Lithium-ion batteries last for ever!

rog_london

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 3, 2009
764
2
Harrow, Middlesex
Well, maybe not, but they can be surprising.

My work mobile phone was a bit of a museum piece being a Nokia 6210 from about the turn of the millennium. Believe it or not it was just coming to the end of its second battery, which had reached the point where it needed to be recharged every two days. The phone itself was getting a bit temperamental too - the on/off switch plastic button had long gone and turning the phone on involved a judicious gentle push with a small screwdriver into the hole - the actual switch did still lurk in there somewhere. Apart from that, it would enable its keyboard when being carried, reject the SIM card at random - etc. So, I needed a replacement.

My employers, bless 'em, came up trumps - they found me a brand new 6310i still in its box from the year 2002. It's a 6210 with some extras but looks almost exactly the same. It suits me fine as it fits the hands-free kit installed in the company vehicle. I've got a smartphone for my own use - the work phone just needs to be a phone and to send and receive texts.

My African pals - who know about these things - tell me that the old 6210 was the best thing Nokia ever made, and having had one in constant use for ten years I can't argue with that. I suspect that the 6310i is probably as good.

Anyway, bearing in mind that it had never been plugged in for at least 10 years and possibly a bit longer you'd expect the battery to be dead, wouldn't you? Imagine my surprise when it lasted eight days on the first charge and twelve on the next. Smart phones may be in vogue but they seldom last longer than a day without needing a charge. I do sometimes wonder if we've missed the point somewhere.

Rog.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
Exactly my feeling too Rog, but on batteries in particular. I have a Minidisc portable recorder using a lithium battery that was bought in February 1999 and it's battery still lasts for two thirds of the original play or record time at nearly 14 years old.

Similarly, a Braun rechargeable electric shaver bought a couple of years ago had NiMh batteries that couldn't hold more charge than one or two day's use within one year. But an old Braun portable one I bought back in 1987 still holds its charge indefinitely in storage and lasts two weeks of daily use at 25 years old.

Far from progress with small NiMh and lithium batteries, I think we've been going backwards recently where life and charge holding are concerned.
 
C

Cyclezee

Guest
Hi Rog,

I too have a 6310i, the best phone Nokia ever made;) It too fits the builthands free fitment in my car, completely bullet proof and reliable, I could get almost 2 weeks from a charge.

If all you want is to phone or text it is brilliant.

But of course I succumbed and got an all singing all dancing Samsung Galaxy S2 and I use it constantly for photos, email, internet, satnav, texting etc., etc., and the occasional phonecall, now I can't live without it.

Sadly and unsurprisingly, the Samsung's battery has to be charged everyday or it just dies:(

Meanwhile my good old Nokia remains charged and ready to go.........in a cupboard:)
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
I leave it to others to orbit the Galaxy, just having ten quids worth of Nokia 1112 for my occasional outgoing call usage only and switched off at all other times. Convenience without aggro.
 
C

Cyclezee

Guest
You sound just like my wife Tony.............it's OK, I love her too;)
 

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