I don’t know exactly what sort of battery the Sansa Clip uses, but I do know that it’s not replacable, and that different types of rechargable batteries should be treated differently in order to last the longest (i.e., most number of charges or partial charges or usage time etc.)
Is there solidified wisdom on how, when, and for how long to charge the Clip’s battery? That is, are partial charges (which happens anytime you connect the clip to your computer anyway) a good or bad thing? Is it important to use the battery all the way down before recharging? (and if so, as a one-time thing to “calibrate” the battery, vs. as regular practice)
Anyway, I’m sure there’s a solid knowledge base out there on this sort of stuff, but Sansa’s documentation is pathetic and I can’t easily find threads that answer these questions. Thanks.
Well, first of all, don’t keep the Clip on all day long 
Don’t let the battery drain completely before charging it, at least not too often. Charging it from empty isn’t very good for it. When the battery meter reaches, say, 25%… then it’s time to recharge it. It’s ok to charge it fully, which takes about 3 1/2 hrs(give or take). As for partial charges, I only do that when I transfer songs to the Clip. That can’t be avoided anyway, so don’t worry about it. The battery should last perhaps 2-4 years, depending on how often you use/charge the Clip. Treat it nicely, & it’ll give you plenty of enjoyment for a long time 
On the next firmware release the battery gauge will be more accurate at the low end, so it wont shut off suddenly on you at 25%.
Cheers,
SansaFix
Batteryuniversity.com is a good source for information, consistent with the above. According to the site, partial charges are not harmful. Full discharges should be avoided, apart from every now and again to reset the battery gauge.
Given that some optimal battery treatment/behavior is specific to the type of rechargable battery, do people know what kind of battery (Lithium Ion, NiMH, etc.) is used in the clip? I can’t find that info anywhere in the documentation, which is annoying and indicates half-assed documentation, unless there’s some political-ish reason for not saying.
@timcupery wrote:
Given that some optimal battery treatment/behavior is specific to the type of rechargable battery, do people know what kind of battery (Lithium Ion, NiMH, etc.) is used in the clip? I can’t find that info anywhere in the documentation, which is annoying and indicates half-assed documentation, unless there’s some political-ish reason for not saying.
I believe it’s a lithium polymer.
@sansafix wrote:
On the next firmware release the battery gauge will be more accurate at the low end, so it wont shut off suddenly on you at 25%.
Cheers,
SansaFix
That’ll be interesting to see if it gives the gauge a little more accuracy and consistency at lower charge levels :smileyvery-happy: What’s the latest word on when the new fw will be released, sansafix? Is there a list anywhere yet on the issues that the new fw will address?
Yes, the Clip uses a Lithium Polymer cell, free of the “memory” issues of the Ni-Cd battery. You will get longest service from these batteries if you treat them just like a car battery- keep it charged, and it will perform beautifully.
You don’t need to keep a live USB port on for the Clip, since a decent wall charger with a USB port is a handy thing to have. Be sure that the charger can support 200mA. With a wall charger, the Clip is not communicating with the host computer, so its OLED display will also turn off.
There is one caveat with a charging adapter, however. The Clip has to be turned ON in order for the processor to be live and able to charge the device. AFter the normal timeout of the display, it will charge happily without flashing (since there’s no data being transferred).
Bob :smileyvery-happy:
I heard the best way to treat a Clip battery is to always be honest to her, take her out to eat at least twice a month, and tell her she’s not fat at least once a day.
