Do I really need to fully charge my new Ipod battery?
I don’t believe that the OP’s question is about intellectual or academic curiosity, nor that my original answer equals the “unquestioning obedience” that Mr. Chuckles so despises. I found Apple’s ipod battery FAQ, and one of the answers indicates that one does not have to “prime” the battery for 24 hours. Only until the battery full indicator displays. The FAQ also addresses the “memory effect” concern as well as whether one should drain the battery completely between uses or recharge it whenever it is convenient. What ManInSuit does with this information is up to him. Good luck.
Almost all historical rechargeable battery issues is due to ‘dumb’ chargers which overcharge cells, and hence overheat them. Overheating is bad for the chemistry. I take terrapin’s point, ‘why not just do it’. No offense intended, but I kind of despise that lack of curiosity, and the unquestioning obedience.. I’ve no experience with lithium ion batteries, but JackFlash’s point seems quite sensible. I second the call for an EE to clear all this up. Trust me, you need much more than just an EE. Also, you might actually be looking for a highly specialized chemical engineer, rather than electrical. Even then, there is so much misinformation out there about batteries and charging.. Unlike nickel and lead-based batteries, Memory effect is a myth. You probably haven’t ever owned a battery that exhibited memory effect. Good links about batteries would be very much appreciated, especially something like a thorough summary aimed at academi
