How to store Li-ion phone battery

[P4-630]

About a week ago I ordered a new battery for my samsung galaxy s4 because I thought I had a dying battery.
I found out that the battery was not dying at all, and it was working fine as usual after a charge, so I probably had used it more than usual. Anyway I have a new spare battery now and I probably won't use it for a long time, my question is, does anyone know what the best way to store it? Should I put it in my phone and do a full charge and then store it? Or should I not charge it at all? The manufacturing date of this new battery is 2015.07.20 . Thanks!

 

[RCoon]

OH MY GOD. I've wanted to send this link to somebody for months. At last, a willing victim.

BEHOLD:
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_store_batteries

Long story short, charge it to 40% and keep it below room temp (15 degrees cent.), or in the fridge ideally.

 

[P4-630]

OH MY GOD. I've wanted to send this link to somebody for months. At last, a willing victim.

BEHOLD:
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_store_batteries

Long story short, charge it to 40% and keep it below room temp (15 degrees cent.), or in the fridge ideally.

Thanks

"Lithium-ion must be stored in a charged state, ideally 40 percent. This prevents the battery from dropping below 2.50V/cell, at which point the protection circuit could trigger sleep mode."

Ok I will put the battery in my phone and check the percentage of the new battery.

Would I have to check this new battery every month or so if it's still around 40 percent?
Or just leave it and forget about it.

 

[RCoon]

Would I have to check this new battery every month or so if it's still around 40 percent?
Or just leave it and forget about it.

I think you probably shouldn't care too much. Maybe check it every 6 or 12 months. The point is batteries degrade no matter what. Keeping them in the right conditions ensures the degradation doesn't happen too much. Even in perfect conditions you're going to lose 3% total battery capacity every 12 months.

 

[Bill_Bright]

That is a great article (bookmarked). I did not know Li Ion batteries should be charged at 40% before storing. But note it does not suggest the refrigerator. It recommends 15°C (59°F). Refrigerators are set to keep the food at about 3°C (37.4°F) and the bigger problem with refrigerators is moisture.

A cool "dry" place is best so that really eliminates the refrigerator unless you take very extra care to ensure it is absolutely and totally sealed to prevent any moisture from getting to it. And that is really difficult to achieve unless you have a vacuum pack storage machine that extracts out all the air then permanently heat seals the container. Then it is essential to allow the battery to come to room temperature while at the same time, ensure no condensation forms on it before using it. This is a PITA and really not necessary.

Today's batteries have a very long "shelf life". If me, I would either put the battery on a shelf in the coolest place in your house. Or, since the S4 battery is easy to swap in and out, just use both, swapping in and out once a week. After all, it is most likely your next phone will not use the same battery.

 

[RCoon]

That is a great article (bookmarked). I did not know Li Ion batteries should be charged at 40% before storing. But note it does not suggest the refrigerator. It recommends 15°C (59°F). Refrigerators are set to keep the food at about 3°C (37.4°F) and the bigger problem with refrigerators is moisture.

A cool "dry" place is best so that really eliminates the refrigerator unless you take very extra care to ensure it is absolutely and totally sealed to prevent any moisture from getting to it. And that is really difficult to achieve unless you have a vacuum pack storage machine that extracts out all the air then permanently heat seals the container. Then it is essential to allow the battery to come to room temperature while at the same time, ensure no condensation forms on it before using it. This is a PITA and really not necessary.

Today's batteries have a very long "shelf life". If me, I would either put the battery on a shelf in the coolest place in your house. Or, since the S4 battery is easy to swap in and out, just use both, swapping in and out once a week. After all, it is most likely your next phone will not use the same battery.

Vaccuum pack + silica gel sachets. We often use that mix when placing HDD's in freezers.

 

[P4-630]

That is a great article (bookmarked). I did not know Li Ion batteries should be charged at 40% before storing. But note it does not suggest the refrigerator. It recommends 15°C (59°F). Refrigerators are set to keep the food at about 3°C (37.4°F) and the bigger problem with refrigerators is moisture.

I will store it in my bedroom, there it is below 20°C at this time of the year, not using the heater in my bedroom.
I will use my galaxy s4 for at least another 2 years or so, it's still good/fast enough for me.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Vaccuum pack + silica gel sachets.

Yeah, that's a good combination.

I will store it in my bedroom

I think that is a good idea, but I would still use the extra one every so often. As I noted, the odds your next phone (even if another Samsung) uses the same battery is slim. So you might as well get some of your money's worth. And for sure, if you go on a trip, taking a spare, fully charged battery is easier than lugging around a charger or searching down a charging port.