Maintenance of the Li-Ion batteries?

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tank29

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Messages
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Location
Houston
# of dives
50 - 99
I recently purchased the 10W Li-Ion light and I have some questions about how to maintain the batteries. I've read some different suggestions in maintaining healthy Li-Ion batteries, ranging from long term storage in the freezer to storing with no charge, storing with partial charge and everything in between (the concern is supposedly the Li-Ion batteries losing their capacity over time based on the storage charge levels).

Questions:
Short term storage (1-3 weeks between use) - Should they be stored at full charge or at some other charge level?

Long term storage (3+ weeks between use) - Same question.

Charging after use - If the batteries weren't fully discharged during diving, should they be prior to charging again?

Thanks for the help!
 
Hi,
Sorry for the delay. I just got back in the office after being away for a week.

Freezing is never a good idea for any cell with a liquid electrolyte, eg Nickel Metal Hydride, Lithium Ion, Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries. A cool dry location, away from flammable materials is always best.
Lithium Ion batteries, like Nikel Metal Hydride battteries, do not have a memory, that is that you can partially discharge the pack and then recharge or reuse without having to completely discharge or condition the pack. Lithium Ion batteries do have a higher internal discharge rate than NiMH batteries, that is, if left for periods of time without charging, they will discharge by themselves faster than other batteries. This can be a problem if the cell voltage gets too low, it can actually permanently damage the cells. So, the best bet is to use the pack and keep it charging on a smart charging system that will top it off as needed and keep it ready for use. The longest I would go without charging is a month for a fully charged pack and two weeks for a partially discharged pack. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Best regards, Carl




I recently purchased the 10W Li-Ion light and I have some questions about how to maintain the batteries. I've read some different suggestions in maintaining healthy Li-Ion batteries, ranging from long term storage in the freezer to storing with no charge, storing with partial charge and everything in between (the concern is supposedly the Li-Ion batteries losing their capacity over time based on the storage charge levels).

Questions:
Short term storage (1-3 weeks between use) - Should they be stored at full charge or at some other charge level?

Long term storage (3+ weeks between use) - Same question.

Charging after use - If the batteries weren't fully discharged during diving, should they be prior to charging again?

Thanks for the help!
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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