Batteries have allowed so many technological advances. It is likely that you are reading this on a battery-powered device. But did you know that are a bit like Goldilocks? No, they do not commit housebreaking or harass a family of bears, but they certainly prefer conditions to be not too hot and not too cold. They have a best-operating temperature and it is good to know what it is if the weather is going to one extreme or the other.
Batteries store and release electricity on demand. They do so thanks to chemistry. When charged, they store the energy as chemical potential energy. When in use, chemical reactions release that energy as electricity, powering devices. Importantly, batteries, such as the lithium-ion batteries in phones, tablets, and many other gadgets, have a best operating temperature of 15–35°C (59 – 95°F). Beyond that range things .
What happens to batteries in hot weather?
As explained above, the key to batteries is the chemical reaction that converts the potential to electricity. Chemical reactions can be sped up by increasing temperature and slowed down by decreasing temperature. So that might mean that the electrical reaction (and so the discharge) is faster at a higher temperature and slower at a lower one. But it is not the whole story.
There is also internal resistance to take into account which can be a function of temperature. In certain batteries, internal resistance is , so when the temperature gets too hot the resistance will increase. This might seem like a way to balance the faster reaction and produce a stable output but it is not always the case. Internal resistance will produce more heat which might lead to a runaway effect that can severely damage your battery.
While a hotter temperature might have better performance in some capacity, they also age faster meaning they are good for a shorter time.
Do batteries drain faster in cold weather?
So is it better to keep your battery cold? Again, the other extreme is not ideal either. If you have a battery-powered device like a mobile phone that cannot dissipate heat efficiently you might notice better performances during a cold winter day compared to a sweltering summer one. But it doesn’t mean that cold is automatically better.
A slower chemical reaction means less electrical current and the internal resistance increases with lower temperature, meaning even less current. So truly cold weather can make it impossible to use a battery, for example in a car. Usually, car batteries come with a minimum current they guarantee they can generate to do a cold start of an engine.
Below the water freezing point, lithium-ion batteries will deliver a with discharge capacity decreasing dramatically and batteries, in general, being less active.
While using batteries, you might not have control over the elements, but for storing them you should. Keep them in a cool dry place away from moisture and direct sunlight.