Some rechargeable batteries have a "memory" and charge less if not fully discharged. What is the best way to charge them if not used regularly?
2042974
I honestly haven't had to charge it as of yet.. we have used it tons.... sometimes I just stick it in the window and let it charge a couple of hours., or to keep it charged... I have purchased over a dozen of these for family members and for gifts... we take them camping and use as in emergency power outages.. they are WELL worth the money!
2042975
The batteries in the d.light LED Solar lantern are nickel-metal hydride. They do not develop a memory. You can recharge the lantern at any point of its use cycle with no concerns of shortening battery life.
2042976
D.light recently advised that their S300 Lantern now uses long life LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries. Check WikiP for details on LiFePO4 rechargeables. If the S20 has also changed from a NiMH battery pack (in the case of my S10, 3 NiMH 1.2V 350mAh cells) to a safe, long life 3.2 LFP rechargeable battery; then just top it up as necessary. Perhaps someone can comment on whether there is now any overcharge and/or discharge protection? My OLPC XO-1 uses LFP cells, & I left it for over a year - with a steady constant battery drain. However, I appear to have had no problems, in now recharging a totally dead battery pack :-) D.light recently advised that their S300 Lantern now uses long life LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries. Check WikiP for details on LiFePO4 rechargeables. If the S20 has also changed from a NiMH battery pack (in the case of my S10, 3 NiMH 1.2V 350mAh cells) to a safe, long life 3.2 LFP rechargeable battery; then just top it up as necessary. Perhaps someone can comment on whether there is now any overcharge and/or discharge protection? My OLPC XO-1 uses LFP cells, & I left it for over a year - with a steady constant battery drain. However, I appear to have had no... » Read More D.light recently advised that their S300 Lantern now uses long life LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries. Check WikiP for details on LiFePO4 rechargeables. If the S20 has also changed from a NiMH battery pack (in the case of my S10, 3 NiMH 1.2V 350mAh cells) to a safe, long life 3.2 LFP rechargeable battery; then just top it up as necessary. Perhaps someone can comment on whether there is now any overcharge and/or discharge protection? My OLPC XO-1 uses LFP cells, & I left it for over a year - with a steady constant battery drain. However, I appear to have had no problems, in now recharging a totally dead battery pack :-) « Show Less
193177
There are low drain rechargeable batteries on the market. These hold their charge longer even when not in use. They are what I use and buy then off Ebay.
876451
the batteries are charged at a certain percentage, best for storage. its not fully charged
1983804
Store your batteries fully charged. Also, try to avoid letting lithium ion batteries (like the ones in cell phones) discharge completely after the initial 4-5 cycle "break in" period.. Repeatedly draining them all the way can shorten battery life. Most battery chargers have a protection circuit built in so leaving a battery in the charger past the time it is fully charged will not harm it.
1039868
Pop the batteries into the unit and it charges. Will stop when they are full. If you want to refresh, then place batteries into unit and press and hold refresh button for a few seconds. Refresh will take over night. Overall on the best chargers!
2207104
I believe lithium batteries do not have the memory problems other rechargeables do, so you can recharge them before they are fully drained.
782229
Michael, because these are Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), they have a memory. In other words they remember how low their charge gets, before they are recharged, Charging them too soon, will prevent you from getting all the battery has to offer. Try to charge them when they get very low. That way you'll get the longest life from them. Keep in mind that the hotter the batteries get, the more internal damage occurs. Try not to let them get too hot. Their life cycle will be shortened. Use them, charge them, and then use them again is probably the best bet, unless you have some sophisticated temperature, current and an adjustable charger at hand. Norm Michael, because these are Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), they have a memory. In other words they remember how low their charge gets, before they are recharged, Charging them too soon, will prevent you from getting all the battery has to offer. Try to charge them when they get very low. That way you'll get the longest life from them. Keep in mind that the hotter the batteries get, the more internal damage occurs. Try not to let them get too hot. Their life cycle will be shortened. Use them, charge them, and then use them again is probably the best bet, unless you have some sophisticated... » Read More Michael, because these are Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), they have a memory. In other words they remember how low their charge gets, before they are recharged, Charging them too soon, will prevent you from getting all the battery has to offer. Try to charge them when they get very low. That way you'll get the longest life from them. Keep in mind that the hotter the batteries get, the more internal damage occurs. Try not to let them get too hot. Their life cycle will be shortened. Use them, charge them, and then use them again is probably the best bet, unless you have some sophisticated temperature, current and an adjustable charger at hand. Norm « Show Less
1467131
I wouldnt leave it charged all the time. Could effect the life of the rechargeable battery.
172333
I read that these batteries, if not used frequently used, tend to go dormant and the chargers will not charge. Need to connect battery to a regular battery charger to re-energize. Recommend you try to charge another battery or investigate the dormant battery issue for your specific equipment. Hope this helps.
1766642
Mine stays charged for longer, but I don't use it often enough to know how to charge them.
1361282
I leave mine on a charger at all times and it doesn't appear to damage or effect performance. perhaps there is some battery expert out there who can offer a more educated response.
2134899
I learned that sometimes running a discharge cycle first then let the charger do it's job works really well but if the batteries are there for hours, there most be something wrong, are the batteries new or are they over a year old? Some old batteries will never charge. There's a chance also that the charger may be defective.
775653
Yes it may have some level of charge, I would let it discharge completely and then fully charge it. Better safe then sorry. Some batteries develop a "Memory" charge and they do not retain a full long life memory. Please "Goggle" the term memory charge regarding batteries for a complete understanding.
1371680
You should never fully discharge Li-Ion batteries, it will destroy them, and any decent charger will refuse to charge dead Li-Ion's. They come new charged at 90%, so it's OK to use them. When they are at 2.7v, they need to be charged. It's OK to charge often, they don't have a cycle life, just a shelf life.
266997
Sometimes "New" batteries have sat on shelves for so long they have discharged completely. I advise getting Rechargeable batteries with a charger, remove and install when fully charged light indicates full charge. Otherwise, return the timer for a new one, could be a lemon, it happens. My cheap-o batteries from the dollar store barely lasted a month, but the rechargeables are still running after 3 months.
1579383
after drained, you should charge again, and if you drain to a half capacity, you don't need to wait for full draine (discharge) to recharge again, it doesn't have memory effect, so always u can recharge the batteries without worries about how much drained has been.
1679366
The manual does not indicate there is any need to drain the battery fully. Lithium ion batteries like these do not have the "memory" issues that many older re-chargeable batteries have. It charges just fine in wall-mounted chargers (from Anker and from others), as well as charging just fine in the phone, or in a separate Samsung charging cradle.