Rechargeable lithium-based batteries power most of our electronic devices from cell phones to iBooks, not to mention the very popular iPods. But with so much demand of these electronic devices that use this type of battery, does any one really take the time to find out how to maximize the life of these batteries?

You take the time to buy these electronic devices every day and take the time to learn how to properly use them. But do you actually take the time to learn how to properly make the life of the battery work as long as you can before you have to break down and buy a replacement battery? In addition, as everyone knows, most of these rechargeable batteries are not cheap. It is actually more economical to learn right from the beginning the proper steps in extending the life of the battery.

Some of the first models of iPods that were introduced did not have a battery pack that could easily be replaced by the consumer. It came with an enclosed battery pack that made it only possible to open by virtually breaking your iPod. Many other iPod knock offs also had similar enclosed battery packs.

With this being a problem for some consumers, Apple, the maker of the iPod, would not even consider replacing these worn out batteries. Apple believed that the consumer should buy either a brand new iPod or a used one.

This is where third-party battery replacement kits hit the market. Apple, being competitive as they usually are, decides to announce a program that would replace worn out batteries. But, of course, with all the third party competition out there that are selling these battery replacement kits, this makes it very possible for the consumer to not only find new replacement batteries, but to also find it cheaper than they would through Apple. This is not to mention the fact that it would have more capacity than the standard battery that Apple originally came with.

When extending the life of your iPod batteries consider the following. First of all, you want to make sure that the most current iPod software is being used. You want to only use the hold switch and make sure to keep it at room temperature.

In addition, you want to make sure that your hold switch is set on your iPod and the remote when it is not in use. So, if any of the buttons are accidentally bumped if its in your pocket or a bag, it will not come on.

One of the biggest issues is keeping your iPod at room temperature as much as possible. If, for some reason, it ever gets left out in the cold, make sure it is completely warmed up first before turning it back on. Also, if you find that your iPod still will not come on, plug it into power adaptor and press the menu button and play/pause button until the Apple logo appears onto the screen.

The iPod should also never be left in a vehicle in extremely hot weather or that is parked in direct sunlight. Also, remember that the iPod should never be left in any kind of direct sunlight for any long period of time.

Charging the battery can also affect the life of the battery. Lithium ion batteries pack in a high power of density, which maximizes the life of the battery and is conveniently lighter. Lithium batteries are rechargeable. Lithium ion batteries are generally good for 300-to 500-charge/discharge cycles.

A brand new battery is going to hold a much better charge for a longer period of time compared to a slightly older battery that is not going to hold as good a charge for any long period of time. Most users will not even really notice this because it is such a gradual decrease.

Fast charges can return the battery back to 80% of its capacity in about an hour. But it is still going to take 4 hours to fully charge the battery. When the iPod is in sleep mode it is still using current and will slowly drain your battery. If the iPod is kept at the recommended temperatures, the battery should empty in about 14 to 28 days.

There are a couple of tips people do not even think will affect the battery. One is charging the iPod while in carrying case or cover. Also, always fully charge the battery even if it is not going to be used right away. Make sure to always use pause when not in use. If left playing, the iPod will keep playing until the battery is completely dead. Use the sleep mode to save the life of your battery. You can set up this feature by pressing the play button till the iPod simply goes to sleep.

Backlighting is also a feature that can use up a lot of battery life. This is a feature that you should try to avoid using. It should also be set up so it is not used. You can do this by choosing the settings and then going to backlight timer and choosing off. The equalizer setting is also another feature that will drain your battery. To save on the battery set this to off also. Choose settings, then equalizer and then off.

If you can avoid changing tracks by pressing the previous/rewind buttons or the next/fast forward buttons, this will also help retain the life of your battery. When you change track by using these buttons the iPod has to turn on its hard drive and open songs. This uses a lot of currency. Try to only use compressed songs. They seem to work the best. If these files are large and not compressed, you may want to compress them or change them to different files. The best files to use are MP3s or AAC when importing to iTunes. Also consider breaking long songs into shorter tracks so the size of the file is smaller.