Safe Luxury

Is it safe to leave a battery in a digital camera for long periods of time when not using it?

I'm back at school, so I haven't been using my digital camera at all. I was just wondering if it was safe to leave my battery (a lithium-ion) inside the actual camera for a long period of time when I'm not using it. We're talking months here. Do lithium-ion batteries leak like traditional batteries? Thanks!

Public Comments

1. Now you've got 'me' thinking. I'm using cheap batteries. So no big loss for this experiment. I 'do' know I had a movie camera one time that used to eat up the batteries when not in use. But I think there was something wrong with that camera. If you pull your batteries ...then you lose your date and time ...and have to re set it. If you've got $40.00 batteries ...I think I'd pull them. - 'Big deal' about the date and time. Put some cheap batteries in it, and see if the camera drains them.
2. It depends. If you plan on not using your camera for three or more months, take the battery out, charge it and then put it some place where you will not lose it. It is important to keep at least some charge on the battery, since of the things that can reduce the performance of Li-ion batteries are 1) leaving them discharged for long periods of time, 2) over heating them or 3) over charging them (usually caused by using a generic battery charger). While there is always the possibility of Li-ion batteries leaking, I still have some that I use with my Nikon D100 that are over seven years old. They still hold a charge large enough to shoot over 450 shots per charge
3. Lithium Ion batteries doesn't leak, as far as I know. But it is still advisable to remove the battery if you are not using it for a long time. Not because it'll damage the battery, but more like trying to avoid any chances of short circuit inside the camera. You never know. No harm being careful, even with all the protection circuits built into the Li-Ion battery and all (they are still explosive you know...). If you do want to keep the battery unused for a long time, charge it first, but don't fully charge it. Li-Ion batteries have nominal voltage of 3.7 volt. Freshly charge they are 4.2 volt (anything over that and it turns into a bomb) and 2.5 volt when they're almost empty. Going below 2 volt will cause the battery to be "dead" permanently. So to store the battery, charge it halfway... 50-70% charge and store it in a cool place. Storing a Li-Ion battery on full charge or empty state will shorten it's life (though it's better full charge than empty, empty li-ion is bad).
4. I believe that the manufacturer's instructions are to remove the batteries if you are not planning to use the camera for a while, the batteries charge can do something to it if not discharged regularly. You loose nothing by doing it so I would.
5. You'd better not do this. I don't think it's a good idea. Leaving a battery in digital camera will lose the power even worsen your camera. Though i think the LiON batteries doesn't leak,it'll damage the batteries and short your circuit inside the camera. Plug off the batteries and store it in a cool place,it's not too hard but it's safe.
6. as far as i can remember what my physics teacher said, it's ok but even though your not using the cam, the energy of the battery is still being use so as much as possible, don't leave it inside or else your wasting money