER charge batteries overnight. And always place chargers on a fireproof tile surface in the kitchen without any wall cabinets over them.

JM2c

[WoodTurner]

If you are trying to maximize battery longevity, a slower charge can help but the last 20% (80%-100%) of the charge is most critical. Most modern fast charge equipment will slow down as it tops up in order to reduce most of the damage. You could extend battery longevity even more by only charging it to 80% or 90%
Some devices have this capability built in to set the charge threshold, but I'm not sure about Apple products.

[Hamsterman]

I actually have to know a bit about lithium ion battery life for my job. I would use the slowest charge rate that will charge your battery in the time available. Heat is indeed a battery killer, so that it also keeps the battery from getting hot is a definite plus.

Apple and (most? all?) Android devices don't let you play with the charge voltage levels. If they did, and you reduced the end of charge voltage by just 0.1V, you wouldn't have to replace your phone every couple of years due to a dying battery. To a lesser extent, limiting its maximum charge with an external device like the Chargie should help. It helps less because the battery reaches a higher voltage during charge than if it taper charged to the same level.

As for cycling, in general it is less stressful to have two 50% discharges than one 100% (full capacity) discharge. I suspect that the reason batteries age if they are kept at 100% state of charge is due to voltage stress, not cycle stress.

[the86d]

Summary/Subject should be something like "iPad Charging..."

Calguns can get as silly as Corp. America Subjects on e-mails and Tickets...

[Dvrjon]

A couple of years ago over 30 people died in a fire on a dive boat off the channel islands.

Causation was attributed to cell phone and laptop batteries CHARGING OVERNIGHT.

Since that time, I NEVER charge batteries overnight. And always place chargers on a fireproof tile surface in the kitchen without any wall cabinets over them.

JM2c

That boat had a bunch of photographers charging batteries for cameras and lights. They were all placed at a central “charging station” which probably got overloaded by the mass of equipment.

Charging an IPad on a home electrical system isn’t the same.

I charge 4 IPads, two cell phones and one set of hearing aids overnight. The house hasn’t burned down.

[SharedShots]

I use Panasonic Toughbooks and their batteries are some of the longest lasting (durability) I've ever seen. Some go 12 years or more and still hold a good charge.

Their key is reducing charging cycles. A 50% charge is a charging cycle just as a deeper charge is. Panasonic prefers you run deeper charging cycles than more light ones because batteries only last so many charging cycles. Two lighter charges are still two charging cycles and a deeper charge is still only one. I can't argue with their approach because it seems to work.

The whole thing about slow charging and fast charging lithiums have a lot of myths that come from other battery types. Even AGM batteries can accept a lot of amps in a short time and not be damaged. The problem is that often what was known about typical non-sealed lead acid batteries just got brought over to newer battery types, just like some myths about guns and ammo.

The biggest effect on battery charging is the proper voltage and varying that voltage according to the resistance the battery has to accepting charge. As the battery charges the resistance to charging increases. Why not then just use the lower voltage? Because the lower voltage won't overcome the resistance as the battery gains charge and then the battery never reaches maximum charge. With lithiums it's not a big deal but the battery then seems to not hold a charge when the reality is it wasn't charged to max in the first place. Then you think the battery is going out and replace it.

Charging a battery at lower than recommended voltage an be just as bad as charging at too high a voltage.

Excessive or inadequate charging voltage kills batteries. Trying to charge a 12 volt battery with a 6 volt charge is a sure way to damage it really fast. The same applies to charging a battery at a voltage higher than its' designed for. Unlike amperage where the battery will draw what it can and no more, it won't refuse lower or higher voltage and needs a regulator or converter.

Lithium batteries are far more sensitive to voltage than others. They are far more easily damaged by higher or lower than recommended charging voltages.

OP - heat isn't what damages batteries, it's excessive heat that does it. If a battery gets only warm, that isn't going to adversely affect the battery. If it gets hot that is different. Slow charging a battery only means you are using a lower voltage to charge it and it's likely the amps going into the battery are insufficient to get maximum use out of it. You can see this when a battery is charged at a lower voltage and it seems not to last very long before needing a charge.

[Dirtlaw]

With all the tools that are out there these days (e.g. constant current units and microchip controlled shutoff) you should be able to achieve maximum life if you do your due diligence. That's work though so many just buy new batteries. Your choice.

[sigstroker]

A couple of years ago over 30 people died in a fire on a dive boat off the channel islands.

Causation was attributed to cell phone and laptop batteries CHARGING OVERNIGHT.

Since that time, I NEVER charge batteries overnight. And always place chargers on a fireproof tile surface in the kitchen without any wall cabinets over them.

JM2c

Okay, so what about laptops left in docking stations? There are probably millions of them in office buildings at any given time.

[sealocan]

I am not doubting that overcharging laptops caused the fire on that boat if that's what the investigation says but just think about how many phones and laptops and other electronic devices are left charging overnight or for days at a time not only in America but across the globe and there haven't been big reports of the vast majority of them causing fires. Yes I've seen videos of modified vape pens exploding or catching fire in someone's pocket but if this was a common occurrence I think we would know about it. But that's just like my opinion man.

And back to the thread topic answer....
It's an Apple product so they will download the proper software that will shorten your battery life, when They think it's appropriate. Like they got busted doing before.

That whole Apple iPhone Scandal battery shortening even has a name now... Batterygate.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batterygate

But I'm sure they've learned their lesson.



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[SactoDoug]

Yes, use the lower voltage, slower charge rate overnight. The fast charge is best when you have limited time. For best battery life keep the battery between 20-80% charge.

[Maltese Falcon]

I heard never charge past 80% kills battery longevity, ymmv.

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[Hamsterman]

I heard never charge past 80% kills battery longevity, ymmv.

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This might help:

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries