Myth 1: You need to activate your phone's battery on the first charge?
First of all, the statement itself is problematic. Imagine you buy a phone or power bank that hasn't been activated yet, so why do they have power? That's because they were already activated and tested before leaving the factory. Therefore, there's no need to activate them in the first place.
In fact, the saying that "the first three charges must be charged for 12 hours" is clearly a continuation of the earlier nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride).
Modern mobile phones have largely switched to using lithium-ion batteries, which have completely different properties from nickel batteries. Therefore, simply unplug them after fully charging, just like any other device.
Early nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries exhibit a phenomenon known as the memory effect. When the battery is charged in a state of incomplete discharge, it becomes overcharged. Over time, this can lead to the growth of crystals on the electrode plates, which can block the contact between the electrolyte and the electrode plates, causing the battery voltage to drop and making users feel that the battery is running out of power quickly.
Myth 2: Should batteries be completely drained before charging? Will overcharging cause a battery explosion?
Lithium-ion batteries have high energy density and high voltage (a single lithium-ion battery cell can reach 4.2V, while ordinary nickel-based rechargeable batteries are 1.2V). Compared with low-voltage batteries, the oxidation-reduction reaction of the electrodes in lithium-ion batteries is very intense during charging. Therefore, the usage conditions of lithium-ion batteries must be strictly limited. Overcharging, over-discharging, short circuits, and high temperatures can all cause battery damage, and even fire and explosion. However, in actual use, lithium-ion batteries are packaged together with several cells, a set of safety protection circuits, and various safety devices into a battery pack. These safety designs ensure that the battery circuit is automatically cut off in the event of overcharging, over-discharging, or short circuits; excessive internal pressure will trigger a venting device to reduce pressure; and excessive battery temperature will trigger a thermal fuse protection device to inhibit the movement of lithium ions and thus stop the battery's electrochemical reaction. Therefore, unless you are using a substandard counterfeit battery, leaving your phone fully charged without unplugging it will not cause the battery to explode.
Myth 3: Reducing the number of charging cycles can extend battery life?
Digital device manufacturers may label that the battery can be charged hundreds of times. In reality, this is measured under deep discharge conditions, which means the battery is completely drained and then fully charged, and this cycle is repeated. Continuous deep discharge has an impact on the battery.
Our daily charging is actually only a shallow discharge; we continue charging before the battery is completely depleted. In terms of battery life, shallow discharge results in a longer battery life than deep discharge.
Furthermore, when batteries are not used for extended periods, it's best to maintain them at around 70% charge. This helps preserve the battery and reduces the risk of damage. Studies have shown that lithium-ion batteries experience significant capacity loss when stored fully charged for extended periods. Similarly, the higher the temperature, the faster the capacity loss in lithium-ion batteries, and this loss is irreversible, meaning the battery capacity will permanently decrease.
