Cell phones run on various kinds of batteries
depending on the manufacturer, phone size
or shape and features. There are basically
four types of cell phone batteries: Lithium
Polymer, Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal Hydride
and Nickel Cadmium.
Lithium Polymer is the most recent type
and applies the latest technology in DC
power. This type of battery is light in
weight and will not explode even if pierced.
The battery elements are enclosed in platic
pouches and do not have memory defects.
They last about 50 times longer than Nickel
Metal Hydride batteries.
Lithium Ion is also memory efficient
and longer lasting than Nickel Metal Hydride
batteries but they are quite lighter.
They tend to be expensive and would only
fit new models of phones. Most Lithium-ion
batteries apply a fast charge technique
to quickly charge up your cell phone up
to 80% capacity and then slowly bring
it up to full power in about two hours.
Nickel Metal Hydride is also memory efficient
and lasts longer than the NIM type about
40 times. This type of battery is good
for people who need rapid charging and
if used with a car charger can be fully
charged under 1 hour. The special formula
permits the concentration of energy in
a single pack - sometimes about twice
the power of Nickel Cadmium. This type
is preferred by a lot of mobile phone
users because it lasts long and is cheap.
Again, they are non-toxic and appeals
to environmentalists.
Nickel Cadmium are the oldest type and
has a lot of memory defects. Another severe
disadvantage is that they will have to
be totally discharged before you can charge
them again otherwise you may irreversibly
damage them. Again this type is highly
toxic due to the presence of Nickel Cadmium
and is gradually being phased out by cell
phone manufacturers.
Batteries typically have 300 to 400 charge
cycles in their life span. It is so because
anytime you charge your battery, the battery
loses away some of its potency and thus
become diminished in power.
Cell phone batteries can be pretty expensive
items if you consider the fact that a
Nokia 3310 battery can cost up to $24.95.
Here are a few tips to prolong the life
of your battery:
Dont allow materials to get stuck on
the terminals as that causes the battery
to lose contact with the terminals resulting
in improper connection.
Keep the batteries in a cool place and
allow them to adjust to room temperature
before charging as the sharp rise in temperature
upon charging can damage them.
The life of your cell phone depends on
the potency of your battery. Knowing how
they operate and how to care for them
can ensure that your cellular device runs
and runs well for years.
This article was posted on August
17, 2005
