I have had about 6 notebook computers so far, a DV camcorder, several digital cameras and lately a digital photo bank which use Lithium Ion batteries. Although I love the fact the Lithium Ion batteries do not self-discharge nearly as fast as NiMH or NiCd batteries do, which means I could keep a set of charged up Li-Ion battery as spare and can be sure I’d always have enough juice for the day, most of these Li-Ion batteries die around one and half year after purchase.
I have just found out from here and here that what I have been doing to maintain these Li-Ion batteries as I would with NiMH or NiCd batteries was completely wrong. Which explains why I have been running through notebook Li-Ion batteries every one and a half years, but the one and only Li-Ion battery I have that lasted over three years so far is the Nokia cell phone battery which I simply charge it every night without ever having it completely discharged.
The correct Li-Ion battery maintenance is as follow:-
1. Do not deep discharge Li-Ion batteries.
2. For long time storage, start with 40% charged level rather than fully charged or fully discharged, and preferably in a refrigerator but not in the freezer.
3. Keep Li-Ion batteries cool.
I think I would add a 2-times back-to-back use and charge cycles once about every six months for long time storage.
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