Newbie question - will using the iPad plugged in make it last longer?

[The OB]

There's no doubt that using the iPad plugged in make it last longer, it is because i have a iPad, and i have used it for a long time...

I think yes it'll last longer because you are still charging it while in use.

SIGH!!

 

[giradman]

SIGH!!

Hi Andrew - LOL! Don't you just love these 'leap of faith' statements -

For those who did not go to my second link previously posted, below is one of many graphs & charts - regarding depth of discharge, the worst practice is to repeatedly discharge the battery completely and often (battery life given in 'discharge cycles' - low is bad). Partial, minimal discharges (e.g. the 10% & 25% shown) seem to provide many more charging cycles suggesting likely the best option from this data.

Apple usually states that their batteries will last 500 to 1000 'complete' discharge cycles and at that point will maintain 80% of their capacity (of course, there are so many other variables, such as heat exposure) - a complete discharge is recommended about once a month to 'recalibrate' the battery's monitoring system. Otherwise, using the iPad unplugged (MUCH more convenient for me, at least) and not letting the device discharge more that say 50% before recharging might be the best practice - for me, I usually plug in the power when my Air 2 battery hits 60%-70% - and keep in mind that discharges/recharges are cumulative to 100% which is defined as a 'complete' cycle - e.g. if you allow the battery to hit 80% and then recharge, 5 of these recharges would be a whole cycle. Dave
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[BobbyBoomer]

Thanks again Dave.

So if I understand all of this correctly:

Using it while plugged in will make it last the longest (however this can be inconvenient at times - especially while couch surfing)

Frequent charging is better than letting it run down and re-charge except for a once a month discharge.

Please correct me if I've misunderstood.

Thanks again,
Bob

 

[giradman]

So if I understand all of this correctly:

Using it while plugged in will make it last the longest (however this can be inconvenient at times - especially while couch surfing)

Frequent charging is better than letting it run down and re-charge except for a once a month discharge.

Hi Bob - believe that you've got a plan! Discharge near completely (I go to < 10% - don't want an exhaustive discharge, might destroy a Li Ion battery) about once a month to recalibrate the battery's monitoring system; then I usually recharge when the battery has lost 20%-30% (plus or minus) - the battery should function fine until the next iPad I want to buy - again I cannot really be tethered to a charging cord, so my compromise w/ an iPad - Dave

 

[The OB]

Hi Bob - believe that you've got a plan! Discharge near completely (I go to < 10% - don't want an exhaustive discharge, might destroy a Li Ion battery) about once a month to recalibrate the battery's monitoring system; then I usually recharge when the battery has lost 20%-30% (plus or minus) - the battery should function fine until the next iPad I want to buy - again I cannot really be tethered to a charging cord, so my compromise w/ an iPad - Dave

Spot on info there, Dave. Like you, generally I'm tending to recharge when at 50%. When all is said and done I'm just thinking there's not much value in worrying about the battery, (it might be due to my attention span) as iPad batteries are very good indeed. Before one conks out, however, whatever the charging method, I reckon the iPad would be getting pretty long in the tooth and probably two or even three model upgrades behind, and a candidate for replacement. So probably the best approach may be to just use the thing, enjoy it and not stress about its innards.
Andrew

 

[ardchoille]

I remember reading that keeping a Lithium Ion battery always plugged in will cause it to eventually swell and destroy the device. Is this not true?

 

[scifan57]

I remember reading that keeping a Lithium Ion battery always plugged in will cause it to eventually swell and destroy the device. Is this not true?

Modern charging circuits will stop the charging current when the battery reaches full charge, preventing such damage to the battery.

 

[ardchoille]

Modern charging circuits will stop the charging current when the battery reaches full charge, preventing such damage to the battery.

Well that's a relief.

 

[The OB]

I remember reading that keeping a Lithium Ion battery always plugged in will cause it to eventually swell and destroy the device. Is this not true?

I am no expert but the situation about continued charging of a Li-Ion (the iPad's) battery is clearly summed up by giradman in post #19 and scifan in posts #6 and 27 above.
And again, to quote from a link in my post #17 above, the following extract should be clear enough:

Apple does in fact display the iPad (and iPhone and iPod Touch) as 100 percent charged just before a device reaches a completely charged state. At that point, it will continue charging to 100 percent, then discharge a bit and charge back up to 100 percent, repeating that process until the device is unplugged.

Doing so allows devices to maintain an optimum charge, Apple VP Michael Tchao told AllThingsD today.

“That circuitry is designed so you can keep your device plugged in as long as you would like,” Tchao said. “It’s a great feature that’s always been in iOS.”
My tendency would be to believe that.
Andrew

 

[BobbyBoomer]

Hi Bob - believe that you've got a plan! <...>

Thanks Dave and all who helped. I understand more about the battery in the iPod than I did before I posed the initial question.

I appreciate your generous help.

Bob