Charging iPad mini.

Your best bet is to charge the iPad with the cable and block that came with it. While I wouldn't think you would want to use a car charger as the primary power source, occassional use will not harm it. The battery simply isn't so fragile that you have to worry about it. When it needs charging, charge it.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4060

Captain Dud wrote:

Thank you for that, James. Naturally, I am happy to use the (smaller 5W) charger that came with the iPad, but my questions remain. Proper battery care and management is key to its longevity and to the length of running-time it retains charge, which is why I am looking for definitive guidance.

You say ''When it needs charging, charge it.' but with respect, there is much more to it than that. For example, is it best to run it down before charging it - ie a full cycle each time - or top up whenever I am next to a mains supply? Is it better to run connected or to use the stored power in the battery?

There really isn't much more than just charging. The newer batteries are designed to not require stringent charging and discharging cycles. Apple simply suggests you discharge the battery fully about once a month to calibrate the battery meter and get accurate readings.But nothing more.

Other than that, its irrelevant when you decide to charge it, or for how long or wether or not its connected to the mains while you are using it.

I've owned my iPad for over a year and a half. I charge it when it needs to, Or when I have the time, usually over night. I've used it many times when its plugged in, and so far battery life has remained just as good as when I bought it.

In the end these batteries are meant to be used and charged when its convenient. There is no definitive charging guide form apple aside form he recommended discharge once a month. Everything else is when you need to charge it or want to charge it, and how long you wish to charge it for.

Captain Dud wrote:

The same applies to using it on the 12V charger which I understand is NOT the healthiest method of charging (for whatever reason). I use mine a lot in a cockpit. Is it better to run it on the 12V or keep using the battery followed by a 'deep cycle' recharge afterwards?

12 "Wattt" not volt. there's a difference. Is perfectly o.k to use with the iPad Mini as suggested by the description for it in the Online Apple Store.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD836LL/A/apple-12w-usb-power-adapter

The 5W charger is packed in with the Mini because it does not need as much power to charge a a regular sized iPad, and the box it comes in is smaller so they pack in a smaller charger. But the 12W charger can be used without any issues with it. You can even use the 12W charger to charge an iPhone or iPod which require even less power than an iPad mini yet still come with the 5W charger. In the end they are fully compatible and perfectly safe to use.

Captain Dud wrote:

And of course, my original question: Is it better to charge it slowly or quickly, which I assume is the effect of the 5W or the 12W plug. I can find precious little guidance from Apple despite the fact that they supply/sell both. We are given a choice but not the advice as to how to choose.

There's no advice because it doesn't matter. Charge it with the charger you want. Apple prides itself on making things easy to use. One of the ways of doing this is to make charging simple. Just plug it in when you need to. that's all.

Captain Dud wrote:

Thank you for that, James. Naturally, I am happy to use the (smaller 5W) charger that came with the iPad, but my questions remain. Proper battery care and management is key to its longevity and to the length of running-time it retains charge, which is why I am looking for definitive guidance.

You say ''When it needs charging, charge it.' but with respect, there is much more to it than that. For example, is it best to run it down before charging it - ie a full cycle each time - or top up whenever I am next to a mains supply? Is it better to run connected or to use the stored power in the battery?

The same applies to using it on the 12V charger which I understand is NOT the healthiest method of charging (for whatever reason). I use mine a lot in a cockpit. Is it better to run it on the 12V or keep using the battery followed by a 'deep cycle' recharge afterwards?

And of course, my original question: Is it better to charge it slowly or quickly, which I assume is the effect of the 5W or the 12W plug. I can find precious little guidance from Apple despite the fact that they supply/sell both. We are given a choice but not the advice as to how to choose.

Honestly, the battery in a current iOS device is just not that fragile. I've been using Ipad's since day one and have seen no degradation of the battery. The only real recommendation I have is to periodically (once a month or so) let it run down to near empty before charging. But that has more to do with keeping the battery meter calibrated than health of the battery.

It will not harm it to use it while charging, but due to the length of the cable (or lack of length) not necessarily convenient. But otherwise I stand by my statement. Charge it when it needs charging, preferably with the supplied cable and block, and it will be fine.

Captain Dud wrote:

Phil0124, you write "12 "Wattt" not volt. there's a difference. Is perfectly o.k to use with the iPad Mini as suggested by the description for it in the Online Apple Store."

Perhaps its my fault for not making it clear but when I refer to a 12V charger, I do know I am referring to volts not watts. I have not taken leave of ALL my senses just yet. 😉

What I meant is the Apple chargers are rated in Watts not Volts. There's no such thing as a 12 Volt charger from Apple for their mobile devices. That would be a substantial wallop. They are 5 Watt, 10 Watt or 12 Watt chargers. The Voltage ouput is constant for all 3 chargers at about 5 volts.

Captain Dud wrote:

I do appreciate all helpful commentary but still not getting the answer to my specific questions. I am not looking for anecdotal personal experiences as much as definitive answers on the effect of all the options on battery care.

Apple are selling all kinds of very different chargers and historically, battery charging method has always been central to longevity and performance. IF what is suggested here is all correct, then why do Apple continue marketing very different chargers said to be suitable for the same model and are they really interchangeable with ZERO side-effect (eg 5W or 12W)? IF battery technology has undergone such a quantum leap as suggested, why has that not been mentioned? I would have thought that would be a major selling feature, if nothing else. So my doubts arise.

It is important to me to manage this battery the best way. It is odd that it seems so diffciult to get such fundamental information from the horse's mouth.

Apple currently makes 2 chargers for their mobile devices. The 5 Watt charger, and the 12 Watt charger (previously it was a 10 Watt charger)

They make different sized chargers for different sized products. the 5 Watt chargers are smaller because they have to be packed in with a smaller device in a smaller box, and because the smaller devices require less power.

Its pointless to ship an iPod or iPhone with a 12watt charger that will increase its price and the size of the box, when both of them can charge fine with the 5 Watt charger.

The 12 Watt charger being sold is perfectly compatible with every device because it puts out enough power to charge them all, however it is packed with the larger iPads because they require the extra power to charge correctly in a reasonable amount of time.

The 5 watt charger is compatible with the smaller devices (iPhone, and iPods) because it puts out less power. Its not that its harmful to the iPad, its just that it will take a really long time to charge it. You can use it fine, and it won't harm the battery. But you'll be waiting for it to charge longer than you really would want to.

The smaller devices do not need as much power, but the exedent is not detrimental to them, because its simply not used.

There's no other way to put this, the life of modern batteries specially those in apple products is good enough to not be affected by differing charging patterns in the life span of the products.

Again, I was referring to the Apple Chargers, not the sockets in a car or plane. Sockets are not chargers.

We are talking about 2 different things here. The Chargers are the small white boxes that come packed with an Apple product that can be plugged in to a wall socket / outlet. Also known as power adapters.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD836LL/A/apple-12w-usb-power-adapter

If you use the 12 Watt charger provided by Apple it will take care of modulating the voltage it recieves and of providing correct power to the device.

The Sockets themselves provide raw power. They require an Adapter or "Charger" to produce correct Voltage and current to charge a device. If the adapter you use does not correctly modulate it for the device its possible the device can be harmed.

This one for example takes 12 Volts input from a car or plane "SOCKET" and converts them to 10 WATT / 5 Volt output for usage with an iPad.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/HB245ZM/A/just-wireless-car-charger-for-ipad-i phone-and-ipod?fnode=3c

Without knowing exactly what adapater you are using its hard to say, but again if the adapter is desinged to take in 12 Volts and convert them to 10 or 12 WATTS at 5 Volts output then its doing its job, and should not affect the iPad battery.

If you look on your Apple .com store you will find Apple rate the 12w charger as suitable and compatible with all iOS devices back to the original iPhone and the iPod 4 gen

That means it is perfectly safe and if it were to cause an issue Apple will cover the issue under warranty

Fact not anecdotal

by the way this is not" the horses mouth" we are all usere on this forum ,no relavant Apple presence

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Captain Dud wrote:

Yes, I know that (apart from a few closet, anonymous ones). What I mean is that getting answers from the information Apple give out is so hard. They sell different adaptors with very different outputs but do not give advice on which to use in a device where they both work. Given the known issues with battery life and charging techniques, I consider this important.

They do. They are telling you the 12 watt charger works for all devices and you can safely use it on all of them.

This 5W one works only for specific devices. By logic if its not listed in the compatibilty listing its not suggested you use the charger with it.

If you have a device that can be charged with either one you can use either one that's what compatibilty means.

What more do you want?