Knowing how to charge your battery is very important for the battery to work properly. Frequent undercharging or, on the contrary, too long to the network can lead to an early failure of the battery. The easiest and best way is to use an automatic charger. It will automatically disconnect the battery from the network after a full charge. Most devices are capable of this. However, in some cases, if automatic charging is full, the battery may be recharged with slow currents. Therefore, you should not leave the battery connected after a full charge, if this is not the instruction. There is a calculation formula to determine the battery charging time. The battery capacity is divided by the charge current of the charger, which is indicated on the device case. The resulting value should be multiplied by a factor greater than 1, since part of the energy during charging is converted into heat and lost. The coefficients differ slightly for different types of batteries. In any calculation, a coefficient of at least 1.2 should be taken. When calculating the charge time for nickel batteries, a factor of 1.4 is suitable. For example, if your battery is 2050 mAh, the device charge current is ~ 600mA, so the total battery charge time is approximately 5 hours. Accordingly, this charging time should be adhered to. When buying a new battery, it is already about half charged at the factory. The first three times you should completely discharge the device, until it is turned off, and then charge it for at least 12 hours. For each specific battery, it is worth reading the instructions for the optimal time for its first charge. Usually, the battery is fully charged after 3-4 hours, but the next 8-9 hours are recharged by the so-called slow current to the upper limit of the battery. This is necessary in order to use the full potential of the battery in future work. After the first three recharge cycles, the battery enters the operating mode. And there is no need to wait until it is completely dead, or until it is fully charged. However, it should be noted that each battery has a life time - the number of recharge cycles. This value varies widely depending on the type of battery and can be obtained from the manufacturer. Accordingly, if you constantly do not wait until the battery is completely discharged, or if you do not fully charge it, you will shorten the battery life. It is also worth noting that some materials used in the manufacture of batteries have a memory effect. That is, they remember the last value to which they were charged for the last time, and already at subsequent recharges they will be filled up to this value. For such batteries, it is extremely important to fully charge to the limit. By following these rules, you can extend the life of your battery.
In winter, topics related to car batteries are especially relevant, because a cold start can quickly discharge it. Many change old batteries (), buy new ones (the main thing) - however, most try to recharge them and use them further. Fortunately, modern batteries run for a long time (about 4 - 5 years), but this period can be much reduced! If you apply current incorrectly and calculate the wrong charge time, the battery can quickly fail. Therefore, today the detailed information is how long it takes to charge your battery ...
I would like to make a reservation right away - with a special charger, at an approximate temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, this is important, because if the temperature exceeds 35 degrees, then it is better not to start the process (here is the dependence of the temperature of the electrolyte and the ambient air)! The thing is that the electrolyte has a different density at different temperatures (by the way, you can see -). However, I propose to recall the principles of charge and discharge.
The principle of the battery
In order to charge it, you need to understand how it works - no, I will not decompose it into various components now, everyone already knows what the lead plates are inside. We need to understand - what is, for example - 55 Amp * hour and 12 Volts.
- Amp and clock – measured in ampere/hours. That is, if your battery (battery) is 60 Ah, then it can deliver 60 amperes for one hour. Accordingly, if the load drops, for example, to 30A, then it can already give two hours and so on. I think this is understandable.
- Voltage - it is generally accepted that the voltage is 12 volts, although this is not entirely correct. The normal value of the working option is 12.6 - 12.7V (there are options with more), this is 100% fully charged.
If the voltage is 12V, then we can state that the battery discharge is about 40 - 50%, but you can drive with such indicators. If your car is working properly and the generator gives a normal "charge", then the voltage will quickly recover. I would also like to note that an indicator of 11.5 - 11.6V indicates "", this is very "unpleasant" for the battery. The process of “sulfation” of lead plates inside begins, which simply reduces the capacity of the battery - it can be so much that the car simply does not start.
That is, we understand that normal indicators are 12.7V (charged), it is with this voltage that 60 amperes will be given for an hour, and then it will drop to 11.6V (discharged). Then charge and re-use.
Two battery structures
This is also an important line, the whole point is that you need to charge each of the types in different ways, or rather prepare for the charging process. SO:
First type These are the so-called maintenance-free batteries. Which have an electrolyte inside and it is, as it were, “sealed” inside, that is, it cannot evaporate. If it turns into steam, it further condenses on the walls and re-falls into the main electrolyte. This is the most trouble free type. No need to worry about level replenishment, density, etc.
Second type - (which is a thing of the past) - serviced. It does not have a sealed case, so the electrolyte (or rather the water from it) can evaporate, thereby lowering the level. This option is one of the most problematic, you need to be able to take care of it and charge it! For example, if the level is lowered, charging should not be done! You need the right preparation.
Battery preparation
Before charging the battery, it must be properly prepared, because if you remove it, then you need to check everything at once. As I wrote above, we will talk about a serviced battery.
- First you need to remove all condensation, oxide and dirt from the surface and contacts. To do this, simply take an ordinary rag, soak it in a solution of ordinary soda and wipe the upper part - the contacts. Thus, we achieve purity - this is important! After all, if your battery has screw caps on top, then dirt can get into them during dismantling - which is highly undesirable! After all, it can be the cause of battery failure, simply.
- You can open the covers. We check the electrolyte level, if it is extremely low - it does not close the plates, then it is necessary - MANDATORY, to add distilled water. Otherwise, you will simply "kill" your battery. Lead plates will heat up and crumble.
- Ideally, you need to measure the density of the electrolyte. Let me remind you for a working, normal battery, it is - 1.26 - 1.30 g / cm3.
After the preparatory work, you can proceed to charging. However, it is worth noting - that it comes in two versions - using direct current and using constant voltage, the time can vary greatly from these parameters. Unless of course you have a universal charger, there you have a minimum of settings.
DC charge time
I think it’s not worth explaining that you connect the negative terminal of the battery to the minus of the “charger” with the plus in the same way. Many adhere to this particular option, because the “Amperage” that we apply to the battery is a very important parameter - in no case should it be exceeded, and if it is greatly underestimated, the battery will take a long time to charge.
I also want to warn you that the voltage should be greater than the nominal voltage - that is, we get about 13.8 - 14V from the charger, about the same amount gives a car generator. Only then will the charge go, if the voltage is less than 12 (and even more so 11V), then nothing will happen, but most likely it will further aggravate the discharge.
SO : The optimal voltage is 10% of the total battery capacity, that is, if you have 75 Ah, then you need to charge with a current of 7.5A.
Thus - if your battery is completely discharged (voltage less than 11.7V), then it should recharge in 10 hours! However, the time may be shortened by the discharge level.
In the variant with a serviced battery, it is quite easy to determine this - as soon as bubbles appear from the surface of the electrolyte in the banks, this means that the charge has completely taken place.
From myself I want to add - in ancient times (about 20 years ago), my father very often charged the battery at home, especially in winter. He set the current to 2A on the 60Ah option and left it overnight, so the battery took the right amount of energy from this small current. It should be noted that the discharge was then not deep. Therefore, if you just want to “energize” your battery, for example, the voltage at the contacts is exactly 12V, set it to a current of 1 - 2A at night!
However, now there is another way that also requires a minimum of human intervention.
Constant voltage charging time
This option is gaining more and more popularity - it is this principle that is implemented on many Chinese devices, where there are practically no “VOLTAGE” and “AMPERAGE” indicators, but only luminous “dots” or a scale that signals the charge. Such a device is designed specifically for maintenance-free batteries, because you will not be able to watch the boiling of the electrolyte and the release of gas from it, because everything is sealed. Therefore, the first option is not very good. Voltage and amperage are automatically adjusted here.
SO A: The voltage can float between 13.8 and 14.5V, the higher the voltage, the faster the charge.
So in the first hour, the battery can absorb from 50 to 60% of the nominal capacity. THEN, if it is 60A, then 60X60% = 36A
In the second hour - the voltage drops, and the charge is slower, about 15 - 20%
The third hour is even lower, about 7 - 8%
Fourth - almost full capacity of 90 - 96%.
The next hours are not really needed, the current strength can “fall” to 0.2A, charging to 100% will take almost the same 10 hours.
Before moving on to the main topic of the article, it is worth mentioning that it will be useful to read several articles posted on our website on this topic. More precisely, whoever is interested can follow the links to the articles:, and.
How to prepare a car battery for charging
I think it will not surprise anyone that before charging, it is necessary to carry out some procedures to prepare and check the battery for the charging process. These procedures will extend the life of the battery and improve its performance. And also, they will protect against final damage if the charge is incorrect. Therefore, it is advisable to take a few minutes to prepare for the charging process.Each battery that has been discharged during operation or during storage must be cleaned of accumulated dust and dirt, and the terminal contacts must be cleaned of oxidation. Current-carrying elements, the easiest way to clean them is to use sandpaper, which will quickly return the throughput to the nominal value.
After a complete cleaning, and in the case of a serviced battery, it is worth checking the state of the electrolyte inside the battery cans. It is worth noting that the electrolyte must completely cover the lead plates and have a clean and transparent appearance. If the electrolyte level is below the upper point of the plates, then you can add distilled water to the required level. If the electrolyte turned out to be very dirty, then it is advisable to replace it with a new one, but observing all safety measures. After all, the electrolyte in car batteries is a solution of sulfuric acid, which is a very toxic substance that can cause chemical burns on the surface of the skin, and especially on the mucous membranes.
Also, before connecting the battery to the charger, it is advisable to unscrew the plugs (if any). This will save the battery from a possible rupture due to the accumulation of gases released during the charging process.
After the preparatory work, you can connect the charger. But you should carefully consider the polarities and connect the wires, strictly in accordance with the current-carrying contacts. That is, the wire from the charger with a positive contact must be connected only to the positive terminal of the battery. Otherwise, you will completely damage the battery and it will not be recoverable.
Only after connecting the charger to the battery, the device is connected to the electrical network. Once fully charged, the battery is disconnected from the charger in reverse order. And it is installed in the car in compliance with the polarity of the terminals, otherwise, you can ruin the car's electronics.
It is worth noting that at the moment there are two types of charging car batteries. The difference is that the battery is charged with constant voltage, or constant current. But the second option is more common and is most often found in modern chargers, and we will analyze two methods in more detail.
How to charge a car battery with constant current
Naturally, if you use modern chargers, then you do not need to know all the nuances and stages of charging the battery. But anyway, this is an interesting topic for self-development, and it can come in handy in an unforeseen situation when you have to charge your battery with a home-made charger inherited from your grandfather.For a battery that has received a deep discharge, a two-stage charging stage is applied. According to this method, the current strength is initially set at the level of 10% of the nominal value of the battery. For example: if the battery has a capacity of 80 ampere-hours, then the current strength must be set at 8 Ah. And charging continues until the voltage at the current output terminals of the battery reaches 14.4 volts. Then, the current strength is reduced by two or three times, and the battery charging continues until copious gassing appears from all the cans. This will mean that the car battery has received the maximum charge, and will not be charged further.
In the event that you need to recharge the battery, and not “lift” it from a deep discharge, then the charging process is carried out in one step at a current level of 10% of the nominal value. The total charge can be determined in the same way as in the first case.
Be careful, and in order to avoid battery failure, you must monitor the temperature regime and prevent overheating above 45 degrees Celsius. If the temperature rises to this level, then it is worth reducing the amperage and letting the battery cool down.
And now the answer to the question of charge time - a battery that is in deep discharge can be charged from 12 hours to a couple of days, depending on condition, capacity, charger power, ambient temperature and much more.
Charging a car battery with constant voltage
This method is more common among beginners, since in this option there is no need to control the battery and the charging process, and charging itself can take about five hours. In this case, there is no danger of damaging the battery.The very principle of charging is that the charger supplies a constant DC voltage to the battery, and keeps it at a level of 13.8-14.4 volts. At the same time, the current strength is adjusted automatically, depending on the charge level, electrolyte temperature and other conditions.
It is worth noting that this method eliminates the possibility of abundant gas emission, but is not able to charge the battery by 100%, due to its principle of operation. Indeed, for a full charge, it is required to increase the voltage to a level of 16-16.5 volts. Therefore, after charging a car battery with a constant voltage method, it has a charge of 98%.
As for the time it takes to charge the battery, everything looks great here. During the first hour of the procedure, there is the greatest current consumption, and the battery charge can reach 50-60%. In the second hour, the charge rises by another 15-20%, in the third hour of the procedure, the charge level will rise by only 6-8%, and over the next couple of hours, the battery will reach its maximum charge.
By the way, this is the charging method used in the car. When the engine is running, the generator generates a constant voltage of about 14.4 volts, which charges the battery.
Conclusion
If you are an experienced car owner, and just a person who has free time, or the ability to control the process of charging the battery, then you can use the first method, which will give greater results in the end.Everyone knows that the battery is charged from the car's alternator during operation. But sometimes this charge is not enough. Any battery needs to be recharged if its charge level has dropped by 50% in the summer, and by 25% in the winter.
The question of the required amount of time is relevant all the time. Car owners want to know the exact numbers so that they can plan their upcoming trips. But the unequivocal answer to the question "how much?" does not exist.
There are a lot of nuances on which the time spent on charging a car battery depends. First of all, you need to pay attention to what kind of battery is used in the car.
In order to properly charge the battery, you need to determine what type it belongs to. The most common now maintenance-free batteries. They are easier to use, as they do not require additional manipulations to control the electrolyte level.
The maintenance-free battery has a sealed case with no openings for adding distillate.
Serviced batteries, although they are a thing of the past, are still found. Their peculiarity is that for proper operation, it is periodically necessary to add distilled water to the electrolyte. For this, there are special openings with covers on the case.
Both types of batteries require periodic recharging. One make-up from a car generator is usually not enough for them, especially in winter. Therefore, in order not to remain a pedestrian, the car owner needs a charger.
Experts recommend! The Vympel-68 starter charger will be an excellent assistant for a car enthusiast. It is designed both to help the battery in starting the car, and to fully charge the battery. For emergency start, just connect the device to the car's cigarette lighter.
How to prepare the battery before charging?
Before you start charging your car battery, you need to prepare it.
Clean the case and output contacts from dirt and acid. This can be done with a soft cloth dipped in soda solution. Make sure that the solution does not get into the battery banks.
Carefully unscrew the caps and check the electrolyte level. If required, add distilled water. You don't need to close them. One has only to cover the holes with them, so that when boiling, the electrolyte does not splatter everything around.
When connecting the charger to the battery terminals, the polarity must be observed. The sequence is also important: first, the charger is connected to the battery, and only after that it is connected to the network.
Charging should take place in a well-ventilated area. If you charge the battery directly in the car, the hood must be open.
Important! If you have removed the battery in winter from a car that is frozen, do not start charging it immediately. The battery must be thawed and only after the battery has warmed up is it possible to prepare and charge.
How to charge the battery?
There are two ways to charge the battery.
This method is great for maintenance-free batteries, as there is no need to check how much electrolyte is left. The voltage is set to 13.8-14.5 V. In the first hour, the battery receives 50-60% of the full charge, then the current strength gradually begins to fall.
By the end of the fourth hour, the charge level will reach 90-96%, and the current will drop to 0.2 A. It is almost impossible to fully charge the battery in this way, because no matter how much you charge the battery with such a current, you will not reach 100%.
But even this level of charge is quite enough for the full operation of the car.
How long does this method take? Approximately 4-5 hours. It should be noted that the higher the voltage that is supplied by the charger to the terminals of the car battery, the faster the charge is.
This means that the battery will last longer. But do not set the voltage below 11V. No matter how much you charge your car battery when the voltage is too low, it will only lose charge.
DC charging
For this method, a current equal to 1/10 of the battery volume is set on the charger. It should be noted that the temperature of the electrolyte must be below 35 degrees. That is, if your battery is 60Ah, then you need to charge it with a current of 6A. In the process of charging, the electrolyte boils and begins to release gas.
Important! If during charging the battery has heated up to 50 degrees and above, then it is necessary to stop the process and let it cool down.
How long it takes to fully charge is calculated using a simple formula. The volume of the battery is divided by the current strength and multiplied by the correction factor - 1.2. With a simple calculation, we get a very specific value - 12 hours. If the battery is only slightly discharged, the charging time will be significantly reduced.
Advice! Reduce the current strength by 2-3 times as soon as the electrolyte begins to boil and bring the charge to a lower value. This will increase the time spent, but will reduce the boiling of the electrolytic fluid and thereby extend the life of your battery, which means that your car will not give you unpleasant surprises on the road.
It is also very often possible to find recommendations to charge the battery with a small current. At low current rates, the boiling of the electrolytic liquid is not so active and you can leave the charger overnight. Different sources have different data on how long a car battery can be charged. When fully discharged, it may take several days at low current.
When charging is complete, the battery needs time to release gas. 20-25 minutes will be enough. Check the electrolyte level again and add distilled water if necessary. Close the lids tightly when finished. The battery is now ready to be installed in the car.
If you carefully care for the battery, on time, and most importantly, charge it correctly, it will serve you for many years.
I wonder how long the iPhone X battery lasts, as well as how long it takes to charge it. The answer to these questions is further under the cut.
So, the iPhone X comes with a 2716 mAh battery. The battery itself is L-shaped. Apple did this on purpose to cram the largest possible battery into the case. Sure, the iPhone X's battery isn't as big as Android phones, but it's larger compared to the iPhone 8 Plus.
How long does an iPhone X battery last: battery life
Foreign bloggers checked out a few days with a $1,000 phone and, of course, tested the battery. Below you will see a comparison of the iPhone X battery with some other iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models.
So, according to the experiment, the operating time of the iPhone X is 8 hours 41 minutes. For comparison, the operating time of the iPhone 8 Plus is 10 hours 35 minutes, the iPhone 8 is 8 hours 37 minutes, Samsung Galaxy S8+- 8 ocloc'k. You can see the rest of the figures in the chart below.
How long does it take for iPhone X to charge?
Another indicator that was analyzed was the time it takes to charge the iPhone X. By the way, this is the first iPhone that finally began to support the fast charging function. True, for this you will need to buy an additional accessory. Bloggers used the usual charger that comes with the kit. The test results can be seen in the chart below. As you can see, it takes 189 minutes to charge the iPhone X to 100 percent.
