Soundbars have become very popular over the years. They’re a great alternative to stock sound systems that most off-road vehicles come equipped with and they offer a range of great additional features, like the ability to connect with multiple soundbars and even RGB lights!

Also, many of these soundbars come equipped with lithium-ion batteries which allow them to be used even when you don’t have a power source nearby. The thing is, however, that a Bluetooth soundbar battery needs to be taken care of if you want your soundbar to perform perfectly when going wireless.

So let’s take a look at how you can take care of your Bluetooth soundbar battery.

What can damage a soundbar’s battery?

Here are a few things that could potentially reduce your battery’s ability to hold a charge:

Overcharging

Leaving a soundbar plugged in for too long during charging can cause the battery to degrade. Even though modern lithium batteries are very durable and resistant to overcharging, the battery can still lose its capacity to hold a charge if you keep overcharging frequently.

Also, lithium-ion batteries are more likely to wear out if they undergo too many charge cycles. A charge cycle refers to every time a battery is charged to the max and then completely discharged. In most cases, lithium-ion batteries are only designed to last 500-1000 charge cycles.

Deep discharge

A deep discharge is when a soundbar or any electronic device’s battery is discharged to 0%. When the battery is at 0% and you charge it all the way to 100%, it puts a lot of strain on the battery, reducing its lifespan.

Heat exposure

Exposing soundbars to high temperatures can potentially reduce their battery life. Lithium-ion batteries are sensitive to heat as high temperatures increase the reactivity of the battery cells, making them deteriorate much faster than normal.

Age

Soundbars with rechargeable batteries, like any other electronic device with rechargeable batteries, will degrade and lose their capacity to keep a charge. After years of continuous charge and discharge cycles, the battery will naturally wear out, even if you’ve maintained it well.

Defects

This is very rare, but sometimes manufacturing defects may cause a Bluetooth soundbar battery to degrade very quickly. Defects include damages done to the battery during the manufacturing process and impurities inside the battery cells. Fortunately, this won’t normally be a problem in soundbars made by well-reputed manufacturers.

How can you keep the battery healthy for a long time?

Soundbar batteries will naturally degrade over time, but the following methods may increase their lifespan by 20-30%:

Don’t fully drain the battery

As we mentioned earlier, deep discharges can damage the battery over time. Don’t let the soundbar battery drain below 20% to prevent this from happening. If your soundbar has a companion app, you can check the battery level on the app to see when you should charge it.

Also, don’t charge the battery over 80% when you charge the soundbar. It’s alright to charge the battery to 100% occasionally, especially when you’re planning on taking the soundbar on a trip, but don’t make this habitual.

Use the right charger

When charging your soundbar, always use the charger that came with it or a charger that’s officially approved by the manufacturer to be compatible with it. There may be many cheaper alternatives on the market but many of these chargers may not be suited for your soundbar and this could lead to battery deterioration.

Also, using the wrong charger can be dangerous as it could lead to severe overheating that can damage the soundbar or worse, start a fire.

Store the soundbar properly

Most Bluetooth soundbars and their batteries are designed to be resistant to water and dust, but their batteries may still be sensitive to temperature changes. When you’re not using your soundbar, make sure to store it in a cool and dry place where there won’t be any extremes in temperature.

Also, before storing your soundbar, make sure that the battery level is close to 50%. Never store your soundbar when the battery is 0% as this can lead the battery to deteriorate faster.

Replace the battery 

As much as we want them to, soundbar batteries won’t last forever. At most, a soundbar’s battery will last for 3 years, even with proper care. When your soundbar is over 3 years old, consider replacing the battery. 

When you’re getting a new battery, try to buy it from the soundbar’s manufacturer and avoid using third-party batteries as they may not be compatible with your soundbar, despite their claims, and this could lead to your soundbar getting damaged.

How to dispose of an old battery

Old lithium-ion batteries can be dangerous. Here’s how you can safely remove these batteries and dispose of them:

Remove the battery

Using the user manual as a guide, remove the battery from the soundbar. If you’re not sure how to remove the battery safely, take it to the manufacturer or let a professional do it for you.

Store the battery safely

After removing the battery, store the battery in a non-conductive bag until you can take it to a recycling facility. Never try to break or crush the batteries—this can be extremely dangerous.

Don’t throw it in the trash

Avoid throwing the old battery out with your regular trash. Batteries need to be processed differently to avoid fire hazards so check if your area has battery recycling programmes or if the manufacturer of the soundbar offers to take back old batteries. 

Be kind to your Bluetooth soundbar battery

Modern outdoor soundbars are very durable and offer hours upon hours of battery life. By taking good care of your rugged soundbars and their batteries, you can enjoy listening to your favourite tunes while you blaze through the outback for a very, very long time.

So don’t forget to give your soundbar’s battery the care it deserves! 

 

FAQs

Is it okay to use my soundbar when it’s charging?

Yes, you can. But this might vary depending on the manufacturer. Make sure to check the user manual before doing this.

Can I use my soundbar without batteries?

Of course, you can. As long as you have a power source to plug the soundbar into, you can keep using it without any problem.

Will low battery life affect a soundbar’s audio quality?

No, it won’t. The sound quality will remain consistent even after the batter deteriorates. If you notice a change in sound quality, it could mean there’s something wrong with the soundbar’s speakers themselves. 

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