When operating a car with working electrical equipment, problems associated with the battery of this car usually do not arise. Of course, if you do not leave powerful consumers of electricity on for a long time when the car engine is not running. But as soon as the fuse protecting the generator excitation circuit blows, the next attempt to start the car engine will not be successful. After which the car owner will be faced with a previously irrelevant question: “how to charge the battery correctly?” When available charger Correctly charging a car battery at home is not complicated. Charging a car battery with an automatic charger is the simplest and does not require control over the process.
A car battery is used to start the car engine and as an auxiliary source of electricity when the car engine is not running.
Battery condition assessment
The fact that a car's starter turns "sluggishly" is not necessarily a consequence of the car's chemical source of electricity being depleted. Therefore, before taking the car battery to charge, it is recommended to check it.
Measurements are taken when the car engine is not running. A fully charged car battery has an electrolyte density of 1.27 to 1.29 g/cm 3 and a terminal voltage of 12.3 to 12.9 V. When 70% of the charge remains in it, the density of its electrolyte will be from 1.23 to 12.9 V. 1.25 g/cm 3 and the voltage is from 12.0 to 12.1 V. A half-discharged current source will have an electrolyte density of 1.16 to 1.18 g/cm 3 and show a voltage from 11.8 to 12, 0 V. When completely discharged, it will have a density of 1.11 to 1.13 g/cm3, and the voltage will drop below 11 V.
Preparing the battery for charging
In order to properly charge the battery at home, follow this sequence:
Charge methods
There are three ways to properly charge the battery:
The first two methods of charging the battery have both their pros and cons. The first method is to connect the battery to a source of electricity with a constant current voltage of no higher than 16.2 V. The current strength when charging for 20 hours can be calculated if the battery capacity is divided by 20 hours. For example, your car has a battery with a capacity of 50 Ah, then 50 Ah / 20 h = 2.5A. With a 10-hour charge, to determine the battery charging current, the capacity is divided by 10 hours. That is, to properly charge the same battery in 10 hours, you need a charging current of 5 A. One of the most important advantages of this method is that the battery is fully charged. Disadvantages include the need to stabilize the current, significant gas emissions, and heating of the electrolyte.
It is recommended to charge using this method in two stages - first make the charging current equal to 1/10 of the nominal capacity, and after the voltage of one bank reaches 2.4 V, reduce it by 2 times. The end of charging is determined by the appearance of intense gas formation - “boiling” of the electrolyte.
Alternative
The second method is to stabilize the charging voltage, while the current varies depending on the battery resistance. This technique allows you to charge the battery to 85–90%. Advantages of the method:
- quickly bringing the battery into working condition;
- Most of the energy consumed at the beginning of the process is spent on restoring the active mass of the plates.
The main disadvantage is the strong heating of the electrolyte due to the high current strength at the beginning of charging. Equalizing charging is designed to eliminate the consequences of deep discharges. It eliminates the increasing sulfation of electrodes very well.
The forced technique is used to quickly restore the operating condition of the source after a deep discharge. Allows the current to increase at the beginning of charging up to 70% of the rated capacity, but not longer than half an hour. Over the next 45 minutes, the charging current is reduced to half the rated capacity. For another 1.5 hours, the charge is carried out with a current of 30% of the rated capacity. This charging requires mandatory monitoring of the electrolyte temperature. If the temperature rises to 45 ◦ C, charging should be stopped.
I should use the method of forced battery charging as rarely as possible, since its regular use significantly reduces its service life.
About battery capacity
There is an opinion among car owners that it is inadmissible to install a battery with a higher capacity on a car, since with a larger capacity the car battery allegedly will not have time to charge. However, the amount of energy spent on starting a car engine does not depend on the battery capacity. Therefore, with a working generator, it will be replenished in the battery of a larger and smaller capacity at the same time. This means that installing a battery with a capacity greater than recommended in a car will not cause harm. 
Charging device
The charger (charger) is used to charge electric batteries from the network alternating current. The charger consists of a voltage converter (transformer or pulse rectifier), a voltage stabilizer, a controller that regulates the charging current and sometimes an indication unit consisting of dial or LED ampere-voltmeters. Chargers differ in the type of batteries being charged, their operating voltage and capacity.
Charger designation for car batteries: X B/C, where X is the name of the charger, B is the maximum capacity of the battery being charged in Amp-hours, C is the maximum operating voltage of the battery being charged in volts. If the charger has a B value exceeding 170 Ah, then it can be used not only for charging, but also to help when starting the car engine.
One of the most important criteria for correct operation, good efficiency and long service life of a battery is its correct charge. This applies to all batteries, be they massive industrial batteries of rather large capacity, or tiny batteries in your tablets or phones.
Most of batteries have the so-called “memory effect” to varying degrees. It is expressed in the fact that the batteries “remember” the limits of the used capacity.
For this reason, in fact, preparatory training of batteries is being carried out. Due to the above result, it is not recommended to charge batteries that have not yet run out completely.
In this case rechargeable batteries among other things, they will “remember” the limits to which they are given the opportunity to reach.
The result will be a reduction in the physical capacity of the batteries, their rapid discharge, and short service life.
When purchasing new batteries, it is recommended to “train” them. It consists of completely discharging/charging the batteries themselves. To put it simply, you need to discharge the batteries, then charge them “all the way”. The process is repeated 3-4 times.
As a result of this procedure, the batteries will last much longer. With all this, you seem to be “overclocking” them, increasing the potential capacity to the limits.
The fewer times the battery is discharged and the shallower each individual discharge, the longer its service life will be.
How can I charge the battery?
- The best option is charging DC 0.1 - 0.2 C for 6-8 hours.
- Fast charge - within 3-5 hours. current is about a third of the rated current.
- Accelerated charging - is carried out with a current equal to the nominal capacity of the battery itself; heating and destruction of the element is possible.
It is standard to say that their voltage is 3.7 volts, but one element can have a voltage in the range of 2.5 (discharged) - 4.2 volts and this is usually the maximum.
On average, their service life is 1000 - 1500 charge-discharge cycles
As a rule, if such a battery is discharged below 2.5 volts or charged more than 4.2 volts, the battery fails. To protect against this, most batteries of this type have a protection board that turns off the battery bank when the voltage goes outside the normal range.
The charging device must be able to charge batteries up to 4.2 volts and automatically turn off the charge.
Newer variety lithium-ion batteries with higher energy density and smaller size (element thickness from 1 mm! with significant flexibility). Use down to minus 20 degrees. And the complete absence of “memory effect”.
Batteries of this type are explosive and fire hazardous if they are overcharged, quickly discharged or the cell shorts out. Therefore, all elements are equipped with a built-in charge and discharge controller board.
The number of operating cycles is 900 full charge-discharge. It should be noted that a deep discharge can completely damage the battery. It is recommended to discharge such batteries to no more than 40% of their maximum capacity.
Charging is carried out with a voltage of 4.2 volts per cell, a current of 1C and the charging process is completed at a current of 0.1-0.2C. Charging time is approximately 2 hours.
Service life is approximately 200-500 charge-discharge cycles. Self-discharge: 100% per year.
To a small extent, the battery has a “memory effect”, which means that if the battery has not been used for a long time, a month or two, then it needs to go through a full discharge-charge cycle.
Low current charging extends the battery life, so the most optimal operating mode would be charging with a current of 0.1 of the battery's rated capacity.
Charging time is 15-16 hours, according to the manufacturers instructions.
It is better to charge such batteries using direct or pulsed current with very short pulses of a negative value (asymmetric current) - this will help eliminate problems with the “memory effect”
The charge voltage per cell is 1.4 - 1.6 volts, and the voltage of a fully charged cell is 1.4 volts. Discharge is carried out up to 0.9 volts; lower is undesirable.
Most are available in the form of AA batteries and small disk batteries (tablets)
The supply voltage of one element is 1.37 volts
Self-discharge of this type is approximately 10% per month.
They are subject to the “memory effect” and such batteries are not recommended for use in buffer mode. After a long period of inactivity of such a battery, it is necessary to perform a charge-discharge cycle with a current of approximately the nominal capacity. Discharge cycle from 1.36 volts to 1 volt, lower is not recommended.
The rated charging current is within 0.1-1 of the rated capacity of the element.
Can be used at temperatures down to minus 50 degrees.
Pb (lead acid) battery
The most common type of battery energy.Most safe way Charging looks like this: first the battery is charged with direct current, and after receiving the required voltage, this voltage is maintained on the battery.
The maximum charging current is 0.2 - 0.3 of the nominal battery capacity. The optimal charge current is 10% of the nominal, it is both safe and gentle on the battery.
The maximum charging voltage should not exceed 13.8 volts. With fast charging, up to 14.5 volts are allowed.
The total time for a full charge should be between 5 and 6 hours.
Minimum charge temperature not lower than -15° C
AGM battery
Unlike lead-acid ones, they contain an absorbed electrolyte, and not liquid as in acid ones; glass fabric gaskets between the lead plates are impregnated with electrolyte. And this gives them a number of advantages: resistance to high vibrations, reliable operation even at minus 30 C although the voltage sags a little, sealed design and safer charging.The number of complete charge-discharge cycles is from 500 to 1000, depending on the model brand.
Did the battery from your camera, flashlight, children's toy or other necessary device suddenly run out? Such an eventuality cannot be foreseen. Unless you use special batteries with indicators. Or be careful not to carry a replacement with you. How to charge batteries at home? We will share with you useful instructions and recommendations.
What batteries can be charged?
Not every AA battery can be filled with energy using a homemade method. What batteries can be charged? Only finger alkaline (alkaline). But under no circumstances should you eat salt! The possibility of leakage or explosion of the product cannot be ruled out.
Method 1: Charger
We figured out whether the battery can be charged. If you constantly use such AA batteries, then the easiest way for you is to buy a special charger for them. Such a device will help to “breathe life” into the battery without unnecessary hassle.
However, the method also has significant drawbacks. Each charge reduces battery life by one third. In addition, the procedure may cause leakage of its composition.
Method 2: Power Supply
Let's look at how to charge batteries at home. For this method, you will need a power supply and wires to connect to it. Everything is in place? Here are the instructions for action:
When receiving a rechargeable AA battery using this method, pay attention to these recommendations:
- The process will not work if you reverse the polarity when connecting the wires. Moreover, in this way you will destroy the remaining charge in the element.
- Using the described method, the battery can be charged 1-2 times.
- The method is only suitable for finger-type alkaline cells!
- The procedure can be performed in any conditions environment(except for the freezer stage).
Method 3: Heating
You can also restore the battery charge by regular heating. But be careful - this method may cause the product to explode!
The simplest thing is this:
Method 4: Volume reduction
The method is quite incomprehensible and exotic at first glance. We need to reduce the size of the battery so that the charge in it is restored on its own.
What should you do for this? Mechanically reduce and make the body volume thinner. To do this, the battery is hit against something hard - asphalt, wall, stone, brick, etc. Or they simply trample on it with thick shoes. You can try to flatten it with a handy tool - for example, pliers.
This method will charge all AA batteries. It must be said that such a “barbaric” method helps restore the charge in some cases even to 100%!
Method 5: exposure to solutions
We continue to look at how to charge batteries at home. Within this method, two methods can be distinguished.
Instructions for the first:
How to charge batteries at home in another way:
- Use an awl or similar tool to make holes in the battery caps next to the carbon rod. The depth of each should be within 3/4 of the height of the entire battery.
- Pour liquid into the hole. You can take not ordinary water, but a solution of double vinegar or hydrochloric acid (no more than 8-10%).
- To sufficiently saturate the base, you need to repeat the pouring procedure several times, maintaining time intervals so that the composition has time to be absorbed.
- Finally, be sure to seal the holes. For these purposes, it is best to use resin or plasticine.
- Now you can use the battery - its charge should be restored to 70-80%.
Now you know how to charge a AA alkaline battery. Choose any method convenient for you. And, most importantly, be extremely careful! Careless actions may cause the battery to explode!
Almost every modern person has a device that requires batteries to operate: a television remote control, a wall clock, cellular telephone or a camera. All these gadgets have become so commonplace that no one is trying to understand the essence of the functioning of their batteries, and meanwhile, more than two centuries have passed since the invention of the prototype of the modern battery.
The choice of battery type is directly related to the device device where they will be used. Alkaline (alkaline) battery classified as a manganese-zinc food source. The reaction necessary to generate electricity is created by an alkaline electrolyte. Alkaline batteries (you can often find the inscription alkaline on their case) are widely used in devices that consume a small amount of energy, for example, in a portable flashlight, electric toothbrush. Sooner or later, any battery exhausts its reserve. Can alkaline batteries be charged? Are there ways to revive old power sources or will you have to buy new ones?
Operating principle of an alkaline battery
The operating principle of this alkaline power supply is quite simple. It was described by the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta back in 1782. The scientist designed a galvanic cell in which a zinc anode and a copper cathode were immersed in a sulfuric acid solution. The potential difference between two metals immersed in an electrolyte created an electric current.
This type of battery owes its name to a substance that acts as a current conductor, namely a concentrated alkali solution. The electrolyte is produced using mainly potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.
Other mandatory participants in the electrochemical reaction in an alkaline cell are a negative electrode (made of zinc) and a positive electrode (made of manganese oxide). Depending on the type of current source voltage can be 1.5–12 V.
Alkaline battery design
The size of the cylindrical element is similar to the size of the element of the manganese-zinc system with a salt electrolyte. However, there are some differences between the design of alkaline and salt current sources: alkaline batteries have an inverted design. In a battery containing an alkaline electrolyte, zinc is in powder form. In this regard, the zinc cup is replaced with a nickel-plated steel cylindrical body, which serves as a current conductor for the electrode with the “+” sign.
In the active state, the positive electrode is pressed against the inner walls of the housing. In an alkaline cell, as a rule, it is possible to place a larger amount of the active mass of the positive electrode than in a salt analogue of the same size. Thus, an alkaline D-type battery can contain 35–40 g of manganese dioxide. A salt battery of this size holds no more than 25–30 g of electrolyte.
The separator is pre-impregnated with electrolyte and then inserted into the internal cavity filled with the active mass of the anode. The separation material can be hydrated cellulose film or some non-woven polymer material.
A current lead (made of brass) of the cathode is placed along the axis of the chemical current source, and an anode composition consisting of zinc powder is introduced into the cavity between the brass current lead and the separation material. It is important that before this zinc powder was impregnated with thickened electrolyte.
In production, alkalis pre-saturated with zincates are often used as electrolytes. This measure reduces alkali consumption at the initial stage of operation. In addition, the zincates present in the electrolyte inhibit the development of the corrosion process.
Differences between salt batteries and alkaline batteries
Both salt and alkaline batteries have not lost popularity among consumers for many years. However, there are a number of differences between these types of batteries.
Saline:
Alkaline:
- Performance continues even five years after purchase.
- Virtually immune to temperature fluctuations.
- They don't leak.
- They have a specific capacity that exceeds that of salt cells, at least 2 times at a low-current load and 5–10 times at a high-precision load.
- Suitable for devices with any level of energy consumption, but perform best under constant load conditions.
Can an alkaline battery be charged?
The market for galvanic cells is diverse. Millions of different batteries roll off assembly lines every day. There are plenty of cheap copies available to everyone. They can be purchased at the checkout counter of any supermarket or electrical goods store. So the question is whether Is it possible to charge alkaline batteries, has lost its relevance. Everyone knows from a school chemistry course that when the caustic alkali contained in batteries is heated, a violent chemical reaction can occur. The reverse current of the charger, passing through a closed space, provokes boiling of the battery and even a thermal explosion.
If the battery manages to survive a single charge cycle, its capacity will still not increase to its original level. Any alkaline battery will most likely lose its charge again soon. In this case, depressurization of the housing and leakage of electrolyte may occur, and this may cause breakdown of the device consuming energy. It turns out that instead of the desired savings, you can simply ruin an expensive device.
For those who are willing to take a risk or need an emergency recharge, because the possibility of buying an alkaline battery is this moment No, There are a few tricky ways extend the life of the current source.
It is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person without the so-called “helpers” - technical devices, which are powered by batteries or rechargeable batteries.
A camera, a laptop mouse, a key fob for a car alarm - all these things cannot function without batteries, and a person, at least once a month, has to worry about buying a new battery for one or another household appliance.
However, not everyone knows that some batteries can serve as a battery, that is, they can withstand repeated use - to do this, they just need to be recharged.
In this article we will look at the main differences ordinary element powered by a reusable battery, completely identical in appearance to a standard battery. It will also talk about the main criteria when selecting a charger for batteries and accumulators.
Battery selection
At first glance, choosing a AA battery that can be charged using a charger may present some difficulties, because outwardly such an element is no different from a disposable one.
However, when purchasing, it is not necessary to resort to the help of sales consultants; it is enough to understand the labels on the product.
For example, the voltage value of a conventional battery will be 1.6 V. For a battery, this parameter is lower and is 1.2 V.
A little knowledge of English will also not hurt in such a situation. Inscription rechargeable on the element in translation means “rechargeable”, which speaks for itself.
And vice versa - the phrase do not recharge will tell the potential consumer that the battery cannot be alternately charged.
Another difference is the manufacturer’s indication of the battery capacity, which is expressed in mAh (milliampere hour). You will not find such a parameter on a regular one-time element. 
Rechargeable AA batteries, which receive “new life” from a charger, are divided according to the type of material that is their basis.
Nickel-cadmium battery
They are the cheapest compared to other varieties. Despite their low cost, such rechargeable batteries are not without advantages, the main one of which is the ability to retain a charge at subzero temperatures.
There are several disadvantages– inability to accept a charge until completely discharged and its loss even without using the element in the device.
Loading...
