Do I need to worry about Battery Memory Effect or Memory Loss for my Wireless Headset?
Battery Memory Loss, or BML, is a term used when your rechargeable battery can no longer sustain a useable charge. It can also be referred to as “Performance Deterioration”. The most common cause of BML is when your battery consistently runs down all the way then is recharged over & over again (Not to be confused with a “Dead” battery, which means that it has just run it’s course!) This is a common practice among electronic devices that use rechargeable batteries, & in most cases cannot be avoided. Instead, we as the consumer simply replace them with fresh batteries!
Not all rechargeable wireless headset batteries are created equal. There are a few different types of rechargeable batteries & it is VERY important that you use only the correct ones (According to the manufactures specifications of that product) as the output voltage &/or amperage can vary slightly and potentially damage your wireless headset.
The three different battery types are: Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), & Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)
Without going too deep into this subject, Plantronics & GN Netcom (Jabra) wireless headsets, both use Lithium Ion Polymer (Li-Ion) Batteries. Memory loss of a Lithium Ion Polymer battery is a non-factor. The issue with BML occurs primarily with Nickel batteries (NiCd & NiMH).
Li-Ion batteries can last well over 300 full charging cycles, sometimes more (depending on usage), and replacement of the battery won’t be as frequent. Through our experience, Li-Ion batteries used with the wireless headsets will generally last anywhere from 1 to 3 years. We’ve even heard of some instances where they lasted upwards of 4 years before replacement was needed.
It is recommended though (As we state to many of our customers) that you should place your wireless headset back on the charging base after each use. Try not to let the battery drain all of the way down before recharging it, & that should help the battery last quite a bit longer!
*For additional information on batteries, please refer to the following resources:
http://www.batterycanada.com/Battery_Facts.htm
http://batteryuniversity.com/
