Why do batteries lose charge even if the cell phone is not used?

2 minutes read

This is how batteries lose charge despite not being used and how to avoid this being a problem.

Today’s world lives with a daily concern: the battery is not enough for everything. Charging from the phone and smart watch to a drill or lamp is a daily activity due to the constant use that is given to them, but because there are times when they are not left still and in the same way they lose energy.

Table of Contents

Having a device charged to 100% is something that lasts seconds or minutes, because it is impossible to prevent it from lowering its battery level even if it is not working or even turned off. So even a couple of stored batteries will wear out over time and it may be that when you want to use them again they are no longer useful.

The energy never stands still, it is always in motion and that is why it is ready once it comes into contact with a device. Although batteries manage to store that energy in a compact space, internally the process continues to take place.

In this way, the electrodes that are stored continue to move, despite having the device turned off or removing the battery, because at an anatomical level they continue to be on thanks to the chemical reaction that exists inside the battery, although in a much smoother way than in normal conditions. functioning.

This is called self-discharge, which is the electric discharge in the absence of an external charge on the battery, and it is something that cannot be avoided, but it does help so that the impact is not a problem.

This is how batteries lose charge despite not being used and how to avoid this being a problem.

It may interest you:

Although not all batteries work the same and each one self-discharges in a different way, for example, lithium batteries have a deterioration margin of 2 to 3% per month, while those of nickel metal hydride is 25 to 30%. per month. There are general methods that serve to minimize wear.

The first thing is that if a battery is not being used, it is best to keep it in a cold place, without going to the extreme of putting it in a freezer because it can be completely damaged. So the best option is to opt for a cool space, like a basement, and move them away from places like a workshop or garage.

It is also important to follow the instructions of each device to take care of the battery, one of the most frequent recommendations is to remove the battery if it is not going to be used, because this can also oxidize the place of contact, especially if a battery is completely discharged because begins to release chemicals.

This is how batteries lose charge despite not being used and how to avoid this being a problem.

It may interest you:

For mobile phones there are special recommendations, because a cell phone in a state of rest or still will likewise lose charge over the minutes. This is mainly due to apps running in the background.

The best way to avoid running out of battery by the end of the day, even if the mobile is not used, is to deactivate some functions that are not necessary. First of all, the location, since GPS consumes a lot, as well as Bluetooth.

But it is also important to review which applications have permissions to run in the background, to limit those accesses from those platforms that are not necessary in this type of case. As well as deactivate notifications.

Keep reading: