SDS100/SDS200: SDS100 - Battery charge levels?

[DMSSIOWA]

I've been checking out the forums and trying to be sure I'm taking care of my battery better on my new scanner. My older one has a failed charge port so I got an external charger and new battery to use with the new one that's en route...just in time since my old scanner battery was deformed when I took it out to put on the charger. I always charged the battery in the scanner and pretty much always had it plugged in but I think this caused wear and tear on the port so now it only works when I put constant pressure on the plug.

Anyway...I keep seeing mention that you should keep the battery between 20% and 80% charged. How do you know the level it's at? The charger takes it to 100% (I guess?) and then the light goes from red to green. Should I not be letting it charge all the way? If not, how do I know when to take it off the charger? How do I know when it's below 20% in the scanner. I know how to check the voltage level while it's in the scanner and I have it set for 3200 with an alert for low battery. I just don't know how to tell if it's at 100, 80, 50, 20, 10% or what. How do the volts calculate to % of full charge?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[buddrousa]

From a known starting point Volts shown on the SDS100 to full charge time it.
Say the starting volts is 3.2 and full charge volts is 4.2 and it takes 4 hours to charge each hour would be about 25% charge.

 

[DMSSIOWA]

From a known starting point Volts shown on the SDS100 to full charge time it.
Say the starting volts is 3.2 and full charge volts is 4.2 and it takes 4 hours to charge each hour would be about 25% charge.

It charges at a consistent rate? I thought I saw something about it starting faster and then slowing down but that may have been something else.

 

[buddrousa]

The last like 10% may be a trickle but you ask 25% to 80% that is a constant charge.

 

[Ubbe]

It charges at a consistent rate? I thought I saw something about it starting faster and then slowing down but that may have been something else.

It's a battery management system chip in the battery and it will limit the charge current at 500mA. The closer the battery voltage are to the 5 volt from the USB port the less difference in voltage it will be and the charge current goes down. When my battery are at 4.2 volt it only charges using 380mA. There's also a noticeable difference in charge current if the USB voltage are 4.9 volt or 5.1 volt.

Generally speaking most battery types gets a longer life if not charged to its last 10%. When a battery charge stops the battery voltage will drop, so inserting the charge cable again will restart the charging process. Look at the voltage when the charge light is on and note the voltage just before the light goes green. Then reduce that value by 0.1 volt and cut the charging at that voltage. What shortens battery life are also high temperatures. When charging the battery in the SDS100 it will not have any air circulation and instead using the external charger will keep the battery at a lower temperature while charging. Maybe drilling some holes in the bottom and top of the battery lid will help in increasing air circulation.

/Ubbe