| Buying a brand new battery? If so you may be | | | | that is new. Let me be very clear and define |
| inclined to ask about the age of the battery | | | | what a new battery is and is not! A new |
| inventory at your battery supplier of choice! | | | | battery is NOT: a battery that was charged, |
| For that matter does the age of the battery | | | | connected to a device, been opened or |
| really matter? | | | | chemically activated in any way. Now be very |
| | | | careful with any assumption you may have |
| It is a good question to ask. A battery is a | | | | where a battery could still be considered new |
| consumable product. Think about your favorite | | | | even after it was charged, connected to a |
| restaurant? Would you eat there if you knew | | | | device, been opened or chemically activated |
| that your salad of choice had ingredients | | | | in any way. Why? |
| that were 6 months old? Probably not! But | | | | |
| with batteries is there such a thing as an | | | | Inside the battery itself, is a chemical |
| old battery? The answer is yes! | | | | reaction that produces the electrons. The |
| | | | chemical reaction is designed for a single |
| You see batteries as a consumable have a | | | | purpose: to create an electron flow (i.e. |
| shelf-life meaning that a battery will only | | | | electricity) by which the device is powered. |
| last a certain amount of time before it is | | | | The electron flow is measured (or moves at |
| unusable. Now I am not speaking about a | | | | speeds) in amperes, where 1 ampere is the |
| battery's declining capacity. Declining | | | | flow of 62,000,000,000,000,000,000 electrons |
| capacity is a natural process of a battery | | | | per second! Therefore once the chemical is |
| use that once declining capacity begins the | | | | activated and the flow of electrons takes |
| battery will degrade to the point of | | | | place, even for a second, then the loss of |
| non-operability. Technically speaking | | | | power and battery degradation begins and |
| declining capacity is when the amount of | | | | there is no stopping it. Once battery |
| charge a battery can hold gradually decreases | | | | degradation begins a battery is considered |
| due to usage, aging, and with some chemistry, | | | | used and its natural life will deplete in a |
| lack of maintenance. PDA batteries, for | | | | matter of time. |
| example, are specified to deliver about 100 | | | | |
| percent capacity when new but after usage and | | | | Now a new battery (a battery that was NEVER |
| aging and lack of conditioning a pda | | | | charged, connected to a device, been opened |
| battery's capacity will drop. This is normal. | | | | or chemically activated in any way can have a |
| If you are using a pda battery (or any | | | | shelf-life up to 36 months (under certain |
| lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery) when | | | | conditions). My personal preference is to |
| your battery's capacity reaches 60% to 70% | | | | never buy a new battery that has been sitting |
| the pda battery will need to be replaced. | | | | on the shelf for more than 18 months. But |
| Standard industry practice will warranty a | | | | again that is merely a personal preference. |
| battery above 80%. Below 80% typically means | | | | Batteries that are left in temperature |
| you have used the practical life of a | | | | extremes will not last as long and may |
| battery. Thus the threshold by which a | | | | degrade within a few weeks or less if the |
| battery can be returned under warranty is | | | | weather is really extreme. Brand new |
| typically 80%. | | | | batteries that are less than 12 months old |
| | | | are your best choice as they represent your |
| But when I speak about the shelf-life of a | | | | "freshest" battery type. |
| battery I am speaking wholly of a battery | | | | |