# How often should I charge my Kindle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396 "2011-09-15T14:56:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/1 "2011-09-15T14:56:24Z")
Reading a book doesn’t use up much juice, but shopping or playing a game for an hour or two seems to. Should I top it up every day or less often or doesn’t it matter? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/2 "2011-09-15T15:03:21Z")
Kinda like my car, I fill it when it gets below half. Much more than that and it will give you a low battery message. I use mine every day and only have to charge it about once a week, but I don’t browse like you do. Pretty sure battery “memory” is not a problem nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/3 "2011-09-15T15:35:48Z")
I use mine for an hour or two every day and only charge it every couple of weeks. …and thanks for reminding me. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/4 "2011-09-15T16:07:55Z")
If it’s a lithium ion battery (which I’m guessing it will be) then the best thing is to keep it topped up whenever you can. They degrade over time no matter what you do, but deep-cycling a Li-ion battery kills it quicker. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/5 "2011-09-15T16:11:55Z")
It is a lithium battery. I charge mine up when it’s below half, often it’s down under a quarter by the time I notice. I use it a lot, plus the light, so that works out to around once a week. It isn’t necessary to charge it daily like you do a cell phone since it lasts 10x longer on a charge. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/6 "2011-09-15T16:53:10Z")
Hmmm, **Mangetout** is a minority of one here. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/7 "2011-09-15T20:34:53Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Hmmm, **Mangetout** is a minority of one here. \ I thought it was pretty widely accepted: Don’t deep cycle Avoid heat The battery will degrade over time anyway > **[Redirect Notice](https://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-tmobile-gb&ei=tF9yTqD7C8SDjAek4gE&gl=gb&hl=en&q=http:%2F%2Fwww.techatplay.com%2F?p%3D61&source=android-browser-type&ved=0CCQQFjAE&usg=AFQjCNEuKkHou1FWHHvT7uHETJOdeULODw)** ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/8 "2011-09-15T21:04:58Z")
I’m not saying you’re wrong! I’m just not sure what to do, still. I don’t know what “deep-cycling” is. Your link is not working for me. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/9 "2011-09-15T21:11:56Z")
Here is the relevant section from the link: > [@](#): > > Tip #2: Avoid allowing your device to discharge completely > Every wondered why your modern phone, PDA or iPod is able to cheerfully tell you that “Your battery is now exhausted” for several seconds on its brightly-lid LCD screen before switching off? The reason is simple; there is an artificial circuit that shuts off the device when the charge in the battery is too low. > > This extraneous circuit is built to protect from the damage that could result if the charge of your lithium ion battery falls too low. If you still don’t get it: if the charge of your lithium ion battery falls too low, the battery can get irreversibly and permanently damaged. So since Lithium Ion has no “memory effect”, it is better to simply charge your portable device as and when you can or remember. > > To set your mind at ease, a “charge cycle” means a single iteration of depleting followed by a re-charge until 100% of battery charge. If you consume 50% of your iPod’s battery on day 1, recharge to 100% at night, and do the same thing on day 2, then you would have just finished up one charge cycle of its battery life. > > Hence constantly recharging a lithium ion battery does not shorten the battery life more than normal usage would. Avoid letting it sit on empty for too long; instead, keep it charged-up if you can. The device will shut itself off before it is fully drained, so unless you plan to leave it uncharged for a long period of time once it does that, it won’t be fully empty. To sum up: it won’t hurt the battery if you charge it up daily, nor will it hurt it if you wait and charge it up when it’s at half charge or when it warns you that the battery is low. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/10 "2011-09-15T21:15:16Z")
Deep cycling just means running the battery nearly flat before charging. Some battery technologies prefer it (nicd and possibly nimh), other battery technologies dont do so well on it. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/11 "2011-09-15T21:17:26Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > …To sum up: it won’t hurt the battery if you charge it up daily, nor will it hurt it if you wait and charge it up when it’s at half charge or when it warns you that the battery is low. That’s all I wanted to hear! Cool beans! Thanks! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/12 "2011-09-15T21:18:35Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Deep cycling just means running the battery nearly flat before charging. Some battery technologies prefer it (nicd and possibly nimh), other battery technologies dont do so well on it. Okay, gotcha, thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/13 "2011-09-15T21:39:44Z")
All Lithium Ion batteries have a maximum number of charge cycles that they can go through. A charge cycle is draining the battery to 0% then charging it to 100%. This works at a fractional level as well. Draining to 90% and charging back to 100% 10 times is equal to 1 charge cycle. For example, my laptop battery has a cycle count of about 300. To make them last as long as possible, I try to keep my laptop plugged in as much as possible and only going mobile when I have to. Doing so with my iPad is more difficult though, due to the mobile usage model of it. I’m not going to be laying on the couch with it plugged in. Though I try to keep it on the charge leash as much as possible. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/14 "2011-09-16T01:19:36Z")
I’m at about two years now with my Kindle 2 and it’s still going like a champ. I leave it on almost all the time (usually on my nightstand) and only charge when it’s empty or before I go on a trip. The beautiful thing still lasts at least a week (sometimes two) between charges, and I haven’t noticed any decline in batter performance. So I would say you only need to charge it when Kindle needs it. /why yes, I do consider the Kindle one of the best designed gadgets out there //No, I couldn’t live without it ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/15 "2011-09-16T01:56:34Z")
Is my Kindle the same one you guys are talking about, by Amazon? Mine doesn’t have a light, the only games it has are minesweeper and connect 5, and I can’t leave it on, it goes to screensaver after a while. (Kindle 2 International) ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/16 "2011-09-16T02:03:48Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Is my Kindle the same one you guys are talking about, by Amazon? Mine doesn’t have a light, the only games it has are minesweeper and connect 5, and I can’t leave it on, it goes to screensaver after a while. (Kindle 2 International) My [case](http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20014307-1.html) has a light which is powered by the Kindle. You can download other games from Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/17 "2011-09-16T02:10:24Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Okay, gotcha, thanks. 🙂 And Cecil covered it as well: [Are titanium batteries really better than alkaline? Are lithium batteries subject to “charge memory?” - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2679/are-titanium-batteries-really-better-than-alkaline) (read the link, it actually covers rechargeables in the second half) Cecil also had a better one that I can’t search for right now. Basically, that “drain the charge to zero” only works if the battery is made of only one single cell (which is never the case unless you built it yourself to give exactly the right amount of power your equipment needs.) If not, when the battery is low, some cells are already dead, and are being damaged by the other cells. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/18 "2011-09-16T07:23:42Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > Here is the relevant section from the link: > > The device will shut itself off before it is fully drained, so unless you plan to leave it uncharged for a long period of time once it does that, it won’t be fully empty. To sum up: it won’t hurt the battery if you charge it up daily, nor will it hurt it if you wait and charge it up when it’s at half charge or when it warns you that the battery is low. It’s true that modern battery technologies and battery-charging control circuits make the question of when to charge almost moot. The advice to keep phones topped-off probably has more basis in the utility of a fully-charged device than preservation of battery life nowadays - and with a power-frugal device like the Kindle, there’s probably no justification for daily charging. One thing that probably is important - when the device says empty, charge it - It can’t be good to let the battery run to the point where the device says it’s empty, then leave it for days or weeks without recharging, as that will run the battery flatter than the device was ever designed to handle. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/19 "2011-09-16T07:48:50Z")
I haven’t yet joined the really modern world of e-reading. I’d LIKE to, but every time I have money it finds other uses, like right now, I’m working on rebuilding my computer for the upcoming release of Battlefield 3. If the highly unlikely event of having money without other uses should occur, I’d like to pick up a Kindle. I was wondering (and this seems like the right thread to ask), is the Kindle’s battery easily replaced? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396/20 "2011-09-16T10:05:53Z")
Why would you need to replace the battery on a Kindle (or other e-reader)? is the question you’re thinking of. I understand the answer is “if you’ve managed to need to, you need Tech Support”. I checked several dozen other e-readers before picking a Kindle; they follow a “no parts serviceable by user” model. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-should-i-charge-my-kindle/596396.md?page=2)