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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Bird on March 05, 2019, 08:45:07 AM

Title: Keeping things 'charged'
Post by: Bird on March 05, 2019, 08:45:07 AM

So what do people do to keep things with internal or rechargeable batteries in good nick while not in use..

Things like GPS', or otehr things that charge by USB that you may only use few times a year..?

Do you leave em on charge until next time somewhere, or just worry bout it when your ready to use it next...? 

I believe that leaving it 'flat' for long periods is bad for items..

So what do you do?

Title: Re: Keeping things 'charged'
Post by: tryagain on March 05, 2019, 08:59:27 AM

Quote from: Bird on March 05, 2019, 08:45:07 AM

So what do people do to keep things with internal or rechargeable batteries in good nick while not in use..

Things like GPS', or otehr things that charge by USB that you may only use few times a year..?

Do you leave em on charge until next time somewhere, or just worry bout it when your ready to use it next...? 

I believe that leaving it 'flat' for long periods is bad for items..

So what do you do?

Whats best probably depends on what type of battery the device is using. Lithium is probably the most common, and for that there is no advantage to leaving it on charge that I know of, other things like my old Coleman HWOD had a lead-acid battery so it was different, also depends on how long the device is idle as well.

Title: Re: Keeping things 'charged'
Post by: edz on March 05, 2019, 11:39:39 AM

Things like our Camera / Navman and my phone [ aprox 5 yro ], The phone gets a run about two or three times a year [ generaly keeps the house fridge company ]  and the Navman [ aprox 4 yro ] probably half a dozen times a year, the camera usualy about the same ..
Batteries usualy are dead flat and come up, seem to hold pretty well for a few days / weeks depending on use, though the camera batteries are not holding charge as long as they used too, but thats down to being over 10 year old .

Title: Re: Keeping things 'charged'
Post by: Craig Tomkinson on March 05, 2019, 11:53:41 AM

I have boat GPSs so just plug them in every now and then so there internal battery charges up, AGM batteries put them on the charger every few weeks, Makita 18volt tools have 3 batteries just test them every now and then and then charge, Camera just charge up before a trip, Craig 

Title: Re: Keeping things 'charged'
Post by: Pottsy on March 05, 2019, 12:01:18 PM

I set a reminder on my calendar when things need recharginging, camp fan, gps, camera batteries etc
Works well, set most for every three months.

Title: Re: Keeping things 'charged'
Post by: Kangaron on March 05, 2019, 01:03:15 PM

I have some Ryobi 18v tools and batteries so always have one of these in the car.
with 5ah battery can keep a few phones etc charged for a week for so.