Share your battery power cycle/calibration methodes

[MaxBga]

Never let my phone die too. I have a 6S+ right now but it's always been the same. Charged to 100% on the morning & plugged by 30/25% every night. 10% maximum if I'm far from a charger.

I hate letting it die it's frustrating & not good for the battery

 

[ultravisitor]

I hate letting it die it's frustrating & not good for the battery

Exactly. In a year, a battery that has been drained 100% every time and then charged 300 times will be in worse shape than a battery that has been drained 50% every time and then charged 300 times.

 

[Rocko9999]

I use the phone. Charge when I think about. Spend other valuable seconds focusing on more important issues.

 

[Shadowbech]

I don't generally drain my battery each time but I only do it when I first buy the device just to see how long it will last. Otherwise I charge every night (it's down to 80%) or every other night (down to 40%). And I do fully drain it once every 2-3 month and battery has been great.

 

[TroyBoy30]

Exactly. In a year, a battery that has been drained 100% every time and then charged 300 times will be in better shape than a battery that has been drained 50% every time and then charged 300 times.

pretty sure thats backwards.

 

[ultravisitor]

pretty sure thats backwards.

Oh, right. DUH.

I'll fix it.

 

[NewdestinyX]

Exactly. In a year, a battery that has been drained 100% every time and then charged 300 times will be in worse shape than a battery that has been drained 50% every time and then charged 300 times.

Yes.. this (now, post edit ) is a correct statement.. A modern LiON battery has a limited amount of "full charge" cycles before the battery weakens permanently. It's way better to recharge regularly from anywhere above 15-20%.. BUT it's still the input of Apple and modern LiON battery manufacturers to calibrate the cycle memory mechanism of the battery at least monthly by running the battery down to under 10% and then fully recharge without using. NOT doing this won't hurt your battery - but your battery % readout and specs might get wonky and inaccurate if you don't. That's happened to me often over the years - and a near full discharge fixes it every time.

 

[ZombiePete]

Yes.. this (now, post edit ) is a correct statement.. A modern LiON battery has a limited amount of "full charge" cycles before the battery weakens permanently. It's way better to recharge regularly from anywhere above 15-20%.. BUT it's still the input of Apple and modern LiON battery manufacturers to calibrate the cycle memory mechanism of the battery at least monthly by running the battery down to under 10% and then fully recharge without using. NOT doing this won't hurt your battery - but your battery % readout and specs might get wonky and inaccurate if you don't. That's happened to me often over the years - and a near full discharge fixes it every time.

It's only "still" the opinion of Apple if you scour archived sites for this advice. You won't find any current Apple pages supporting this procedure, but NewdestinyX continues to perpetuate this as Apple's current recommendation. In fact, Apple has in the past advised that you make sure you go through at least one battery discharge/charge cycle every month, however a full discharge and charge cycle does not mean to drain your battery to 5% and then charge to 100%; it can take days of regular uses and partial discharges to go through a full charging cycle.

No current Apple documentation that I or NewdestinyX have found recommends the monthly calibration procedure. Yes, some websites out there will suggest doing it every few months for LiOn batteries if you're noticing issues, but they are often from 2012 or older. If you're having issues with your battery percentages then this procedure won't make things worse, but there is no need and no modern guidance from Apple recommending this to be done as a regular, monthly thing.

 

[NewdestinyX]

It's only "still" the opinion of Apple if you scour archived sites for this advice. You won't find any current Apple pages supporting this procedure, but NewdestinyX continues to perpetuate this as Apple's current recommendation. In fact, Apple has in the past advised that you make sure you go through at least one battery discharge/charge cycle every month, however a full discharge and charge cycle does not mean to drain your battery to 5% and then charge to 100%; it can take days of regular uses and partial discharges to go through a full charging cycle.

No current Apple documentation that I or NewdestinyX have found recommends the monthly calibration procedure. Yes, some websites out there will suggest doing it every few months for LiOn batteries if you're noticing issues, but they are often from 2012 or older. If you're having issues with your battery percentages then this procedure won't make things worse, but there is no need and no modern guidance from Apple recommending this to be done as a regular, monthly thing.

ZombiePete is purposefully, or for his own agenda I would guess , leaving out an important piece of data. That Apple took away their recommendation because they felt it was confusing people, not at all because it's no longer their opinion that it's a good thing to do. Just go to any lithium ion battery manufacturer website and you'll see that it still the current opinion and recommendation of all such companies.

And dropping to below 5% is necessary for the recalibration to be effective. Read up folks. Easy to find with simple Google searches.

 

[Atomic Walrus]

And dropping to below 5% is necessary for the recalibration to be effective. Read up folks. Easy to find with simple Google searches.

It's true that calibration of the actual range the device shows as 0-100% is still a thing, but it needs to be clear that this isn't something you do to improve the lifespan of the battery. All that's happening is that the system is "learning" what the practical voltage range of your battery is when you allow the device to run from max to min operating voltage. On modern devices I see no reason to ever actually do this unless your battery meter seems to be completely off (device stops charging well below 100%, drops suddenly from 10% to shutdown, runs for hours at 1%, that sort of thing).

Lots of people are still advising each other to do regular deep discharges to "improve" their batteries, which is complete fiction (they're just wasting cycles, which can only make things worse).

 

[NewdestinyX]

It's true that calibration of the actual range the device shows as 0-100% is still a thing, but it needs to be clear that this isn't something you do to improve the lifespan of the battery. All that's happening is that the system is "learning" what the practical voltage range of your battery is when you allow the device to run from max to min operating voltage. On modern devices I see no reason to ever actually do this unless your battery meter seems to be completely off (device stops charging well below 100%, drops suddenly from 10% to shutdown, runs for hours at 1%, that sort of thing).

Lots of people are still advising each other to do regular deep discharges to "improve" their batteries, which is complete fiction (they're just wasting cycles, which can only make things worse).

Totally agreed! Who has said otherwise? Not me ! we no longer need to "condition our batteries" to increase their lifespan with this procedure. That hasn't been needed for over a decade with nickel cadmium batteries back in the day. We're only talking about informing the battery meter of its top and bottom. And this gets off about 6 to 8 times for me in the life of the one year I keep any iPhone. So doing it once a month is a good idea as general practice that Apple still out lines on their UK site as do the battery manufacturers.

I will agree that some people who talk on this topic still do believe they need to condition their batteries to increase its lifespan. And we agree that's very old news. It also has nothing at all to do with what I just talked about and what Apple and lion battery manufacturers still recommend.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

OP, you'll find many varying opinions, but I don't think you can go wrong with what I do:

1) When I get a brand new iPhone I charge it up and then use the phone as normal and charge it at night for a couple of days. This gets the juice flowing in and out of the battery cells, which is what lithium batteries like.

2) After a few days of use, I take it off the charger in the morning when it is at 100% and I don't charge it again until the phone runs completely out of juice. I then charge it up to 100% with zero interruptions.

3) I then use the phone every day and plug it in every night. Every three months or so, I'll repeat Step 2.

My procedures are done to ensure the iPhone's software is properly calibrated to the battery, which does slowly change over time. My process is simple and worry-free. Even if it doesn't do a darn thing, it certainly doesn't hurt anything. It can only help thing get better.

Hope this helps.

 

[Atomic Walrus]

Totally agreed! Who has said otherwise? Not me ! we no longer need to "condition our batteries" to increase their lifespan with this procedure. That hasn't been needed for over a decade with nickel cadmium batteries back in the day. We're only talking about informing the battery meter of its top and bottom. And this gets off about 6 to 8 times for me in the life of the one year I keep any iPhone. So doing it once a month is a good idea as general practice that Apple still out lines on their UK site as do the battery manufacturers.

I will agree that some people who talk on this topic still do believe they need to condition their batteries to increase its lifespan. And we agree that's very old news. It also has nothing at all to do with what I just talked about and what Apple and lion battery manufacturers still recommend.

My tone was probably a bit wrong, wasn't actually my intention to argue against what you were saying. Just wanted to be extra, super, kindergarten level clear that it doesn't actually improve battery lifespan because... well look at the thread. Many people apparently don't see a difference between calibration and conditioning and will take any calibration advice as something they should do daily to keep their batteries healthy.

In fact, re-reading this thread I'm wondering if many people think the term "calibration" has something to do with the battery chemistry, as though you're calibrating the batteries internal chemistry and not the OS battery meter.

 

[markthrash]

I used to think letting my battery drain on a normal basis was good until I came across that that isn't entirely necessary with these batteries. It was some years back, but not with these. In fact, your phone, computer, or tablet has so many times that it can be turned off and on until it dies. Takes a good few thousand times but still there, nonetheless.

 

[ZombiePete]

ZombiePete is purposefully, or for his own agenda I would guess , leaving out an important piece of data. That Apple took away their recommendation because they felt it was confusing people, not at all because it's no longer their opinion that it's a good thing to do.

Another poster in a different thread suggested that might be why they removed the information, and you picked it up and ran with it as if it were a fact even when they reminded you they had no real basis for saying that other than idle speculation. You're grasping at straws.

 

[Captain America]

I just relax and enjoy my new iPhone 6S. Like I did with the iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5S and 6. Never joined that calibration party

Oh hey, you hopped on board when I did. Though I did trade my 5 for an S3 shortly after getting it because I was bored with Apple and wanted to see what the fuss with Android was all about.

 

[NewdestinyX]

Another poster in a different thread suggested that might be why they removed the information, and you picked it up and ran with it as if it were a fact even when they reminded you they had no real basis for saying that other than idle speculation. You're grasping at straws.

No straws to grasp at, Pete. My info on this topic is irrefutable and completely supportable. It was you in the other thread that challenged us to find ONE Apple article that backed the position of the 'monthly meter calibration'. Which we were able to produce for you. Since then you've been backpedalling a bit from your original pushback. Which is exactly what you SHOULD do as saying that running the phone down to near empty and recharging full has ZERO helpful effect to us as users (your assertion in the other thread originally) was just plain wrong.

At this point - it's best to focus on our points of agreement. Before yesterday I still believed that running the phone to 0% and it turning off was a needed part of the meter calibration. I was wrong. You believed that no calibration steps of any kind are ever necessary under any condition and was a leftover from decades ago practice. You were wrong.

What's true is exactly what Apple states in their UK Battery Management article (cited in other thread) and in Apple's US archives and what several battery manufacturers say about their products, which is generally this: that at least once a month (or when you notice weirdness in the readout) running the battery to near bottom (somewhere under 10% - this varies with the manufacturer you read) and then a full recharge over any period of time - properly calibrates the battery's readout mechanism for its true top and bottom. And that we both agree that if you have no weird battery readings - you don't need to do it. AND we both agree that this process does NOTHING to increase the battery's life.

I think that's where we can agree and provide clarity for this thread and others like it.

 

[treichert]

Interesting that apples site no longer says to do this.

Because it no longer exists, as it is no longer necessary.

Just use the phone during the day and charge it over night.

You obsess way too much about something, that makes absolutely no difference.

 

[NewdestinyX]

Because it no longer exists, as it is no longer necessary.

And you would be 100% incorrect.. Read a little.. and wise up, my friend. Already explained why Apple took it off.. Do you just 'skim'?

Just use the phone during the day and charge it over night.
You obsess way too much about something, that makes absolutely no difference.

I DO agree.. no obsessing is necessary. But it does make SOME difference, in SOME situations.

 

[treichert]

Apple's recommendation for years has been to, at least monthly let the battery discharge down to under 5% and then do a full charge back up to 100%

Nope, Apple's recommendation has been and still is to use at least one battery cycle per month.

That has nothing to do with calibration or conditioning. Using one cycle would also be using 20% of battery, charging it back to 100%, using 80% of battery and charging it back up. Tadaa, one cycle.

 

[NewdestinyX]

Nope, Apple's recommendation has been and still is to use at least one battery cycle per month.

That has nothing to do with calibration or conditioning. Using one cycle would also be using 20% of battery, charging it back to 100%, using 80% of battery and charging it back up. Tadaa, one cycle.

Who has said otherwise? One 'cycle' can also be running it down under 5% and doing full recharge. No difference. But thank you for at least acknowledging Apple's recommendation to make sure the battery meter is calibrated correctly. Don't tell me you've never seen a full charge on your phone leave you at only 99% or your phone go off at only 15% on the battery %.. I guess maybe you don't use the '%' indicator. I have this happen about 6-8 times during the course of the year that I keep a phone.. on every phone since iPhone 1 in 2007. Happens to all of us. It's just the nature of LiON batteries.

Here's a great article on the topic where the guy does a lot of quoting from Apple techs over the years about LiON batteries and need for this occasional calibration. This guy's opinion on his own would be worth nothing without the Apple tech excerpts cited. He starts with the old paradigm of NiCad conditioning and compares and contrasts the difference between them and the modern Lithium Ion batteries in our iPhones. Enjoy!

http://mygeekopinions.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-is-battery-calibration-and-when.html