AA Lithiumion Batteries

The AA lithium ion battery is also known as the Li-Ion AA battery or simply lithium AA battery. This type of batteries are very popular in power-demanding appliances since they provide plenty of power and have a long lifespan compared to other rechargeable batteries, e.g. alkaline one. They are also frequently used in devices that will be exposed to cold temperatures, since they are remarkably cold tolerant. Storing your AA lithium ion battery in a cool place will actually extend its lifetime. You can prolong the lifespan of your AA lithium ion battery by following a set of simple rules.

The AA lithium ion battery does not like heat.

Storing your AA lithium ion battery in a cool place is recommended, since this type of battery ages much faster in warm conditions. The refrigerator is the best place for your AA lithium ion battery when it is not in use. One common Li-ion killer is to place the batteries, or the electronic device in which the batteries are kept, in the glove compartment of a car that is frequently parked in blazing sunshine.

Do not expose the AA lithium ion battery to temperatures below -40° C.

Most lithium battery electrolytes freeze if the temperature goes below -40° C, and such cold temperatures must therefore be avoided. This is however not a very common problem for the ordinary battery user, since not even our household freezers can provide temperatures below -20° C. Before a frozen battery is used again, it must allowed to reach room temperature.

Recharge your AA lithium ion battery early and frequently.

You might have learned how NiCd and NiMH batteries should be charged as seldom as possible, but this rule is not valid for the lithium ion battery. Your AA lithium ion battery should instead be recharged before being empty. If you do not plan to use your AA lithium ion battery for an extended period of time, you should bring it to a charge level of approximately 40 percent.

The AA lithium ion battery does not like deep discharge cycles.

Avoid exposing your AA lithium ion battery to so called deep discharge cycles. A deep discharge cycle means that the battery will not be recharged until it has been fully emptied down to 0%.

Do not use the battery care function when you are using an AA lithium ion battery.

Your cell phone might have a battery care function, but this function should only be used for nickel based batteries. Do not turn on the battery care function when you use an AA lithium ion battery, since this will deep cycle the battery.

A little more information regarding AA lithium ion battery storing

As mentioned above, you can increase the lifespan of your AA lithium ion battery significantly by storing it correctly. The storage capacity of the battery will be effected by storage temperature as well as charge. The recommended charge is 40%, and an AA lithium ion battery that is stored at 40% charge will have a lifetime that is several times longer than a AA lithium ion battery stored at 100% charge. Storing at the right charge is especially important if you can not provide your AA lithium ion battery with a cool storage environment. The permanent capacity loss after one year will be approximately 4 % for an AA lithium ion battery that is stored at 25° C (77° F) with a 40% charge. If the charge instead is 100%, the permanent capacity loss will be 20% after one year at 25° C (77° F). At 0° C (32° F), the difference is much smaller. The permanent capacity loss after one year will be 2% if the charge is 40% and 6% if the charge is 100%.