Cell Phone Battery FAQ

How long does it take to fully charge my battery?

This will depend on your battery, but typically it should take 3-4 hours to charge your cell phone battery. If you find that you have to charge your battery for an extended amount of time and never seems to keep a charge, then you might have a defective battery or your battery might be experiencing "battery memory".

What is "battery memory"?

If you charge your battery when it is only partially discharged, you can "trick" your battery into thinking that the only cells available are the ones that are constantly charging and discharging. The effect is that you are only using half of your battery and the battery life will degrade more rapidly.

How long can I keep my battery on the charger?

Overcharging your battery can degrade the life of the battery due to overheating. Some cell phone battery chargers have timers built in to prevent this, however you should try to remove your phone from the charger when the battery is fully charged. You should definately never charge your battery for longer than 24 hours.

What is the lifespan of my battery?

This depends on the type and use of your battery, but typically a cell phone battery will take about 500 charging cycles over the course of 1-2 years with normal use.

What does it mean to condition my battery?

During the first 3-5 charges of a new cell phone battery you should fully charge and fully discharge your battery. This allows the "battery memory" to be spread across all of the cells in the battery.