A comprehensive guide to understanding battery capacity, milliamp-hours (mAh), and the various factors that influence battery life and performance.
When buying electronic devices such as laptops, notebooks, PDAs, PSPs, and cell phones, the first questions a consumer usually asks are, “How long is its battery capacity?” or perhaps, “How long are its charging hours?”
These questions stem from the fact that any laptop or computer with a strong hard drive and good memory, coupled with a battery of high capacity, forms a machine with enough power to meet the demands of today's fast-paced world.
Understanding battery capacity begins with understanding milliamp-hours, or mAh. This is essentially the amount of energy or amperage discharged or released from a battery over a period of time until it reaches 100% depth of discharge (DOD), which in layman's terms means that the battery is empty. To better understand this, imagine your battery as a fuel tank and the fuel as the battery capacity.
For a practical example of how this is applied, look at the back of your battery and check the number beside the mAh rating. The mAh corresponds to the capacity of the battery. For instance, a 9-volt battery has an mAh rating of 500. A device that draws 10 milliamperes (mA) from this battery will have a battery life of 50 hours. A consumer who understands these metrics can then schedule their computer usage in the most cost-efficient way to take full advantage of current hard drive capabilities on the market today.
Aside from amperage, there are other factors that affect battery capacity. The biggest factor is overall battery life. Each time a battery is recharged after reaching 100% DOD, its capacity and lifespan decrease. Regularly waiting for a battery to reach 100% DOD before charging will reduce its capacity and lifespan by as much as 15% to 20%. This is why the ideal time to charge your battery is when it is 50% to 80% discharged, as doing so results in virtually no reduction in battery lifespan.
However, it is important to remember that the degradation of battery life cannot be completely halted. Therefore, whether you recharge your battery at 100% or 50% discharge, its lifespan will still eventually shorten—the only difference is the rate of degradation. That said, recent developments have led to the production of alternative battery types that feature a much slower rate of degradation, regardless of whether they are recharged at 100% or 50% discharge.
Another key factor influencing battery capacity is temperature. Battery capacity increases slightly when warm and decreases when cold.
The physical size of the battery is also a factor. Capacity is measured by the volume and plate area of the actual battery; the larger the plate area, the more energy it can accommodate.
Two other factors that affect battery capacity are charging habits and maintenance. Early degradation of battery life is most often caused by overcharging and undercharging. In rare instances, these practices can destroy the battery plates, rendering the battery completely unusable. Currently, mineral oil is being researched as an additive to increase battery durability.
If you have appliances with large batteries, such as electronic scooters or trolling motors, you can charge them using solar panels or inverters to ensure they are not undercharged.
Knowing the exact capacity of your battery can help you schedule charging times and determine whether you need to bring spare batteries when traveling. Furthermore, understanding battery capacity can help users save on electricity costs and allow them to maximize the performance of their computers over the long run.
Understanding Battery Capacity
A comprehensive guide to understanding battery capacity, milliamp-hours (mAh), and the various factors that influence battery life and performance.
When buying electronic devices such as laptops, notebooks, PDAs, PSPs, and cell phones, the first questions a consumer usually asks are, “How long is its battery capacity?” or perhaps, “How long are its charging hours?”
These questions stem from the fact that any laptop or computer with a strong hard drive and good memory, coupled with a battery of high capacity, forms a machine with enough power to meet the demands of today's fast-paced world.
Understanding battery capacity begins with understanding milliamp-hours, or mAh. This is essentially the amount of energy or amperage discharged or released from a battery over a period of time until it reaches 100% depth of discharge (DOD), which in layman's terms means that the battery is empty. To better understand this, imagine your battery as a fuel tank and the fuel as the battery capacity.
For a practical example of how this is applied, look at the back of your battery and check the number beside the mAh rating. The mAh corresponds to the capacity of the battery. For instance, a 9-volt battery has an mAh rating of 500. A device that draws 10 milliamperes (mA) from this battery will have a battery life of 50 hours. A consumer who understands these metrics can then schedule their computer usage in the most cost-efficient way to take full advantage of current hard drive capabilities on the market today.
Aside from amperage, there are other factors that affect battery capacity. The biggest factor is overall battery life. Each time a battery is recharged after reaching 100% DOD, its capacity and lifespan decrease. Regularly waiting for a battery to reach 100% DOD before charging will reduce its capacity and lifespan by as much as 15% to 20%. This is why the ideal time to charge your battery is when it is 50% to 80% discharged, as doing so results in virtually no reduction in battery lifespan.
However, it is important to remember that the degradation of battery life cannot be completely halted. Therefore, whether you recharge your battery at 100% or 50% discharge, its lifespan will still eventually shorten—the only difference is the rate of degradation. That said, recent developments have led to the production of alternative battery types that feature a much slower rate of degradation, regardless of whether they are recharged at 100% or 50% discharge.
Another key factor influencing battery capacity is temperature. Battery capacity increases slightly when warm and decreases when cold.
The physical size of the battery is also a factor. Capacity is measured by the volume and plate area of the actual battery; the larger the plate area, the more energy it can accommodate.
Two other factors that affect battery capacity are charging habits and maintenance. Early degradation of battery life is most often caused by overcharging and undercharging. In rare instances, these practices can destroy the battery plates, rendering the battery completely unusable. Currently, mineral oil is being researched as an additive to increase battery durability.
If you have appliances with large batteries, such as electronic scooters or trolling motors, you can charge them using solar panels or inverters to ensure they are not undercharged.
Knowing the exact capacity of your battery can help you schedule charging times and determine whether you need to bring spare batteries when traveling. Furthermore, understanding battery capacity can help users save on electricity costs and allow them to maximize the performance of their computers over the long run.
Understanding Battery Capacity
By Howtodotips
A comprehensive guide to understanding battery capacity, milliamp-hours (mAh), and the various factors that influence battery life and performance.