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Gaming Forums => Nintendo Gaming => Topic started by: Mario on June 28, 2005, 08:46:30 PM

Title: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Mario on June 28, 2005, 08:46:30 PM
One thing that's been annoying me about my DS is the terrible battery life, I swear i've never got more than 3 hours of gameplay out of a DS game before the light goes red, is that just me? Am I having too much fun that I don't notice how fast time flies? How long do you guys notice the battery life lasts on your DS's?
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: darknight06 on June 28, 2005, 08:53:42 PM
Must be you, I've always seemed to get at the least 6 hours and at the most 8.   If you're playing wireless games a lot subtract about 30 minutes from that.
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Strell on June 28, 2005, 08:54:17 PM
Mine lasts a long time.  I'd suspect 8-10 hours at the least.  It's insane, really.  I think there's only been one instance where I lost power, and that was after several weeks of on/off play.  

Sounds like you might have a bad battery.  Call up Ninty, I'm sure they've had calls about it and will be able to do at least something.
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Mario on June 28, 2005, 09:00:24 PM
Hmm, well I have a dead pixel too, so I think i'll ask Nintendo to exchange it.

Did you guys charge your DS as soon as you got it? Because it says to in the manual, but I didn't read the manual until after i'd played it for a while, but that shouldn't matter should it?
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: nickmitch on June 28, 2005, 09:27:51 PM
Yes, it should, but if you don't tell Nintendo what you did (or didn't do) then it should be ok.
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: ruby_onix on June 28, 2005, 09:46:36 PM
When I got my SP, I noticed that the battery had a charge. So the first thing I did was play it until it ran out completely. And I mean, I ran it until it just went *blink* and cut out.

Later on, I heard that the first thing you're supposed to do when you get it is charge it. Also, you're never ever supposed to run it completely dry. I guess I should've read the instructions first.

I've heard that I may have damaged my battery by doing that, but I've never noticed a problem with it.
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: IceCold on June 28, 2005, 10:29:05 PM
3 hours? Wow, you really need to get it changed. Mine usually lasts around 7 1/2 hours at least. I didn't think that not charging it at the beginning would make such a drastic difference, but w/e.
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: KDR_11k on June 29, 2005, 01:19:49 AM
The automatic shutdown occurs before the battery is completely drained to prevent battery damage.

I'm not sure if it actually does damage to the battery when you use it before charging.
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Nephilim on June 29, 2005, 03:16:38 AM
must be just you, I get normally 5-7hours out of mine
and standby mode lasts over a week....crazy
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Bill Aurion on June 29, 2005, 03:43:58 AM
What'd I tell you, Mario?
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: stevey on June 29, 2005, 03:51:23 AM
I never get more than 3½ hour before it shut off. I think some f with it at the store before I got. I will never buy anything at game crazy again.  
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Renny on June 29, 2005, 05:29:14 AM
Running it down without first charging won't hurt it. Running it down till it shuts itself off won't hurt it, because as KDR said, electronics will shut off before the voltage drops to a point where it could damage the battery. Repeatedly booting it when the battery needs charged will decrease the life of the battery (yes, I've seen someone do this...). There's a good article somewhere about Lithium-Ion versus Nickel-Cadmium and the so-called 'memory' effect myth. I'll look for it if you want more info.
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 29, 2005, 05:50:24 AM
Bill is your aviator checking her development out?

*sigh* Still Nothing, Maybe Tommorrow.
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Strell on June 29, 2005, 06:37:20 AM
In general, any device that has a rechargeable battery that isn't replaceable easily (i.e., it's an odd shape and would have to have special tools to remove it) should be charged only when it needs it.  So you should theoretically charge up the device fully, use it until it is almost dead, and then charge it up fully again.  I think of it in terms that I'll never be in a situation where, when I need to charge the battery, that I'll be missing out on much, so it doesn't bother me to discharge fully.

I say this because laptop batteries work the same way, and after using other devices - cordless phones, wireless mouse, etc - it appears to be the best way to maintain the battery and give it long life.  And since Lith-Ions have a kind of ceiling after which the battery will begin to lose performance, it is recommended that you only charge it when needed.  

Also, I did some research and found this: http://www.batterymart.com/battery_faq.php
It illustrates the "memory effect" of NiCd batteries.  Interesting read, I'll have to keep all of that in mind.
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Bill Aurion on June 29, 2005, 07:17:28 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Spak-Spang
Bill is your aviator checking her development out?

*sigh* Still Nothing, Maybe Tommorrow.

Something like that... ^_^
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Renny on June 29, 2005, 07:53:42 AM
'Memory' info about NiCads and NiMHs, irrelevant to the DS and SP.

Info about degradation of Li-Ions, which the DS and SP use.

The language is a bit odd, but the points made have reasoning and studies behind them. As far as the DS or SP's battery is concerned: don't worry about. If you aren't going to use it for an extended period of time, discharge the battery then half-charge it and keep it someplace cool.

OT: The dairy board should so run that strip in their next ad campaign. Boob get!
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on June 29, 2005, 09:01:59 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
Quote
Originally posted by: Spak-Spang
Bill is your aviator checking her development out?

*sigh* Still Nothing, Maybe Tommorrow.

Something like that... ^_^
Quote
Originally posted by: Renny
OT: The dairy board should so run that strip in their next ad campaign. Boob get!

Got Boobs?

Just Add Milk!!


Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: vudu on June 29, 2005, 09:35:25 AM
From the article Renny linked to:
Quote
A lithium-ion battery provides 300-500 discharge/charge cycles. The battery prefers a partial rather than a full discharge. Frequent full discharges should be avoided when possible. Instead, charge the battery more often or use a larger battery. There is no concern of memory when applying unscheduled charges.
Quote
Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for lithium-ion than one deep one.
Quote
Batteries with fuel gauge (laptops) should be calibrated by applying a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges. Running the pack down in the equipment does this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate and in some cases cut off the device prematurely.
I'm not sure if that last one applies to the power light on the GBASP/DS, but if it does, it's possible Mario's battery is fine but his DS thinks it's running low when it's not.
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: stevey on June 29, 2005, 11:03:53 AM
Just go to nintendo's online store a buy a new battery and while you there buy some hd cable because nintendo might then give us a hd revolution and the gauge is not built-in to the battery so that does not aply.
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: Spak-Spang on June 29, 2005, 11:48:11 AM
That comic is pretty funny.  Bill what is that from?  
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: ruby_onix on June 29, 2005, 12:48:48 PM
http://members.lycos.co.uk/moomoo/habanero_index.php

^^^ English translations.
Title: RE:Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: stevey on June 29, 2005, 03:55:37 PM
Do you have any more website like that ruby onix?
Title: RE: Nintendo DS battery life
Post by: ruby_onix on June 29, 2005, 04:31:11 PM
Sorry, no.