Lithium battery life for used batteries?

Well, after reading the forum for about 6 months now (I thought I was alone with my disease), I finally decided to join in. First post.

Lithium AA batteries are advertised with a 10 year shelf life. It seems to me that a lithium battery with 10+% of it's capacity used up has a much shorter shelf life. I've done no controlled tests but have noticed 5 and 6 year old slightly used lithium batteries with a major voltage drop and poor lighting abilities.

So, is the 10 year shelf life assuming the battery is not used or is my limited observation just not correct? Thanks in advance for your help.

Bill

I think the self discharge of any battery will greatly increase after it is being used, no matter how small the initial usage. An instance of this is the button cell batteries with its rated shelf life as "forever as long as still fresh in the package"

Hello BillM,

Welcome.

Brightnorm also posted a thread asking similar questions about a post that PaulR had brought up. We are going to have to keep track of a couple of different threads, but keep the ideas coming.

It looks like some testing might be in order.

Tom

Doing the test would involve opening up a new 123, running it in a flashlight for a few minutes, then letting it sit for 5 years and trying it again. Sounds kind of time-consuming /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Hello paulr,

Yes, it would be like watching a tree grow.

What if we did a short term test and tried to extrapolate the data? Take a G2 or E2 and run it for 5 minutes, set the batteries aside for a year and then do a run down test. We could even get a few people to participate to get a broader base of data.

Just a thought...

Tom

I'm not too sure about the lithium cells losing their shelf life when used. If this was the case then the smoke detectors billed as "ten year non-battery replacement" units would be making false claims. They use 9V lithium batteries. The 9V battery is sold as ten year smoke detector batteries. When you install them, they are certainly being used.

I don't have the answer, but something doesn't seem right.

FWIW

I have a Tekna Splashlight from 1988. Inside, a cr123 Lithium with manufacuring date code of 84-12. This light has not been used much over the years... 10-15 seconds at most, every few years. I would guess not more than 3 minutes total runtime in the years that I have owned the light, and it is still going strong. (3.621 volts)


Just for fun, I loaded the battery in a SF e1 with KL1, and also an ARC LSH-p, and it works just fine

Certain Seiko watches advertise 10 years life on one lithium battery (I have 2 of these, but am only 3 years into their lives so far). Unless there is something very different about the chemistry, or that very low drain makes a difference, it would seem that at least certain lithium batteries can work AND last 10 years, if the Seiko claim is true.

I have had miniature watch batteries (CR1616? I can't remember) last ~5 years in moderately heavy service (frequent backlight use, daily alarm, timer useage, etc.)

I have worn this particular watch most of the time, so the extra body heat would accelerate the self-discharge.

I also have Lithium computer batteries (CR2032) that have lasted 10 years, in service, at room temperature.