Correctly charge the new battery. How to maintain a new car battery

Source: zr.ru

The need to charge a new battery for many car owners is puzzling, because few people know that a newly purchased battery also needs, if not a full charge, then at least recharging.

There can be several reasons for the discharge of a new battery. Most often this happens due to the fact that he spent too long in a warehouse or in a store.

Self-discharge may cause the battery capacity to drop below the nominal value. The longer the battery is left, the more it will discharge.

Therefore, when choosing a battery, it is advisable to pay attention to the date of manufacture. It is indicated on the body of the product or on the packaging. After determining the date of manufacture, you can already decide whether to buy a battery or look for another product.

According to the rules, if the battery has not been used for a year, it must be charged.

Modern rechargeable batteries are made in such a way that their charge is maintained for as long as possible. Unfortunately, no manufacturer has yet been able to completely eliminate the physical and chemical process of battery self-discharge.

Do I need to charge a new car battery?

When buying a new battery, it is advisable to check the level of its charge and the appearance of the device. First, the integrity of the case is checked: it should not have dents, scratches, cracks and other defects.

After a visual inspection, it is advisable to ask the seller or store consultant to check the charge level and electrolyte density. Ideally, its value should be two thousandths less than the norm, which corresponds to eighty percent of the full charge level. Before buying, it is also advisable to connect a voltmeter to the battery terminals.

If there is a load for 10 seconds, the device should show at least 11 volts, in its absence -12.5 - 12.9 volts.

The battery has successfully passed all the tests, then you can purchase it. It should be put into operation immediately after purchase, otherwise it will quickly discharge when stored in a garage. If there is a desire and need, then using a standard charger, you can recharge the battery.

However, such a procedure should be short-term and carried out only under a small current. It takes one to two hours to recharge a new battery.

If it is impossible to charge the battery in the garage due to its absence, then this should not be done in a residential building in any case. During charging, harmful fumes are released, which can cause irreparable harm to human health.

Do I need to charge the battery after changing the electrolyte?

After changing the electrolyte, the battery is charged in the following cases:

1. If the battery was not operated within a day after filling the electrolyte.

2. The first use of the battery should be carried out in difficult conditions - cold weather, frequent engine starts.

3. A new battery has been stored for a year from the date of issue.

The electrolyte in most cases is poured into dry-charged batteries. The density of the fluid used should be selected depending on the climatic conditions in the region where the vehicle is used.

The electrolyte is poured into the battery in a thin stream, while the liquid level rises above the shield by 10-15 millimeters.

Then the battery is kept for a maximum of two hours - this time should be enough to completely impregnate the separators and plates with electrolyte. After that, the battery voltage and electrolyte density are checked - it may decrease slightly.

The battery can be used if its voltage does not exceed 12 volts, and the density of the electrolyte has decreased by no more than 0.03 g/cm3.
If the indicators deviate from the norm, then the battery is charged with a small current not exceeding 0.1 of the device's capacity. The charging procedure takes an average of five hours.

Why can't the battery be recharged?

Long-term battery charging can cause the electrolyte to decompose into hydrogen and oxygen. The latter starts the process of oxidation of the lattices of the positive plates, which leads to their complete destruction.

The pores of the active plates during recharging accumulate large volumes of hydrogen and oxygen gases, which leads to an increase in pressure, chipping and loosening of the active mass.

The collapse of the plates reduces the capacity of the battery and can cause a short circuit between opposite plates.

One of the main symptoms of a rechargeable battery is active boiling of the electrolyte, increased gas formation and a rapid decrease in the liquid level.

Such non-compliance with the operating rules can lead to a complete failure of the battery.

In many respects, a parallel can be drawn between the behavior of a battery and the human body. The care applied to the battery, as in the case of human health, will return a hundredfold in the form of maintaining the nominal performance and full service life. But in this case there are exceptions, and seemingly adequate service will not always lead to the expected benefits.

To be a good host, you must understand the basic needs of a battery, and this implies certain knowledge that is not taught in school. This section is devoted to describing the correct operation of new batteries, the nuances of their charging processes and the correct actions in case of need for long-term storage. Also in this section, the points of proper air transportation and the nuances of disposal are revealed.

But just as it is impossible to predict the life expectancy of a person at birth, there is no one hundred percent method for determining the exact life of a battery. Some batteries last a very long time, and some stop functioning when they are relatively new. Improper charging, harsh discharge loads and heat stress are the worst enemies of batteries. Although there are ways and methods to protect batteries, achieving ideal conditions is not always possible. This chapter describes how to get the most out of our batteries.

1. How to properly charge a new battery

Not all new batteries have the capacity equal to the nominal one and require some preliminary maintenance - formatting. Despite the fact that this feature is characteristic of most electrochemical systems, manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries claim that this system does not need a special preliminary charging mode - “training”, and is ready for full use right away. Although this statement is not without truth, lithium-ion batteries still show some increase in capacity after long storage.

In fact, there are two methods of pre-maintenance of the battery - formatting and “training”. Both of these methods aim to improve the unoptimized initial capacity by applying cyclic charging and discharging processes. Formatting, as it were, completes the production process by finalizing the internal structure of the battery, which occurs naturally during cyclic operation. A typical example is lead- or nickel-based batteries, which improve their performance up to the point of full formatting. On the other hand, the “training” of the battery is a maintenance mode designed to improve performance already during operation or after a long period of storage. “Training” is mainly applied to nickel-based batteries.

2. Lead-acid electrochemical system

Formatting a lead-acid battery is done by applying a charge followed by discharging and recharging. This process is initiated at the manufacturing plant and completed at the end user as part of normal operation. Experts advise not to subject the new battery to high loads, it is recommended to use a moderate discharge with its gradual increase - you can draw an analogy with an athlete who initially needs a warm-up in order to take a lot of weight or overcome a long distance in the future. But this advice does not apply to starter batteries that are used in cars or to other batteries with specific operating conditions. A lead acid battery usually reaches its full capacity after 50-100 cycles. Figure 1 shows the battery life of a lead-acid electrochemical system.

Figure 1: Life expectancy of a lead-acid battery.

A new lead-acid battery may not be fully formatted and will only reach its full capacity after approximately 50 cycles or more. The formatting process itself takes place directly during operation, but its forced initiation is not recommended, as this will lead to unnecessary battery wear.

New deep-cycle batteries have about 85% of their nominal capacity, and only reach 100% or so after the formatting process is complete. But sometimes there are instances whose starting capacity is determined by a special battery analyzer at a level of about 65% or even lower. Accordingly, the question arises, will the capacity of these samples be restored to the required level after formatting? Unfortunately, experience shows that the increase in capacity will be very limited and such batteries, as a rule, fail earlier than others.

3. Nickel-based electrochemical systems

Manufacturers recommend charging new or long-term nickel-based batteries for 16-24 hours. This allows the battery cells to calibrate against each other, and, accordingly, bring the charge level to the same value. Slow charging also helps redistribute the electrolyte and eliminate dry spots on the separator.

Nickel-based batteries are not always fully formatted when they leave the factory. Applying several charge/discharge cycles under normal use or with a battery analyzer helps complete this process. The number of cycles required to achieve full power varies by cell manufacturer. Well-made cells reach nominal values ​​after 5-7 cycles, while cheaper alternatives can take up to 50 cycles to reach acceptable capacity values.

Insufficient performance levels due to the incomplete formatting process can be quite a problem if the consumer expects the battery to perform at full capacity right out of the box. Accordingly, in companies that use batteries in critical applications, there is special performance testing. Battery analyzers are used, which have built-in programs that accurately predict the number of cycles needed to reach full capacity.

The use of cyclic operation is also able to restore the capacity of a nickel-based battery lost due to long-term storage. The ability to regenerate depends on storage time, charge level and ambient temperature. The number of cycles required for recovery is directly dependent on the shelf life and temperature. Battery analyzers assist in determining the correct pre-charge (“training”) parameters and ensure that the battery reaches its nominal capacity.

4. Li-ion electrochemical system

It is widely believed that during storage, a passivation layer, also known as an interfacial protective film (IPF - interfacial protective film), forms on the cathode of a lithium-ion cell. It is believed that this layer causes ion flow restriction, which in turn leads to an increase in internal resistance and, in the worst case, even lithium plating. Charging, and even more effective cycling, will help dissolve this layer, and after the second or third cycle, the battery will gain additional operating time, albeit in a small amount.

Scientists do not yet fully understand the nature of this layer, and the few published studies in this area only suggest that the performance gain due to cycling is associated with the removal of the passivation layer. Some scientists even deny the existence of the layer, emphasizing that this idea is speculative and does not agree with existing research. Regardless of the existence of this passivation layer in lithium-ion cells, one cannot draw parallels between this property and the “memory effect” of nickel-cadmium batteries, which are similar in that they also require periodic cycling to prevent loss of capacity. The symptoms may seem similar, but the mechanics of the process itself will be different. It is also impossible to compare the above effects with the effect sulfation lead acid batteries.

The SEI layer is formed during the manufacturing process of the battery cell, and manufacturers pay great attention to this point, since incorrect formation can lead to loss of capacity and increase in internal resistance. The process involves several charging cycles at elevated temperatures with periods of rest, and can last several weeks in total. This shaping process further provides quality control and aids in matching individual cells, as well as controlling self-discharge by measuring voltage after periods of rest. High self-discharge will indicate the presence of impurities, which, in turn, will indicate the fact of a manufacturing defect.

Also, the process of electrolyte oxidation can occur at the cathode. This results in a permanent loss of capacitance and an increase in internal resistance. There is no single way to remove such a layer after formation, but there are special additives to the electrolyte that reduce its negative impact. It should be remembered that maintaining a voltage above 4.10 V in the cell, coupled with elevated temperature, contributes to the oxidation of the electrolyte. Experience with lithium-ion batteries shows that this combination of high voltage and heat is more detrimental than simply high charging and discharging cycling.

The Lithium Ion electrochemical system is a very clean system that does not need any additional “training” after leaving the factory and also does not require maintenance like nickel based systems. The need for final formatting is not particularly important and noticeable, the maximum capacity is already available immediately (an exception may be the effect of a small increase in capacity after long-term storage). Full discharge after the start of the battery capacity decay will not lead to its recovery; in a lithium-ion system, such extinction only indicates irreversible degradation, which eventually leads to battery failure. The charging and discharging characteristics will help calibrate the smart battery controller, but this calibration cannot affect the electrochemical processes within the battery itself. (See BU-601: Smart battery concept).

5. Non-rechargeable lithium batteries

Primary lithium electric batteries, such as lithium thionyl chloride (LTC), are able to benefit from the passivation that occurs during storage. In our case, passivation is a thin layer formed as a result of the reaction between the electrolyte, the lithium anode, and the carbon-containing cathode. Note that the primary lithium battery anode is lithium and the cathode is graphite, which is the opposite of the lithium-ion power supply design.

Without this layer, most lithium batteries simply will not be able to function, because the presence of lithium causes rapid self-discharge and degradation processes proceed quite quickly. Some scientists even argue that such electric batteries will simply explode without forming a layer of lithium chloride, and it is thanks to the passivation layer that the battery can exist and be stored for 10 years.

The temperature and level of charge depth have a direct effect on the growth of the passivation layer. A fully charged lithium thionyl chloride battery is more difficult to depassivate after a long period of storage compared to a low charge battery. While the batteries of this electrochemical system need to be stored at low temperatures, depassivation works best when warm, as it is aided by effects such as increased thermal conductivity and ion mobility.

Carefully! Do not apply physical stress or excessive heat to the electric battery. Explosion due to careless handling can cause serious injury.

The passivating layer causes a delay in the occurrence of the voltage potential when the load is first connected to the battery. Figure 2 shows the voltage drop and recovery of batteries with different degrees of passivation. Battery "A" shows a minimal voltage drop, while battery "C" needs some time to recover.

Figure 2: Voltage behavior of batteries with different degrees of passivation when a load is connected.

Battery "A" has a small degree of passivation, "B" - a large one and, accordingly, it takes a longer time to restore voltage, and the degree of passivation of battery "C" is quite significant.

If lithium-thionyl chloride batteries are used in devices with very low discharge currents, such as sensors or indication systems, they can develop quite significant passivation processes, which, in turn, can lead to battery failure. By the way, high ambient temperature contributes to these processes. This problem is solved by connecting a large capacitor in parallel with the battery. Such a battery with high internal resistance is still able to charge the capacitor with random high pulses, and the capacitor is recharged during periods of rest.

Not all primary lithium batteries recover when connected to a device and applied to a load. Discharge current may be too low to eliminate passivation. It is also possible that the connected device itself detects our passivated battery as bad or low and simply rejects it. Most of these batteries can be made ready for use with the Battery Analyzer's Controlled Load feature, which will bring the characteristics to the required values.

Lithium metal electric batteries have a higher lithium content and are subject to more stringent shipping regulations than lithium ion batteries of the same capacity. (See BU-704a: Air Transportation Restrictions for Lithium-Based Batteries). These limitations are caused by a higher specific energy intensity.

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A car battery (battery) is an indispensable thing in every car, it is especially important that it is always fully charged so as not to rack your brains on how to start a car if the battery is dead. If we are talking about a battery that has already seen a lot, then most motorists prefer to purchase additional chargers, and some decide to simply change the device every 4 years. The fact is that you can recharge the device only in the garage or in another room, which not everyone can afford. But at home, such a procedure is prohibited, since when recharging substances hazardous to health are released: sulfur dioxide, arsine, stibine, hydrogen chloride and much more. High concentrations of these substances can lead to serious health problems. That is why many people prefer new batteries. And then a logical question arises - is it necessary to charge a newly purchased battery? Let's try to figure it out.

Why is the new battery dead?

Often, car owners, having purchased a new battery, are faced with the fact that the device is completely discharged. The reason for this is that the "battery" has lain in the store or in the warehouse for quite a long time. As a result, an independent discharge of the battery capacity occurred. As a result, the longer the battery was lying, the more it was discharged.

In order not to "blunder" it is necessary to study the date of manufacture of the device. It is usually found on the packaging or on the body of the product itself.

Some unscrupulous auto battery manufacturers claim that their devices are not subject to self-discharge. In fact, so far not a single company has managed to completely get rid of this problem, so a similar physical and chemical process will occur in any “battery” in any case. In order not to fall for a discharged battery, you need to follow only a few recommendations.

What to look for when buying a new battery

When purchasing a new battery, be sure to check it in all respects, namely:

• Remove the protective film and check that the case does not have any damage, if any defects are found, replace the battery.
• Measure the voltage at the terminals with a voltmeter. The voltage should be between 12.5 and 12.9 volts with no load and at least 11 volts with it. If the voltage was, say, 10.8 volts, then you have a completely discharged battery in front of you.
• Using a special plug, check the density of the electrolyte.
• Pay attention to the date of manufacture of the battery, if it is more than 6 months old, then it is not recommended to buy such a device.

If all the parameters meet the requirements, then the new battery can be immediately installed on the car, without any recharging.

Additionally, to assess the condition of the battery, you can use a special tester. Representatives of such devices available for purchase to any car owner are:

• tester OptiMate Test TS120N, TecMate company;

• and the BatteryBug BB-SBM12 tester from Argus Analyzers.

If we talk about how much the new battery will be discharged, then it all depends on many factors, for example, on the alarm electrics and other parameters. Self-discharge, according to all official reference books, occurs after 60 days, but in reality it all depends on the device itself. For example, an “average” 40 A / h battery allows you to start a car even after 3 months of being in the garage, and if the car is in motion, the battery will be powered by a generator. By and large, a high-quality new unit should last several years before you have to "bother" about how to restore an auto-battery.

But if it nevertheless happened that the battery needs to be recharged, then special devices, the so-called "chargers", can help you with this. Before choosing a charger, it is better to decide on the type of battery.

Battery types

Today, the following types of batteries are installed on cars:

• Acid. In such batteries, the electrodes are made of lead, which includes additional additives and impurities. Lead has a good energy capacity and can produce a large current in a short period of time. In such batteries, an acid solution is used as electrolytes.
• Alkaline. The electrodes (plates) in this case are not lead, but nickel-cadmium or nickel-iron. The space between them is filled with a solution of caustic potassium. For passenger cars, such "batteries" are rarely used, since the current strength in them is much less than that of acid batteries.
• Helium. Gel batteries for cars are relatively new batteries. Electrolytes in this type of battery are also brought to a jelly-like state, so they are essentially an alternative to acid batteries.
• Lithium-ion (so far they are used only as additional batteries, since such "batteries" are not able to start the engine).

Also, batteries are serviced or maintenance-free. The first type includes all acid batteries. They can be maintained due to the fact that during the chemical reaction, part of the water contained in the solution evaporates. Therefore, in order for the electrolyte not to fail, it is periodically necessary to add water.

Helium batteries are maintenance-free products, as their housing is absolutely sealed. In the process of chemical reactions, water in such batteries does not evaporate, respectively, and it is not necessary to add liquid. Just because helium batteries are maintenance free doesn't mean they can't be charged.

In order to charge the battery, special chargers are most often used, which are best chosen based on the type of your battery. But, you should also pay attention to other features of these devices and the subtleties of the charging process.

How to properly recharge the battery

"Chargers" convert alternating current to direct current, so they are also commonly called rectifiers. Such devices are usually equipped with an adjustment switch so that they can be recharged at 12 or 24 volts. In addition, current and voltage regulators are installed on the rectifiers. When you charge a 12-volt battery, the "charger" must give a voltage in the range of 14-14.5 volts, otherwise you will not get a 100% charge. Regardless of the power and configuration, all rectifiers are equipped with an electric drive with a plug, a converter and two output wires (plus and minus).

If we talk about the features of charging a battery, then you should pay attention to the following parameters that will help you decide how to properly charge a car battery:

• The optimal current for charging the battery is 10% of the nominal energy capacity of the battery. For example, if the battery indicator is 60 Ah, then the current should be no more than 6 A.
• The voltage at the charger terminals should be +10% of the rated voltage of the battery. For example, for a 100% charged “battery”, the voltage at the terminals is 12.6 V. 10% of the nominal voltage in this case will be 1.26 V. Accordingly, add this value to 12.6 V and get the best voltage equal to 13.86 IN.
• In order to quickly charge the battery, the current should be about 20-30 A. But, it should be borne in mind that this type of charging adversely affects the battery, so it is better not to use this method often.
• If you are charging a gel battery, be sure to monitor the voltage, the critical value of which is 14.2 V for this type of battery.

Battery cost

Among the numerous manufacturers of batteries for cars, there are several companies that are popular among motorists.

• The German company Bosch produces durable and high-quality devices that can work in different conditions. At the same time, most models have safety power in case the oil in the engine freezes from severe frost. Units cost from 5,500 (model S4 005) to 25,000 rubles (battery 0092S5A150).
• The Japanese company Panasonic offers motorists inexpensive, but high-quality batteries. For example, a Panasonic battery for a car model N55B24L costs 3,700 rubles.
• Batteries from the Turkish company Multu are distinguished by European quality and durability. At the same time, such a battery can be found in almost any store, such availability and the absence of negative reviews from motorists make the Multu battery optimal when choosing a “battery”. The cost of devices ranges from 3,500 rubles to 7,600 rubles.
• The Russian company Ultimatum (AKOM plant) is actively engaged in the production of batteries for cars. The plant mainly manufactures batteries for cars with the Start-Stop system, as well as for vehicles with increased power consumption. The Ultimatum battery on a car from a domestic manufacturer costs about 8,000 rubles.
• The American-Korean company Medalist offers car owners "average" in terms of popularity and the number of negative reviews, batteries costing from 5,000 to 9,000 rubles.

In custody

As you can see, a new battery should be 100% charged so that it can serve you for a long time. Otherwise, you will have to additionally purchase a special charger. Therefore, when buying a new battery, be sure to check all the parameters of the device and make sure that you do not have “stale goods” in front of you.

How to properly charge a new laptop battery to ensure maximum use? Modern lithium-ion batteries make quite high demands on the operating mode, however, following simple rules will significantly increase the battery life. It is important from the first day after purchase to ensure the device is in the correct mode of operation.

Charging a new laptop battery

Charging a new laptop battery is carried out according to a special scheme: this is necessary in order to "train" the battery and prepare it for work, as well as to avoid too rapid discharge in the early days. Immediately after purchase, the battery must be fully charged: they are usually stored in warehouses with an incomplete charge of about 60% - this is necessary for maximum preservation of battery capacity.

The battery must be installed in the laptop, then connect it to the mains without pressing the power button. The first charge lasts about 4 hours, its completion can be seen by turning off the indicator. After that, you can turn on the laptop and use it until it is completely turned off. In this case, it must be disconnected from the network. Then the cycle of charging and discharging is repeated one more time, after which the battery can be used normally.

Such a "training" for the battery in the future is recommended to be carried out every few months. The calibration process allows you to eliminate any malfunctions in the controller and prevent a decrease in battery capacity due to them.

Rules for using a laptop battery

How to use a new laptop battery? To make it last as long as possible, you must follow a few simple rules:

• The battery must not be completely discharged and stored in a discharged state. The best option is to stop working with a laptop when the battery level drops to 10-20% or more. Several weeks of storage in a discharged form will lead to the fact that the battery will completely fail.
• It is necessary to avoid overheating and hypothermia of the battery: both of these lead to a rapid decrease in capacity. In winter, the laptop cannot be used immediately after it has been brought into the room from the cold.
• To increase battery life, it is not recommended to keep the battery at 100% charge all the time. If you work with a laptop at home and use it as a desktop PC, it is recommended to disconnect the battery and store it with a charge level of approximately 60%.
• It is important to avoid shock and mechanical damage to the battery. They can lead to a short circuit and completely break the device.

Use your laptop in a cool place - this will increase battery life. Below is a table showing the dependence of the loss of battery power depending on the temperature in which it was.

Installing the battery in a laptop

Installing a new battery in a laptop does not take much time. It is necessary to disconnect the device from the network, turn it off, after which it is turned over and the battery cover is opened. On older models, it is attached with screws, on newer models it is closed with latches. The old battery is carefully removed, the new one is installed, after which the case is closed in the same way.

If you are purchasing a compatible battery instead of an original one, you need to make sure that it matches the original in size. Even a slight discrepancy will lead to the fact that it will be unusable. If you can’t find the right battery yourself, use professional help: our consultants will choose a battery for any laptop model, and there will be no problems with installation.

Proper maintenance will ensure that the new battery has a long stable use with a long battery life.

Charge or not charge a new battery before installing it in the car.

Do I need to do something with the battery after purchase.
Very often, when buying a battery, our customers ask if something needs to be done with it before putting it into operation, or can it be put on a car and used.
The first delusion that one has to face is the desire of the client to train the battery, that is, to make several charge-discharge cycles. In modern batteries, the need for this procedure is not only absent, but can also harm the battery. The fact is that progress does not stand still and, according to the latest technologies, calcium is applied to the plates to increase the service life and reduce self-discharge. Calcium on the plates is kept due to density, if the battery is discharged, the density drops and calcium ceases to hold and crumbles, which leads to loss of battery capacity.
The second thing you have to deal with is when a person buys a battery, he immediately installs it on a car, starts the car, checks its performance, and leaves the car for a week in a state of calm, and after a week his engine does not start. This is due to the fact that the new battery is dry-charged, it can hold a charge for a long time and wait until it is put into operation, but its charge is enough to start the engine, and it is calculated that you will immediately drive and charge the battery from generator.
Therefore, we want to give some tips for the car owner on putting batteries into operation.
1. If you buy a battery just in case, and yours is still working, but you are afraid that it will fail in the cold. Do not test the battery with a load plug. And don't give him any burden. Since it will begin processes leading to a small self-discharge, and given that there is not much charge on it, it will lose it pretty quickly. A new dry-charged battery, which was not given a load, will be able to ride in the trunk of a car for several years and will be able to start the car without charging.
2. If you buy a battery for a car that only drives on weekends, be sure to charge it. This can be done both before installation on the car, and after checking.
3. If you buy a battery for a car that is used daily and stays in its original form for at least 1 hour a day, then there is no need to charge such a battery after buying it.
4. In the morning before starting the engine, at least 2 times a year, check the voltage on the battery, if the voltage is less than 12.5 volts, and the battery is less than 3 years old, spend 5 minutes and go to an electrician to check the starter and generator.
5. If you bought the battery in polyethylene, be sure to remove it before installing it in the car, as the polyethylene does not allow the battery to cool, which leads to a decrease in the life of your battery.
6. When installing a new battery in a car, clean the terminals on the battery itself and on your contacts, and also lubricate the current leads on the battery with graphite-containing grease.
7. And the last thing, do not throw away the failed battery, and do not drain the electrolyte, this is very harmful to the environment. Such batteries can be taken to recycling stores and receive a cash reward for this or a discount when buying a new battery.
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