2009Batteries/Power forum
Battery storage and charging practices for professional camera batteries
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Nickel-metal hydride batteries should be kept on a charger when in regular use, but should be discharged and stored empty if they will not be used for more than three to four months.
- Lithium batteries should not be stored at full charge; keeping them around forty percent charge is recommended for long-term storage.
- Lithium battery chargers designed for professional equipment typically will not continue charging once the battery reaches full charge, making it safe to leave them connected.
- Lithium batteries degrade at a relatively constant rate regardless of charge cycles, so charge state during storage matters more than preventing cycles.
- Lithium batteries that discharge too far may not recover and could be permanently damaged.
- Lead acid batteries suffer damage if left fully discharged for extended periods.
Depends on
- The original question concerned nickel-metal hydride batteries, but discussion shifted to include lithium battery storage practices which may not apply to the original equipment.
- Storage practices for nickel-metal hydride batteries versus lithium batteries differ significantly.
- One participant mentioned avoiding storage in cases while fully charged but did not explain the reasoning.
- Information about lithium battery behavior came from conversations with engineers rather than official documentation provided in the thread.