How Far Do You Let Your Battery Go Before You Charge ?

JimmyH · 10-31-2014, 11:25 AM

Title says it all. My H2o seems to go on and on without the necessity of a charge. For whatever reason my Voyage is using more battery. Maybe I have the light on more than on the Kobo. I keep the wireless off unless I need to download from Amazon.

As you know, before the smart phones it was suggested to let batteries run down to 20% or so because they have memory. Referring to laptops .... Smart phones have different batteries, and it doesn't matter at what point you put them on the charger.

So what about ereaders ? If my Voyage is at half mast, should I go ahead and charge it, or wait until it goes to 1/4 ? Or does it not matter at all ?

Anthem · 10-31-2014, 11:46 AM

Some interesting information about rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium..._and_discharge

I let my batter get down to around 15% and then charge up. I have no idea if this helps or hurts or doesn't matter. In general, I believe that it doesn't matter... someone more schooled in the art of battery technology (which does consist of some gray area, to be fair) may know (or think they know) better.

HarryT · 10-31-2014, 11:48 AM

Lithium batteries have no "memory". Charge whenever you want. Doesn't matter.

Mike L · 10-31-2014, 12:32 PM

For me, the decision is based on where I'm likely to be over the next few days. If I'm likely to be around my home, I might let the battery run very low before a recharge. But not if I'm travelling. I certainly don't worry about the memory effect, if any, or about letting it run down to any particular percentage.

Mike

pghaworth · 10-31-2014, 12:34 PM

If I'm on a reading stint (translation - have the time to read) I get panicky if I don't have a full charge.

I tend to charge nightly since I read a lot and keep my wifi on.

Hampshire Nanny · 10-31-2014, 12:41 PM

I put the phone on the charger before I turn on the network (3G plus Wi-Fi). I leave it there for at least overnight (if I can and even thouth it is fully charged) so that the battery won't be drawn down by the indexing of the newly-downloaded books.

Katsunami · 10-31-2014, 01:27 PM

A few days ago, I've seen the "Your Kindle is low on battery" dialog for the first time ever, because i'm reading a 1200 page book. Normally I only have one series on the device, and I sideload a new one far before the battery is empty. During and after sideloading, the Kindle will partially recharge. Generally, it is around half full all the time, unless I happen to put it on a charger on a whim.

ametzler · 10-31-2014, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyH

Title says it all.
[...]
As you know, before the smart phones it was suggested to let batteries run down to 20% or so because they have memory. Referring to laptops .... Smart phones have different batteries, and it doesn't matter at what point you put them on the charger.

So what about ereaders ?[...]

Afaik the same, they also use lion batteries.

I usually connect my kindle at least once a week by USB (for uploading the weekly lwn issue from calibre) and use that opportunity to charge it.

geekaren · 10-31-2014, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pghaworth

...I tend to charge nightly since I read a lot and keep my wifi on.

Same here

crich70 · 10-31-2014, 03:25 PM

I usually charge my PaperWhite when it's down to about .25 % of the charge.

krazy4katz · 10-31-2014, 07:21 PM

I charge around 50% just for comfort's sake. That is anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks depending on how much page flipping and highlighting I do. With the new KV, I don't know what it will be.

wallflower75 · 10-31-2014, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyH

Title says it all. My H2o seems to go on and on without the necessity of a charge. For whatever reason my Voyage is using more battery. Maybe I have the light on more than on the Kobo. I keep the wireless off unless I need to download from Amazon.

You know, I wondered if anyone else thought the Voyage battery wasn't lasting as long as the Paperwhite. I charged my Voyage right before going on a three-day mini-vacation starting Monday. I spent the five-hour trip to my destination reading, then read some more the next couple of days. Although the device still had some charge in it, it probably only had a quarter of a charge left, so I charged it on Wednesday. Granted, I did a lot more reading than the recommended "half an hour a day," but it still seems like the battery isn't lasting as long as the Paperwhite's did. Because I know I'll be asked--I've got the Wi-Fi only model, and the Wi-Fi is turned off.

Avwriter · 10-31-2014, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallflower75

You know, I wondered if anyone else thought the Voyage battery wasn't lasting as long as the Paperwhite. I charged my Voyage right before going on a three-day mini-vacation starting Monday. I spent the five-hour trip to my destination reading, then read some more the next couple of days. Although the device still had some charge in it, it probably only had a quarter of a charge left, so I charged it on Wednesday. Granted, I did a lot more reading than the recommended "half an hour a day," but it still seems like the battery isn't lasting as long as the Paperwhite's did. Because I know I'll be asked--I've got the Wi-Fi only model, and the Wi-Fi is turned off.

Amazon's battery life estimate for the Voyage is less than for the Paperwhite. Take a look at their product page. Also, keep in mind that new batteries tend to improve a bit after a few charge cycles, so I would expect it to get better after a couple of months of regular use.

crich70 · 11-02-2014, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avwriter

Amazon's battery life estimate for the Voyage is less than for the Paperwhite. Take a look at their product page. Also, keep in mind that new batteries tend to improve a bit after a few charge cycles, so I would expect it to get better after a couple of months of regular use.

So they're like new tires? They have to wear into themselves or something? Interesting. Of course they always seem to think that people only read for maybe 30 minutes a day as well. At 30 minutes a day a kindle battery is supposed to be able to go x many days without recharging, but how many of us limit ourselves that much? When I sit down to read I don't keep an eye on the clock and stop after just 30 minutes. I can sometimes read for a good hr or more before I even think to look at what the time is.

Mike L · 11-02-2014, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

Of course they always seem to think that people only read for maybe 30 minutes a day as well. At 30 minutes a day a kindle battery is supposed to be able to go x many days without recharging, but how many of us limit ourselves that much?

It's not a question of them thinking that people only read for 30 minutes a day, and certainly not one of us limiting ourselves to 30 minutes a day.

The "30 minute a day" figure is an arbitrary figure used to demonstrate the overall battery life. The figure itself doesn't mean anything. They could just as easily have used 60 minutes per day, or six hours per day.

I would have thought that was blindingly obvious, but perhaps not.

Mike

10-31-2014, 11:25 AM	#1
JimmyH Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 56396 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Greenacres, FL Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo H2O, Droid RazrMaxxHD	How Far Do You Let Your Battery Go Before You Charge ? Title says it all. My H2o seems to go on and on without the necessity of a charge. For whatever reason my Voyage is using more battery. Maybe I have the light on more than on the Kobo. I keep the wireless off unless I need to download from Amazon. As you know, before the smart phones it was suggested to let batteries run down to 20% or so because they have memory. Referring to laptops .... Smart phones have different batteries, and it doesn't matter at what point you put them on the charger. So what about ereaders ? If my Voyage is at half mast, should I go ahead and charge it, or wait until it goes to 1/4 ? Or does it not matter at all ?

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10-31-2014, 11:46 AM	#2
Anthem Guru Posts: 704 Karma: 1622328 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle Oasis, OnePlus Nord	Some interesting information about rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium..._and_discharge I let my batter get down to around 15% and then charge up. I have no idea if this helps or hurts or doesn't matter. In general, I believe that it doesn't matter... someone more schooled in the art of battery technology (which does consist of some gray area, to be fair) may know (or think they know) better.

10-31-2014, 11:48 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Lithium batteries have no "memory". Charge whenever you want. Doesn't matter.

10-31-2014, 12:32 PM	#4
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	For me, the decision is based on where I'm likely to be over the next few days. If I'm likely to be around my home, I might let the battery run very low before a recharge. But not if I'm travelling. I certainly don't worry about the memory effect, if any, or about letting it run down to any particular percentage. Mike

10-31-2014, 12:34 PM	#5
pghaworth Fervent Pleasure Seeker Posts: 1,224 Karma: 712073 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Windmills of My Mind Device: Clara HD	If I'm on a reading stint (translation - have the time to read) I get panicky if I don't have a full charge. I tend to charge nightly since I read a lot and keep my wifi on.

10-31-2014, 12:41 PM	#6
Hampshire Nanny Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 8064562 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505, Kindle 3 KB, iPad2	I put the phone on the charger before I turn on the network (3G plus Wi-Fi). I leave it there for at least overnight (if I can and even thouth it is fully charged) so that the battery won't be drawn down by the indexing of the newly-downloaded books.

10-31-2014, 01:27 PM	#7
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	A few days ago, I've seen the "Your Kindle is low on battery" dialog for the first time ever, because i'm reading a 1200 page book. Normally I only have one series on the device, and I sideload a new one far before the battery is empty. During and after sideloading, the Kindle will partially recharge. Generally, it is around half full all the time, unless I happen to put it on a charger on a whim.

10-31-2014, 03:25 PM	#10
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I usually charge my PaperWhite when it's down to about .25 % of the charge.

10-31-2014, 07:21 PM	#11
krazy4katz Addict Posts: 367 Karma: 1552656 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: [Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (KK)], Kindle Voyage, iPad Pro	I charge around 50% just for comfort's sake. That is anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks depending on how much page flipping and highlighting I do. With the new KV, I don't know what it will be.

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