Lithium batteries are a popular choice for powering electronic devices due to their high energy density, low self-discharge rate, and long lifespan. Despite their long shelf life, these batteries can still deteriorate if not used for an extended period. In our everyday life, lithium battery is widely used in the fields of communication, photography and so on. Maybe most people don’t pay much attention to them when use or if lithium-ion batteries go bad if not used.
But did you know the lithium battery could be stored for a long time? It is crucial to understand the shelf life of lithium batteries and how to store them correctly to ensure their longevity and safety. And if you don’t store it well, there will be danger occurring when using the battery.
Factors that Affect the Shelf Life of Lithium Batteries
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Image Source: Tritek
Lithium batteries have a shelf life that can be influenced by several factors. These include the battery’s chemistry, temperature, self-discharge rate, storage conditions, and manufacturing quality.
Different lithium battery chemistries, such as lithium ion and lithium polymer, have varying shelf life and storage requirements. Temperature is an important consideration as it affects battery life. High temperatures can increase the battery’s self-discharge rate and accelerate its aging process.
do lithium ion batteries go bad if not used?
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Lithium ion batteries are widely used for a wide applications, including batteries for laptops, consumer electronic battery, or car batteries. They are rechargeable, but they do have a limited lifespan. Lithium-ion batteries go bad if not used. This is a fact that most people don’t know about and it’s a problem that most people are experiencing.
The reason for this is that lithium-ion batteries contain an electrolyte solution inside them which reacts with the electrodes when they are charging or discharging. When you charge your battery, this electrolyte solution becomes unstable and creates bubbles which eventually cause your battery to fail.
How Long Can Lithium Batteries Last in Storage?
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Lithium batteries have a shelf life that depends on various factors such as their chemical composition and storage conditions. Lithium-ion batteries generally last for two to three years, while lithium-polymer batteries can last up to five years. However, the actual shelf life can vary depending on the manufacturer and storage conditions. Factors that can affect the shelf life of lithium batteries include temperature, state of charge, and the presence of impurities in the battery.
What happens if lithium batteries not used for a long time
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lithium batteries degradation
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Lithium batteries degrade over time and lose their ability to hold a charge. The degradation is caused by the lithium ions that migrate from one electrode to another during charge/discharge cycles. This process can be slowed by limiting the number of cycles, but eventually, the battery will no longer hold enough charge to operate properly or be recharged.
lithium batteries expire
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The main thing that happens when lithium-ion batteries expire is that they stop working properly. They will not be able to hold a charge as well as they did at first, which means they may need to be recharged more often than before or they will take longer to charge completely.
lithium batteries deteriorate
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Lithium batteries deteriorate over time, and the gradual loss of capacity can cause them to fail prematurely. They can also fail abruptly if they are discharged too deeply or charged too rapidly. The rate at which they deteriorate depends on the type of battery, how it is used and stored, and the environment it is stored in.
lithium batteries die
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Lithium batteries die from wear and tear on the chemical components inside of them. The chemical reactions that happen within the cells of a battery cause them to age over time. This aging process can be slowed down by keeping your batteries charged between uses. But eventually, even this will not be enough to keep them working as well as they did when new.
why do lithium batteries go bad
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There are many reasons why lithium batteries go bad. The main reason is that over time, the electrolyte inside the battery breaks down and changes its chemistry. This can happen when the battery is overcharged or discharged for long periods of time or if it’s exposed to heat or water damage. If your phone has been charging for a long time without being unplugged, this could cause the electrolyte to break down and ruin your battery.
What happens if you leave a lithium battery uncharged
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Lithium batteries have a very low self-discharge rate and can last up to 10 years. However, if you leave a lithium battery uncharged for extended periods of time it will begin to lose its battery reserve capacity over time. This means that after months or years of sitting idle, it might only hold 80 percent of its original charge potential instead of 100 percent like when it was new.
how long do unused lithium batteries last
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Lithium batteries usually last for about three to five years in storage. However, it is important that you do not store them for more than five years because they may become unusable after that period.
How long can a lithium battery be stored?
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Lithium-ion batteries have a shelf life of up to 10 years. However, if you store them in a cool, dry place and make sure they remain at around 50 percent charge, they will last even longer.
If you’re storing lithium batteries for a long period of time, it’s important to keep them at a 50 percent charge so that they don’t lose their ability to hold a charge. This can happen over time when batteries are stored at full charge or discharged too deeply.
When storing lithium batteries, it’s also important to keep them away from sources of heat. Heat can damage the battery and reduce its lifespan.
Storing lithium batteries when not in use: 3 factors to consider
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#1 Charged or uncharged
The proper way to store lithium cells is in a charged state. You can store lithium batteries in any state of charge, but it’s best if they’re charged to 50% or more. This will ensure that the battery does not go into self-discharge mode. The self-discharge rate of lithium cells depends on temperature and operating voltage.
#2 Full or empty
In general, it’s best to store lithium-ion batteries with a 50% charge. This prevents them from completely draining and avoids any damage that may occur as a result. However, if you’re going to be storing your batteries for an extended period of time, it may be beneficial to fully discharge them before putting them away.
#3 High or low temperature
For lithium-ion batteries, high-temperature storage is not recommended because it can affect their performance. In fact, the power capacity of a lithium-ion battery decreases when stored at high temperatures. On the other hand, low-temperature storage helps preserve lithium-ion batteries’ capacity for longer periods of time.
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If you are using a lithium-ion battery in your automotive devices such as tesla cars, or electronic devices such as a laptop or cell phone, then there are some things that would help increase its longevity:
Run time
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries, and their capacity can be regained by charging them. The run time of a lithium-ion battery is determined by the capacity and the discharge rate. Just as this battery reserve capacity to AH guide defined, the capacity of a lithium-ion battery is measured in mAh (milliampere-hours), which is the amount of current it can supply for one hour.
Referring to this lifepo4 charge voltage guide, the capacity rating may range from 100mAh to 2000mAh or higher for a single cell. A 1000mAh battery has a 1A discharge rate and can supply 1A for 1000 hours, or 20A continuously for 10 minutes.
Cycle life
The cycle life of a lithium-ion battery is the number of times the battery can be charged and discharged before losing its ability to hold a charge. Also, the cycle life of a lithium-ion battery depends on the type of lithium-ion cell and its applications.
In general, the higher the current that is drawn from the battery, the lower its cycle life. For example, when you use an electric car, you need to draw more current from your battery than when you are just starting up your car.
Shelf life
The shelf life of a lithium-ion battery is the length of time it can sit on the shelf unused and still be considered safe to use. The lifetime of a lithium-ion battery depends heavily on its use case, and some applications may require more frequent charging than others.
The shelf life of a lithium-ion battery is about six months. That’s enough time for you to use up all the power in your laptop battery, but not enough for you to use it as a power source for any other device or appliance.
Common lithium-ion batteries storage requirements & tips
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From the tesla battery guide, we got the point that doesn’t leave your device plugged in all the time when not in use. Lithium-ion batteries don’t need continuous charging as nickel-cadmium batteries do. If possible, leave your device unplugged when not in use for an extended period of time, such as overnight or at work all day.
This will prolong the life of your battery because it won’t be constantly charging and discharging. Avoid extreme temperatures when storing batteries for long periods of time (more than 30 days). Extreme heat or cold may cause permanent damage to your battery’s cells that could result in very low capacity after just one charge/discharge cycle!
Store lithium-ion batteries in short term
When storing lithium-ion batteries for a short period of time, it is best to store them at about 50% charge. This will help to prevent some of the side effects associated with lithium-ion battery storage, such as memory effects and battery degradation. Lithium-ion batteries don’t like extreme temperatures; keeping them at room temperature is best.
If possible, store them in an anti-static bag or another type of protective case so they don’t rub against each other or anything else during storage and transportation. Also, try not to drop or jar the batteries too much during storage or transportation because this may cause internal damage that could lead to battery failure upon use later on.
Store lithium-ion batteries in long-term
If you are planning on storing your batteries for an extended period of time, it is best to fully charge your battery and then store it at about 50% charge. If your charger has a discharge function, you can use this to drain your battery before charging back up.
If possible, keep lithium-ion batteries away from sources of heat like flames or other sources of extreme heat such as ovens or microwaves. Also, avoid sunlight since UV rays can damage them over time as well. Avoid exposing lithium-ion batteries to moisture or humidity as this can cause corrosion on their terminals which can lead to short circuits and even fires in some cases.
Store lithium-ion batteries for personal use
The storage of lithium-ion batteries for personal use is a complicated issue. There are many factors that determine how well a battery can be stored and how long it will retain its charge.
Here are some tips for safely storing lithium-ion batteries:
- Charge them fully before you store them. Lithium-ion batteries should be stored at full charge, ideally at 50 percent of their maximum capacity. If you don’t have enough time to charge them fully, you can leave them partially charged instead of letting them drain down completely.
- Store lithium-ion batteries at room temperature (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit). Extreme heat or cold can damage these batteries.
- Keep them away from metal objects like keys or coins because they could short out the battery and cause an explosion or fire.
Store lithium-ion batteries in the warehouse and distribution(for the factory)
Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in the electronics industry. This type of battery is light and compact. The increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries has led to an increase in their production and use.
There are several steps you can take to ensure that your lithium-ion battery is stored safely:
- Store your lithium-ion battery at room temperature or below. Temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) can cause permanent damage to your battery’s cells.
- Do not freeze or heat your battery for any reason. This will also cause permanent damage to the cell.
- Do not short-circuit your lithium-ion battery under any circumstances — doing so may result in fire or explosion.
- Do not leave your lithium-ion battery inside an unventilated area where it could overheat due to excessive heat generated by other items (e.g., appliances) nearby that could cause a fire hazard.
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Lithium-ion batteries should not be stored in cold environments such as freezers or refrigerators. Keeping a cell phone battery or laptop battery in your refrigerator or freezer is a bad idea because it can cause the battery to fail prematurely.
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The proper way to store lithium-ion batteries over winter is to keep them at room temperature or slightly warmer. Do not store them in the refrigerator or freezer. Cold temperatures will damage lithium-ion batteries and reduce their lifespan.
If you need to store your lithium-ion batteries over winter, place them in a dry location where they will not be exposed to extreme temperatures or humidity levels. Battery storage bags are very useful for keeping your lithium-ion batteries safe during periods of non-use.
Use a battery storage cabinet for maximum safety storage of lithium-ion batteries
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The use of a battery storage cabinet can also help you prevent unwanted fires from starting at your facility. Lithium ion batteries have been known to overheat and catch fire when they are stored improperly. This can happen when there are too many batteries being used in close proximity to one another, or if the battery cells have been damaged by excessive heat or overcharging.
Storing lithium batteries: in summary
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Each lithium battery has its own storage requirements, so it’s important to follow the instructions of your particular device. Just know that in general, you want to store batteries at cool temperatures (not freezing) and out of direct sunlight. For more information about battery storage, you can visit www.sunlypower.com
