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How to properly store cordless tool batteries? Question
How should I store rechargeable lithium batteries for common cordless tools, to maximize their longevity?
I use the tools occasionally, so they often go months without use. Is it better to keep the battery unplugged, let it discharge if it will, and charge only when I am going to use it? Or should I buy a standalone battery charger so that I can keep it permanently plugged in and trickle charging the battery constantly, even when not in use?
1 answer
Current lithium ion batteries are best stored for long life at around 70% of full charge.
However, getting there and maintaining that for typical home power tools may be more trouble than it's worth. If you happen to run down a battery to the 50% to 75% range, just leave it after use. However, also consider self-discharge. You'd have to check every few months, then charge a bit if the battery goes below 50% or so. It may not even be something you can easily measure. Then you also have to watch the charging process and stop it when the battery gets to 75%.
Unless you can find a charger that can be set to stop charging at 75%, the above is probably not worth the hassle and the shorter run time. Remember that the last 10% takes significantly longer to charge than the rest.
I personally only try to keep batteries at the optimum lifetime point when that capability is built into the system. My laptop is currently the only example of that. Most of the time I don't use it on battery power for long, so I keep it set to stop charging at 75%. When I go on a trip where long runtime is useful, I set that to 100%, then turn it back down after getting home.
Without something like that built-in, I wouldn't bother. You'll end up replacing the rechargeable batteries every 10 years anyway. At that point the technology will have advanced so far that you get more energy storage, and the lifetime tradeoff may well be different too.
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