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App request: battery drainer

S

stofferdk

macrumors regular
Original poster
hi there,

I wondered if someone could make an app with one simple
purpose: to drain battery. In that way my iphone can be charged freshly everytime I cradle it.
 
Battery life is dependent on a certain amount of cycles. Why would you want this? It's not quite worth doing more than every month or so.
 
stofferdk said:
hi there,

I wondered if someone could make an app with one simple
purpose: to drain battery. In that way my iphone can be charged freshly everytime I cradle it.
Click to expand...

I actually like the idea of that app, but I think depending on who you ask a lot of people believe that putting the battery through a complete cycle each time is actually unhealthy for it?

Even if thats the case that app would definitely be sweet
 
This would be a pretty cool app.
But I'm with the people who say it's unhealthy for the battery.
 
It would help for when you want to do a complete cycling of the battery, but you shouldn't do that every charge time. I think that draining the battery each time would not be a good thing for the health of the battery. I only charge my iPod touch whenever the battery falls below 20%.
 
Thnak you for your quick replies.

You might be right about the concerns with draining the battery before each charge - HOWEVER,

I do for a fact know, that Apple Denmark recommends all MacBook owners to drain the battery completely in the boot sequence before entering OSX once a WEEK.

Totally different batteries I guess, but I would drain my iPhone too once a week for a fresh charge if I had an app able to drain the battery completely somehow.
 
stofferdk said:
Thnak you for your quick replies.

You might be right about the concerns with draining the battery before each charge - HOWEVER,

I do for a fact know, that Apple Denmark recommends all MacBook owners to drain the battery completely in the boot sequence before entering OSX once a WEEK.

Totally different batteries I guess, but I would drain my iPhone too once a week for a fresh charge if I had an app able to drain the battery completely somehow.
Click to expand...

Ya, but that's a Macbook.
This is an iPhone.
I doubt that they have different batteries in Denmark than in other countries.
That would be like giving an iPod a different battery. XD
 
I think it's recommended to do a complete drain once a month with the iPhone. An app like this would be nice.

However, I'd REALLY like to see a Battery Monitor app--something that gives accurate info on charge status, number of cycles, etc.
 
outz said:
doesn't the iphone 3g have this ability built in?
Click to expand...
Assuming that you are not joking (even though I think that you are), no, the iPhone 3G doesn't have any feature like this, although many apps out there (Super Monkey Ball in particular) eat up the battery life like there is no tomorrow.
 
Play a movie with the screen on max brightness.

That's your best bet at the moment. (For an unattended phone that is. Playing a game may drain it faster, but you'd have to be there, playing it.)
 
Ugh, let's lay off the critical remarks.

The following are both true of lithium-ion batteries:

1. Recharging a partially discharged lithium-ion battery is more healthy than recharging a fully discharged lithium-ion battery.
2. It is beneficial to fully discharge the battery, in regular intervals, in order to preserve the accuracy of the battery gauge meter.

And now, ladies and gents, proof:

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
 
Xephon said:
Ugh, let's lay off the critical remarks.

The following are both true of lithium-ion batteries:

1. Recharging a partially discharged lithium-ion battery is more healthy than recharging a fully discharged lithium-ion battery.
2. It is beneficial to fully discharge the battery, in regular intervals, in order to preserve the accuracy of the battery gauge meter.

And now, ladies and gents, proof:

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better myself. Short top offs are fine with only 1 full drain needed per month.

From Apple's Website :

Standard Technology

Lithium-ion batteries pack in a higher power density than nickel-based batteries. This gives you a longer battery life in a lighter package, as lithium is the lightest metal. You can also recharge a lithium-ion battery whenever convenient, without the full charge or discharge cycle necessary to keep nickel-based batteries at peak performance. (Over time, crystals build up in nickel-based batteries and prevent you from charging them completely, necessitating an inconvenient full discharge.)

For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, it’s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally. Be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down).

Source: http://www.apple.com/batteries/
 
Path Tracker will do it for $.99

On an iPhone the Path Tracker App constantly polls the current location API which causes a heavy hit on the battery. The phone gets warm and you can almost see the battery meter falling (just kidding).

I don't subscribe to the battery discharging theory, but to each his own. I think a monthly drain/full recharge cycle helps keep the battery meter in calibration, since that value is a calculation not an actual measure of the battery capacity.
 
Worst App idea ever. Apple would never allow such a destructive App that would drastically increases iPhone replacements due to shorted lithium ion battery life. Draining a lithium Ion battery cases crystals to grow and reduces the charge up value. It ONLY needs to be done occasionally to reset the voltage regulator and even then is bad for the actual battery. The more charge it maintains and the less it is drained the longer it lasts.
 
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