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Should I run the battery down to 0 the first time?

J

jayhay

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 7, 2010
47
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Just wondering if running the battery down to zero the first time before charging actually enhances battery life or if this is just a rumor?
 
jayhay said:
Just wondering if running the battery down to zero the first time before charging actually enhances battery life or if this is just a rumor?
Click to expand...

Yes, you should, it will create a fresh first charge cycle in the battery.
 
troop231 said:
Yes, you should, it will create a fresh first charge cycle in the battery.
Click to expand...

No no no. Do not run all the way down. Lithium ion batteries do not like to be run down all the way. It's not as bad as lead acid but not a good way to treat your iPad. Running all the way down was necessary back in the day of ni cad and you needed to reset the battery charge memory. I wouldn't bother with any special charge rituals. Just charge when you can and use your iPad as much as you like but don't waste time running down to zero on purpose. You are stressing the batteries needlessly.
 
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r0k said:
No no no. Do not run all the way down. Lithium ion batteries do not like to be run down all the way. It's not as bad as lead acid but not a good way to treat your iPad. Running all the way down was necessary back in the day of ni cad and you needed to reset the battery charge memory. I wouldn't bother with any special charge rituals. Just charge when you can and use your iPad as much as you like but don't waste time running down to zero on purpose. You are stressing the batteries needlessly.
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Really? Doesn't Macbooks use Lithium ion batteries as well? If so, Apple actually recommend you do run it down every 2 months or so.
 
If you want to be exact, it's a lithium-ion polymer battery in the iPad = LiPo which are different in chemistry to just a LiIon. Run the battery down to where it prompts you to plug it in, then once it's fully charged unplug it.
 
ttate90303 said:
Apple actually has a detailed page on maintaining your iPad battery found here http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipad.html. And yes you should run the battery down and recharge it.
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Good information, but they don't mentioning a full discharge cycle (unless I missed it). They do talk about it for reporting purposes, but not to excercise the battery:

For proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge, be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down).
 
Here is Apple's advice on iPad battery care:

http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipad.html

Running it to zero calibrates proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge. The verbiage seems to imply that it has a finite number of charge cycles. If that is the case, we should let it run to zero every time.

Can anyone cite a tech bulletin that confirms that?
 
barefeats said:
Here is Apple's advice on iPad battery care:

http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipad.html

Running it to zero calibrates proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge. The verbiage seems to imply that it has a finite number of charge cycles. If that is the case, we should let it run to zero every time.

Can anyone cite a tech bulletin that confirms that?
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The doc in the link you provided states that you should do the full cycle (running it from 100% to zero then charge) at least once a month not every time.
 
barefeats said:
Here is Apple's advice on iPad battery care:

http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipad.html

Running it to zero calibrates proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge. The verbiage seems to imply that it has a finite number of charge cycles. If that is the case, we should let it run to zero every time.

Can anyone cite a tech bulletin that confirms that?
Click to expand...

Just to add to AJsAWiz's response; running it to 50% and then plugging it in does not count as a full cycle. So don't worry if you plug it in at 90% level - you didn't "waste" a cycle doing so.
 
flight said:
Just to add to AJsAWiz's response; running it to 50% and then plugging it in does not count as a full cycle. So don't worry if you plug it in at 90% level - you didn't "waste" a cycle doing so.
Click to expand...

That's right - one full cycle equals 100%. So running it to 90% and recharging 10 times = 1 charge cycle.
 
ipad charge

Has anyone noticed the battery life is amazing...

Im so used to not having my iphone last all day.

BUT i have noticed my iphone charges in like 30 min
and the IPAD ....

after 30 min its charged like 15 percent... very slow charge...

but freaking lasts me forever.
 
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