:Bill Bowden wrote: :> Is this a good idea? : :Yes. : :> How low a temperature can they take? : :I dunno, but regular refrigerator temp won't be too cold, at least.
Right. : :> I have a few spare used cell phone Li-ion batteries that I may want to :> use for other applications, and I was reading some web info indicationg :> they should be stored at 40% charge inside a refrigerator. : :That's true.
Agreed. : :> I'm :> considering putting them in a plastic grocery bag to keep out the :> moisture. I haven't checked the capacity, but one or 2 seem to go dead :> fairly fast, so I think the capacity is already reduced. I might run a :> test on one or 2 of them. :>
:> What shelf life can I expect from old worn out li-Ion cell phone :> batteries stored in the fridge? : :Dunno, but btw, I've heard that some "dead" li-ion batts can be :rejuvenated by putting them to freezer for one night... but i've just :"heard" that and I dunno if it's true, so I don't recommend putting :working ones to freezer :-)
I keep my li-on rechargables stored in the refrigerator at 40% charge. They are for my video camera, which I use infrequently.
Some tips:
Try not to charge them to full capacity. At full capacity, they degrade a lot quicker. I charge mine to around 95% capacity or lower, when possible.
Unrefrigerated, you can't expect them to last more than a year or two. I'm hoping to get an extra year or two use out of them. My cell phone battery, I don't refrigerate. It stays on the phone, but I try not to charge it to capacity. It's getting close to 2 years old and still seems OK.
Research here: sci.chem.electrochem.battery
I've seen various threads there that discuss these topics. Do a Google Groups search.
Dan