Charging status?

[Arizona Willie]

Should we keep our Surface Pros plugged in and charging all the time or let them drain down close to empty?

I've been keeping mine on the charger most of the time except when I use it.

It seldom gets below 65% charge.

Just wondering what is best for the battery.

 

[Nuspieds]

I remember when I purchased a cordless phone many years ago, my friend said that I shouldn't keep it on the charger all the time; that I should let it drain, as it was better for the battery so that it would last longer. Now fast forward and I remember someone telling me that it is not necessary to do that with Li-ion batteries.

Well, whatever, but all I know is that the purpose of having a mobile device is so that you can use it in a mobile manner. Imagine, due to battery constraints, that you had to let your battery drain to whatever low number and then you needed to use the device while being mobile without having or knowing you will have the ability to charge while you're on the go. Is this where we're at with battery technology?

I keep my SP "docked" as I did my laptop, so it is always plugged in and if I need it to go, I know it has 100% full charge. Same for my iPhone and its Bluetooth earpiece. When the time comes that the battery is no longer holding a charge (for whatever the reason), then that's when I change the battery/device.

 

[Deryl McCarty]

As I recall, there is less of a battery memory issue with Li-On batteries than with the much older NiCad ones. But there are several studies and hence recommendations that at least every so often and at the outset full discharge is helpful. I am sure that if there are 100 folks in this room there will be at least 101 opinions on this issue. Bing it to see the competing studies.

 

[roteixeira]

Call me paranoid, but I always use it cordless. When it reaches 15%, I charge it again. I've been doing that for many years and I will keep doing that. Maybe it's just coincidence, but my Macbook pro battery was lasting 2 hour after three years of use. My friend used his like desktop and his battery only lasted 30 minutes.

I don't know, if it doesn't hurt, why don't we do it?

 

[jeffskent]

I agree and leave both my Pro and iPhone always plugged in when I'm home. If Microsoft and Apple can't devise a method of not over charging the battery, than who can? I've read that the Li-ion batteries work best when almost fully charged all of the time. My iPhone batteries seem to last up to 2 years before the battery or the device needs replacement. I have a 2 year warranty on the Pro so I may be able to get the device replaced via the warranty if the battery fails to hold an adequate charge, but I'm not counting on this. My old iPhone 3GS only holds a charge for about 30 minutes now, but I can always leave that plugged in, or replace the battery for less than $50 installed. Why worry?

 

[malberttoo]

I never worried about it, because on a device that I use all the time, I figured that the extra time that spent trying to manage plugged/not plugged situations, wasn't worth the extra few months of life I may get from the battery. I don't believe that aggressive management of battery charge will give it substantially more life, so I just don't worry about it.

Also I spend a fair amount of time doing IT work "in the field", and so try to keep my battery topped off as much as possible, because I never know when I'm going to be away from an outlet for longer than normal.

My boss is a bit obsessive about the battery charge thing, trying to always let his devices run to almost empty before recharging. I kid you not, has to be at least 5 times now that I have showed up to do work that he requested for his laptop, only to find the thing shutting down due to low battery, and his charger is on a different floor, building, etc.


Anyways, my two cents' worth.


-Michael

 

[ArnoldC]

We have an existing thread and we beat this to death. Short version, it wouldn't hurt letting it plugged in.