Opinions on when to charge the phone

skatergirl

Retired Moderator
Mar 22, 2011
3,233
96
48
Visit site
I thought I saw a tip on the phone that said not to charge the phone intermittingly, but to charge it fully once on the charger. So, do most of you charge your phone every night or just when it gets down less than 14 percent?

I want to get the best battery performance as possible, but I don't want to be stuck somewhere and not be able to charge it fully when it has drained.
 

EvilMonkey

Well-known member
Jun 4, 2010
1,808
103
0
Visit site
I plug mine in pretty much all the time. My day looks like this for my phone: Dock on my nightstand -> into my pocket -> into my car charger on my way to work -> into my pocket -> into the dock on my desk at work -> into my pocket -> into my car dock on my way home -> sits around unplugged until it's time for bed -> Back into the dock on my nightstand. Repeat.

I haven't really noticed any detriment in battery life, so maybe that's bad for it.
 

mistermojorizin

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2011
115
1
0
Visit site
The only thing that hurts lithium batteries is full discharge and heat. So I charge it a little in the morning before heading out and a little in the evening before bed. This way it's never in the charger for long, which caused heat, and it never fully discharges
 

Busted51

Well-known member
Aug 21, 2013
209
0
0
Visit site
operating temp at time of charge also plays a role.. so if you've been on YouTube for 3 hours and the temp is in the 100+ range you might consider letting it cool to about 80-85 before plugging in..

Posted via The Maxx
 

Btravelen

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2013
73
0
6
Visit site
I obtained a Mugen battery for my phone, a Pre 3, until I get my Droid Maxx. Mugen recommended charging 8-12 hours, even when it indicates fully charged, then using the phone until the battery indicates 10-15 percent. Repeat this 4 or 5 times the new battery is charged.

I did this on my wifes Maxx and will repeat the process on mine when it arrives. After this process, avoiding repeated complete discharges and excessive heat are good recommendations. Take Care
 

phathands

Well-known member
Apr 4, 2013
290
0
0
Visit site
I thought I saw a tip on the phone that said not to charge the phone intermittingly, but to charge it fully once on the charger. So, do most of you charge your phone every night or just when it gets down less than 14 percent?

I want to get the best battery performance as possible, but I don't want to be stuck somewhere and not be able to charge it fully when it has drained.

Maintaining the full cycle charges apply to the old nickel based batteries. As those above pointed out, heat is the killer. Avoid leaving it on the charger long after 100%, and if wirelessly charging, check your temps often the first time you use it. The article also recommends one complete discharge a month but no more, and don't let it sit discharged long before plugging it back in.

Basically for the most part charge it how you please but watch temps and don't bottom it out regularly. Batteries degrade naturally regardless, and even if you don't do it perfectly, you'll likely get a new device before there is significant deterioration.

Sent from my DROID MAXX
 

Oofa

Well-known member
May 22, 2013
178
0
0
Visit site
You don't need to do anything special with your phone battery. Just use common sense. If your phone is heating up, something is wrong with the battery or the phone. Unplug it or remove the battery. You should be able to keep your phone charging after it reaches 100% with no problems whatsoever. These batteries don't allow overcharging. They shut off incoming current once it's at 100%. Unless you have a defective battery that heats up when being charged, you can leave it on the charger for as long as you want. I have never, ever discharged my battery all the way down once a month and have never, ever had a problem. I don't know where all the hocus-pocus comes from when it comes to phone batteries. It's kind of funny.
 

Chiplg

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2010
166
0
0
Visit site
Considering most of us keep these phones 2 years or less, it really isn't an issue to optimally charge it for long battery life. It is more important not to abuse it with extended high temps and frequent full discharges, but other than that, don't worry about it. Just use it.

Considering the battery will get most people a day+, discharges aren't an issue. This phone does not get hot like my RAZR did. That thing could cook eggs after extended LTE usage. The Maxx doesn't get hot from that, and only gets warm on my Qi charger, but it is nowhere near what the RAZR did in normal use. The RAZR battery life was not the best, and even with the abuse from draining and high temps, it survived its 17 month life and is still usable (refurb after my original battery died). Don't drain it repeatedly, and don't leave it in a black car on a hot summer day. I started the day at 88% (I don't charge at night), and I'm at 80% right now with just putting it in the car dock during my commutes to and from work. I just dropped it on my Qi charger, and will have something in the 90s when I go to bed. I don't think about charging it really, other than consciously putting it on the Qi charger in the evening.

My RAZR got a charge any time I was near power. The life on that thing sucked bad, but it was an exception. I avoided draining it completely, but could not avoid the heat from typical use. Even so, it lasted. As I said, the original RAZR battery died, but that was a defective battery, not a product of abuse. It was only 3 months old.

If optimal charging and care for long battery life was not a major issue on most phones before now, it is not an issue on a batter of this size. Just use it.
 

doogald

Trusted Member
Jan 3, 2010
4,425
55
0
Visit site
I unplug it every day when I wake up and plug it back in when I go to bed. I have always done this with my phones. The batteries in each of my last two phones remained fine after 22 months each, and those battery packs were smaller (less than half the size, then half the size) of this battery.

I haven't navigated with this phone yet. (I do so maybe a handful of times a year). When I do, I will probably plug it in in the car. That worries me more than plugging it in each night on a well-designed charger with a Motorola charging cable.
 

Eclipse2K

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2011
5,722
107
0
Visit site
I unplug it every day when I wake up and plug it back in when I go to bed. I have always done this with my phones. The batteries in each of my last two phones remained fine after 22 months each, and those battery packs were smaller (less than half the size, then half the size) of this battery.

I haven't navigated with this phone yet. (I do so maybe a handful of times a year). When I do, I will probably plug it in in the car. That worries me more than plugging it in each night on a well-designed charger with a Motorola charging cable.

I have one of those USB charging adapters from Verizon in my car with an old Motorola USB plug. No worries here!

Sent from my Motorola Droid Maxx using Tapatalk 4
 

Distorted Loop

Well-known member
Feb 9, 2010
237
3
0
Visit site
Don't phones have circuitry to turn off the charging when a full charge is reached? If so, what's the worry of leaving it on the charger?

I leave my Maxx on a Qi charger overnight. It's stone cold when I take it off the charger, so it's not like it's being overheated by charging all night long. Same holds true for the dozen other smartphones currently in my stable, whether they're charged by USB or Qi.
 

18t

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2013
759
0
0
Visit site
Don't phones have circuitry to turn off the charging when a full charge is reached? If so, what's the worry of leaving it on the charger?.

only thing i can think of is that you are still drawing some power. as far as qi is concerned, i think once it fully charged the charging turns off completely.
 

anon(40376)

Well-known member
Jul 15, 2010
1,636
13
0
Visit site
I agree with some, leaving it connected to the USB after charging is not a problem with these newer devices. I have plugged all my smartphones in at night and unplug in the morning and they are NOT hot and have had no problems.