REDUCING A RATE OF CAPACITY LOSS OF A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

A system for reducing a rate of capacity loss of a rechargeable battery can include a switch and a controller. The controller can be configured to produce, at a frequency and during a normal operation of the rechargeable battery to provide electrical power to a power-consuming device, a sequence of pulses. A pulse, of the sequence of pulses, can have a duty cycle that defines: (1) a first portion of the pulse during which the switch is positioned to connect the power-consuming device to the rechargeable battery and (2) a second portion of the pulse during which the switch is positioned to connect the power-consuming device to a secondary electrical power source. For example, interrupting a discharge of the rechargeable battery (e.g., during a normal operation of the rechargeable battery to provide electrical power to the power-consuming device) can reduce a rate of degradation of the rechargeable battery.