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#213
Originally Posted by NokTokDaddy View Post
@shadowjk:

I stand corrected, of course.

The terms 'charger' are generically but incorrectly used by the manufacturer and users alike. I followed that mistaken use of the word.

To those who don't know: the software in the 'phone manages battery charging by monitoring battery voltage and other data This facilitates a faster charging rate up to a safe point and thereafter a prolonged but typically limited trickle-charge. The 'charger' is really a transformer that supplies a constant voltage and charge rate.

Cheap 'desktop chargers' often claim to have similar charging ciruitry, but I would not rely on that. NEVER leave batteries on a desktop/trickle charger for more than a few hours at a time and regard them as backup charger only.

Keep the charger away from paper/other flammable materials and monitor battery temperature throughout the charge process. Perform as much charging via the phone as possible - this is your best policy for prolonged and safe battery life.

Store batteries in a cool, dark space and if they get cold warm them very gently before charging. Never carry exposed batteries in your pocket - the contacts could be shorted out. Use/rotate spare batteries to ensure their voltage does not drop too far as this may result in a 'dead' battery that cannot be re-charged.

I hope this clarifies the matter and am indebted to shadowjk for pointing out the shortfalls in my Quick Reply - these are important matters.
I have been using cheap batteries and cheap chargers for three or four years without observing any of the precautions you suggest. How often would you expect problems to occur?

Since cheap batteries are available, typically, for less than $5, why are precautions such as never carrying spare batteries in your pocket necessary? You say that the risk is a dead battery that cannot be recharged. I have never had that happen, but if it did, I would be out less than $5. Expensive Nokia batteries, on the other hand, might justify such care.