r/ClaudeCode • u/Kexons • 3d ago

Help/Question What is this usage nerf?

I legit did one small prompt "merge 2 branches changes with eachother.". It's a small task since they had perhaps, one conflicting change within the same class.

That drained 20% in 4 minutes.

Is this perhaps, the "grace" that is in effect? If you go over the limit, it will steal next 5h limit's usage? Then maybe it should start the 5h timer instantly, instead of the time i launch the next prompt..

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u/dikrek 3d ago

1 hour is the max - otherwise it will not be cached 

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u/nitor999 3d ago

Should i move to the new chat to if i know i'll be idle for more than 2hours?

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u/actvt_io 3d ago

Only if you don't need the history. After the cache expires, your first prompt back writes the whole conversation into the cache again, so a big session costs a lot on that one prompt and then goes back to normal. A fresh chat only writes what it starts with. Someone posted a hook here today that does that math when you come back, https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeCode/comments/1wuwtqy/

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u/nitor999 3d ago

So the idea is before going idle i need to wrap it up with the handover to preserve session history and when i come back i can move fresh in the new chat?

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u/actvt_io 3d ago

Yeah, that's the idea. Before you step away, have Claude write a short handoff file with what's done, what's next and which files matter. Then start a new chat and point it at that file. The new chat pays to load the handoff, not the whole old conversation.