How to Extend the Life of a Wireless Vacuum Battery
The wire war continues. The modern home is literally teeming with them – power cords, internet cables, HDMI cables, drawers and drawers full of random USB cables we’re afraid to throw away – despite the proliferation of wireless technology. Even our favorite Wi-Fi almost always starts with some kind of cable. It’s no surprise that whenever we can ditch a cable or cord, we do so. Cordless vacuum cleaners were once great toys that weren’t very useful, but they’ve come a long way. Today, you can clean your house pretty well with a cordless vacuum cleaner, and there are many good reasons for this: they are light and easy to carry, they turn into a handheld vacuum cleaner for quick work, and the lack of a cord means you can walk around your apartment without tripping. about the wires and not unplugging and plugging the damn thing every five minutes, moving from room to room.
But there is one drawback. Even in this age of cutting-edge technology, when real battery-powered cars can travel hundreds of miles, the world’s best cordless vacuum cleaners only last about 45 minutes – and that’s usually at minimum power. Many only work for about 20 minutes before they pass away. If you need to clean more than a one-room apartment, this is problematic, but there are ways to increase the runtime of your vacuum cleaner.
Use the correct mode on your cordless vacuum cleaner
Most cordless vacuum cleaners operate in two or more different “modes”, which essentially depends on their suction power. As you can imagine, the higher the power setting, the shorter the running time. Taking the time to think about what you’re cleaning and how much power you need can help extend your vacuuming session. Turn on the high power mode only when needed and switch back to the lower setting when not needed.
Turn off the cordless vacuum cleaner
If you’re switching between vacuuming and wiping surfaces or organizing work as you go while you’re cleaning, a simple and obvious way to increase battery life is to turn off your vacuum when you know you’re not vacuuming . If you’re going to leave your vacuum cleaner idle for more than a moment, turn it off to save power rather than just let it run for no reason.
Keep your battery charged
Most cordless vacuum batteries are lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which means they don’t really have the so-called “memory effect” that older batteries like nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries suffer from. This means you don’t need to fully drain your battery before charging – and you shouldn’t. Your vacuum cleaner’s battery actually has to work the most to recharge when it’s at 0 percent, and that hard work puts a strain on it, shortening its lifespan and reducing the amount of time the vacuum’s motor runs.
Instead, charge the battery before it drops to zero. Performing shorter “partial” recharges will extend battery life.
Keep your vacuum cleaner filter clean
Your vacuum sucks in air—and dirt, and cat hair, and popcorn—and pulls it through some kind of filter. There are usually two sets of filters: filters in the engine that keep debris from clogging parts, and a secondary filter such as a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter that traps tiny particles such as pollen or pet dander instead of circulate. them back to your home. Pulling air through these filters stresses the battery, and the dirtier they are, the more stress they cause. Cleaning these filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions and replacing them regularly will prolong battery life.
Store the cordless vacuum cleaner at room temperature.
Finally, although the effect of temperature on batteries is not as strong as in the past, it does have some impact on battery performance. It’s best to store your battery indoors at room temperature, which means hanging your charger on the wall of your unheated garage can shorten the time it powers your vacuum cleaner.
If you’re buying a cordless vacuum cleaner right now, the last piece of advice is to make sure you buy it with a removable battery – and buy an extra battery. This way, you can keep both charged and switch them if you run out of charge, because there’s nothing worse than doing most of your cleaning routine only for your vacuum to die. By taking a few steps to keep your battery charged for as long as possible, you will remove another tiny bit of frustration from your life.