To Charge or Not To Charge

[noel18]

I picked up a few Sony VTC4s at a local vape shop. I have enough batteries now that I'm currently using but I picked up a few extras since these seem to be getting harder and harder to find. In order to get the most life out of these new batteries, is it best to leave them sit until the batteries I'm currently using die? Or, is it best to charge them and put them in my rotation? The new batteries are all currently reading 3.6v.

 

[Kevin littell]

Basic to Advanced Battery Information from Battery University



Some really good info here on batteries.

 

[Ryedan]

I picked up a few Sony VTC4s at a local vape shop. I have enough batteries now that I'm currently using but I picked up a few extras since these seem to be getting harder and harder to find. In order to get the most life out of these new batteries, is it best to leave them sit until the batteries I'm currently using die? Or, is it best to charge them and put them in my rotation? The new batteries are all currently reading 3.6v.

Here's a good read on; How to Store Batteries. The first chart shows how important temperature and state of charge is. Done right, storing them for a year or two will have very little effect on them.

 

[noel18]

Thanks guys.

 

[hazarada]

simple answer - charge/discharge them to 50% and put them in a fridge(sealed from moisture and not in the freezer!). Less than 1% degradation per year like that.

 

[Kemosabe]

40% is actually the ideal storing voltage for lithium cells.

 

[noel18]

That's something I don't quite understand. What is 50%, 40% etc.? I know 50% is half, but in battery terms what would 50% charge be? Can it ne measured in volts? For example, if using a VW box mod and the mod indicates you have 50% battery life, what does this mean in terms of volts? Is 50% 4 volts, 3.8 volts?

 

[KenD]

That's something I don't quite understand. What is 50%, 40% etc.? I know 50% is half, but in battery terms what would 50% charge be? Can it ne measured in volts? For example, if using a VW box mod and the mod indicates you have 50% battery life, what does this mean in terms of volts? Is 50% 4 volts, 3.8 volts?

Just thinking out loud, but the nominal charge is 3.6, 3.7, so it would make sense that that's the best storage voltage, and "50%".

 

[Kemosabe]

That's something I don't quite understand. What is 50%, 40% etc.? I know 50% is half, but in battery terms what would 50% charge be? Can it ne measured in volts? For example, if using a VW box mod and the mod indicates you have 50% battery life, what does this mean in terms of volts? Is 50% 4 volts, 3.8 volts?

On a 3.7v cell, 40% is 3.6v

They charge up to 4.20v, which is 100%. 3.2v is considered 0% even though the cell still works below that.

So, 3.3v is 10%, 3.4v 20%, etc

 

[noel18]

Thanks for the responses.