i. Batteries need exercise.
The best thing for any battery is to use it. Don’t leave the battery sitting without
being charged for extended periods of time. If you will be storing the ATOM, make
sure it’s fully charged before you put it away.
ii. The “Battery Memory” myth.
Thanks to old Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) batteries, there’s a myth running around
that you should completely drain your batteries before plugging them in for a
recharge, called “deep cycling”. Although true with NiCd batteries, the typical
batteries you’ll find in most of your gear today, including the advanced lithium
batteries used in your ATOM, require no such draining. In fact, you should avoid
deep cycling your batteries – it does more harm than good in most cases.
iii. The “Stadium Effect”.
The stadium effect occurs when recharging your batteries. You’ll notice your
battery quickly filling up in the beginning, then slowing down noticeably when
trying to charge up the last several percentages. Think of how quickly a stadium
fills up when the doors first open – there are hundreds of open seats so it’s easy to
find the one you want. Eventually there are only a few open seats here and there
and people have to manoeuvre around to find the spot they want and filling those
seats takes longer. The same theory applies to recharging batteries. It’s easy for
energy to flow in and take up empty space in the beginning, and as time goes on
and there is less space available, it takes longer for the energy to fill in the holes.
iv. Read the manual. Yeah, it might be a long read, but the manual is the best
place to find the dos and don’ts for the battery in your specific device. Reading
your manual will ensure you’re taking steps to keep your batteries happy and
healthy.
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