Battery life cycles

[rsava]

Hello,

I have searched and cannot find this particular question.

What is the expected battery life of the Versa battery. I am interested in total charge cycles, not daily life which is fantastic. 

Also, is a charge cycle a full cycle or is a cycle any amount of charge (ex. if I charge it when it is at 75% to 100% is that considered a charge cycle)?

Thanks.

[SunsetRunner]

It is a lithium ion battery. No different than any other one. Just Google the info.

[rsava]

Thanks but that is a useless answer.

My iPhone is a Lithium-ion battery and so is my MacBook AIr.

They have completely different charge cycle lives, the iPhone about 300-500 and the MacBook about 1000. 

If you don’t know the answer why bother to respond.

[JDRecovers]

I was going to ask too. At what percent can/should we charge the battery AND always to what percent, w/o making it loose it's full capacity (the "memory effect" I think it's called).  I know it's lithium Ion and shouldn't do this, but I don't trust Fitbit's quality control.  

Ex:  I do get 100% still in my charges. I've had it a few weeks. Right now it's at 25% and I got this email. 

"Your Versa battery level is low. Charge your battery as soon as possible.
To charge:
1. Plug the Versa charging cable into a computer or USB charger.
2. Make sure the charging contacts on your Versa are clean.
3. Place the Versa into the charger by holding open the bottom of the dock clamp and aligning the gold pins.

Note that battery life and charge cycles vary with use, settings and many other factors; actual results will vary."

25% should still give me a day (give or take). I don't want to charge now and lose battery charge capacity 

And what's the deal with "charge cycles vary with use" statement.

Thank you!

Also 25% is not a charge ASAP issue (depending on how used....it shouldn't be an issue for my use).

Wha

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, with all batteries it's the same: never let them drain completely. You can charge your Versa whenever you want, but advisable with in mind to spare the battery, it's wise to charge it when it shows 20% or less and charge it to 99%. Once in while charging it to 100% does no harm, but every time you do that, your battery "suffers" from it. kindest regards, kuzibri

[rsava]

Any idea on the number of charge cycles the Versa battery has in it? Please do not say it is the sme for ll lithium-ion batteries as it is not the same for all batteries and I am wondering how long I can expect this thing to last. 

Also, do you have a link about that 100% info? Have never heard that. In fact, most devices I have/had (bordering on 75+ in my life so far) have said to drain to below 20% and fully charge to 100% at least once a month. 

[SunsetRunner]

With the advice to not charge your battery to 100% all the time, I mean that there is a risk of overcharging your battery when you're not nearby the watch when it's charging. Although most batteries nowadays are protected to overcharging, not all batteries are. There is also the risk of overheating and even exploding of batteries when you charge too long. Hope it's clear now, kindest regards kuzibri

[Julia_G]

Hi, @rsava, the total lifespan of your Fitbit Versa will very much depend on how yu use it, and how you charge it.

As I am sure you know, all rechargeable batteries have a limited life span.

You can maximise the life span by avoiding, as much as possible, deep discharges.  Older advice was also to avoid over charging, but for most systems that is no longer relevant.

The current best advice is to charge little and often.  So I would say, if you shower daily, plug your Versa in before you shower, shave, brush your teeth, whatever.  The 15 minutes or so each day will ensure that your Fitbit always is ready for you and never runs too low on battery.  If that is not quite enough to boost your battery power (if you are a heavy user of messages or whatever) give it another 15-30 minutes in the evening when you are relaxing with the TV or email or whatever.

That way your Versa's battery should be good for years.

If you allow it regularly to discharge deeply (that is, you always use it until it is completely dead) you will significantly reduce the battery life.  The battery is guaranteed for 12 months in most countries (24 months in some jurisdictions), but if you use it that way, you are unlikely to get much more than the minimum guarantee period.

I hope this helps!

[rsava]

Nope, doesn’t help at all. Thanks for your reply but it does not answer my question. However, yours come closest to answering it. 

Again, I am looking for total charge cycles. 

Does anyone know the actual answer? I have called Fitbit support and they could not actually tell me. 

So, does anyone know how many charge cycles this battery is good for and how are the charge cycles counted? 

I know the industry standards, I know what the best practices are, I know how to take care of Lithium Ion batteries. I would like to know what the Fitbit info/policies are on this subject

[SunsetRunner]

Sorry to say, but really nobody knows/can tell you the total battery charge cycles of your Versa. IMHO you're asking a non/not answerable question It depends not only on the battery itself, but also on the way of usage (heavy duty or just custom use) and thus the amount of charges you have to do to keep your Versa up and running. Stating this: "I know the industry standards, I know what the best practices are, I know how to take care of Lithium Ion batteries. I would like to know what the Fitbit info/policies are on this subject", will not help you to get the answer you want. The only advice I can give you is: Enjoy your Versa and hope it will last very long.

kindest regards, kuzibri

[Julia_G]

As @SunsetRunner says there is no single answer to your question.  The number of cycles in ANY battery depends on how it is used.  You will not get any more definitive answer from Fitbit and any answer from anyone else will simply reflect their own experience.