While charging your battery to 100% won't cause immediate, noticeable damage, it can contribute to battery degradation over time.
Long-Term Effects of 100% Charging
It's true that short-term charging to 100% won't cause immediate issues. However, according to the provided reference, maintaining a charge level between 20-80% can significantly prolong the overall lifespan of your battery. The reference states:
It is true that if you charge your battery to 100%, you won't notice any degradation for quite a while. But, over a longer period of time you will have a longer, and more sustainable battery life if you try to keep it between 20-80% as much as you can. I wouldn't stress too hard about it.03-Dec-2023
This implies that routinely charging to 100% places additional stress on the battery's internal components which can lead to faster degradation of the battery over extended periods.
Why 20-80% is Optimal
Keeping the battery within this range reduces stress and strain on the battery, preventing degradation.
Here are some points to consider:
- Avoid extremes: Both very low and very high charge levels can degrade the battery.
- Cycle count: Batteries have a limited number of charge cycles. Each full charge counts as one cycle, so avoiding 100% charges can reduce the rate at which those cycles are used.
- Heat: Charging to 100% may generate slightly more heat, which can be detrimental to battery health.
Practical Tips
To maximize your battery’s lifespan:
- Avoid fully charging whenever possible, aiming for the 80% mark.
- Don't let your battery drain completely; recharge it before it hits 20%.
- Avoid extreme temperatures when charging or discharging.
While you don’t need to be overly concerned about every single charge, following these practices can help in the long run.
