Should I charge a new battery? How to properly charge a new battery on your phone

26.09.2019

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 batteries of this type 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.

Imagine the situation - you have purchased a new smartphone or a new battery for it. Before that, somewhere on the Internet you saw information that the battery needs to be charged for the first time according to a special algorithm. Is this really so, and if so, how to charge the device?

Indeed, if you go over the forums or social networks, you can see that for the first charge you need to use a special procedure that will allow, so to speak, to “pump” the battery of a smartphone or tablet. The bottom line is that the autonomy of modern devices is small - on average, a couple of days in a gentle mode, after which the device needs to be charged. If you use the device constantly, it will be discharged within a few hours. How can you not remember mobile phones that could not be charged for weeks ...

But we digress a little from the main topic. In order for the new battery to hold its charge better, supposedly it needs to be charged according to a special algorithm, otherwise the battery will quickly discharge.

There are a lot of different instructions on the network. Here are some of them:

Discharge the smartphone completely, and then charge it from the network. After it is charged, do not unplug it for 2-3 hours.

Let the device work until it is discharged to 10%, put it on charge and charge for 10-12 hours.

Three times you discharge the device completely (to zero) and all these three times charge it up to 100% of the charger.

It is not surprising that users get confused, ask questions, and sometimes resort to completely unnecessary procedures. Do not rush to charge or discharge your phone or smartphone, read this article to the end!

Batteries and their varieties

There are several main types of batteries that are used in the manufacture of mobile devices:

Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium)

Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride)

Li-ion (lithium-ion)

Li-Pol (lithium polymer)

The first two types, namely nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries, were used on old push-button phones. The very ones that were produced many years ago and which, unlike modern smartphones, were primarily a means of communication.

These types of batteries were reliable, but they had drawbacks. One of them is the so-called “memory effect”, which means a reversible loss of capacity, which, among other things, can be caused by a violation of the recommended charging mode, for example, if you start recharging the battery until it is completely discharged. Over time, such batteries really require "pumping". It was then that information appeared about the "pumping" of the battery, including for the newly purchased device.

But times are changing, technology is improving. While nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries were previously used, today lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries are used. They are used everywhere, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Such batteries are characterized by high power, safety, relatively small size. In addition, they almost completely lack the "memory effect", which we mentioned above, and therefore they do not require any special charge cycles.

What does it mean? This means that if your device is powered by a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery, charge it in the most usual way, without resorting to the manipulations described in the tips above.

However, if you still use the advice from some forum, it is unlikely that anything will change.

And yet, lithium batteries have their own characteristics. Here are some of them:

They are sensitive to low temperatures, so try to use the device less in the cold.

Lithium batteries don't like to be completely discharged, so try not to allow your device to completely discharge.

There is an opinion that the optimal state of a lithium battery is about 50% of the charge, that is, charging it up to 100% is also allegedly undesirable - 80-90% is enough. Like it or not, it's hard to say.

According to the experience of use, we can say the following - the discharge depends not only on the capacity of the battery, but also on the optimization of the device system. If the optimization is poor, even with a very powerful battery, the discharge will occur very quickly. Of course, other things being equal, including the processor model, screen size, screen resolution, etc. And dancing with tambourines in the form of "pumping" the battery will no longer help.

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: Lithium Battery Air Transportation Restrictions). These limitations are caused by a higher specific energy intensity.

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In the life of every car owner, there comes a time when the old battery needs to be replaced with a new one. Since anyone who owns a car is well aware of the fact that the battery needs to be charged, when buying a new power source, he may wonder: do I need to charge a new battery if I just bought it? The easiest way is to immediately put it in the car and start using it, relying on the seller's convincing words that the battery is new and completely ready for use. However, this is often not the case.

How to test a new battery before buying

Of course, each car battery must be checked immediately before its purchase, in the store. The check is not just a detailed questioning of the seller about which company the battery is and what its advantages are. Coming to a car shop, first of all, you should be guided by a few simple rules that will help you avoid unnecessary praise of the goods by sellers and once again insure against an unsuccessful purchase.

When buying a new battery, you should look at the date of its manufacture. If six months or less have passed from the date of manufacture indicated on the case, such a battery can be purchased, and it is considered new. If a year or more has passed since the date of manufacture of the battery, there is a possibility that it has already partially exhausted its resource, and you have every right to ask for a substantial discount from the seller upon purchase.

How to charge a new serviceable battery

If we talk about how to properly charge a new battery, if it belongs to the serviced category, the method is best here when the voltage indicator is adjusted - it changes in the process. So it decreases, and this has a good effect on the further operation of the battery.

Proper charging of a new serviceable battery is carried out as follows:

set the charger so that the current indicator is 10 percent of the battery capacity;
during charging, the voltage will increase;
when it reaches 14.4 V, you need to reduce the current by half;
you need to charge the battery, constantly monitoring the voltage;
when U reaches 16 V, it stabilizes - this means that the battery is charging correctly.

It is impossible to say exactly how to properly charge a new battery in time, how many hours it will last. But the approximate figure is 12-14 hours.

Since this is an alternating voltage method, the charging of a new battery must be carried out under constant checking conditions U. If your charger does not have a charge level indicator, you can check the state of charge of the battery using a hydrometer. It measures the density level of the electrolytic fluid. And if it remains unchanged for three hours, the charged battery can be disconnected from the charger.

Charging a new maintenance-free battery

If you purchased a maintenance-free battery, it is recommended to charge it using the method when the voltage is constant. Thanks to this method, the electrolyte inside the battery does not heat up so much.

For a maintenance-free “battery”, it is best to use a charger equipped with a charge level indicator and the ability to automatically regulate U.

After an hour of charging, the battery capacity is restored by more than half (if its indicator was initially much less than that declared by the manufacturer). And after 3-4 hours, you can raise the capacity level to 90 percent or more.

In general, it takes about five hours. If the charger is equipped with an indicator, it will always notify you of the end of the process.

Summing up

So, there is not much difference in how to charge a new battery. And whether it is necessary to charge a new car battery - can be determined based on the voltage indicators that have already been given above. If you find yourself the owner of a new battery, which for one reason or another has already lost part of its resource (for example, due to improper storage or operation), such batteries are charged in the usual way.

Often, after purchasing a new battery, motorists ask when the battery should be charged for the first time. In order to understand if the battery needs it, always check the voltage readings. Remember that the battery may need the first charge earlier than you expect: for example, when climatic conditions change, as well as in case of unplanned overuse of internal resources.

In order not to have to charge a new car battery too early and often, follow a few simple recommendations:

After your first ride comes to an end, measure the voltage immediately. The course during the test must be idle, and the vehicle's energy consumers are turned off.
Do not forget to inspect the battery from time to time for possible mechanical damage and accumulation of dust and dirt, remove dirt regularly.
Check car terminals to avoid them, watch the tightness of the housing and outlets.
If you "light" your car from another, do not burn out the wiring , turn off the ignition.
Check once a month the operating condition of the relay-regulator and the car's alternator. This will help to avoid force majeure situations with the battery.
Check battery voltage regularly , don't miss his critical drop to 30%.

In order for the new battery to last much longer, be careful and handle it carefully and carefully. In case you are not sure that you can handle it yourself, contact a service station.

In most cases, it is undesirable to immediately put a new battery on a passenger car - it must first be charged. You can use the charger. If there is no desire to carry the battery home or fiddle with charging in the garage, then you can charge the battery you just bought from the car generator. It will take some time to drive a car, while trying to keep the engine speed at a level not lower than 3-4 thousand.

When using a charger, it is better to set the currents to a small value and recharge the battery until the first signs of a full charge appear - active gassing. This may take 3 to 8 hours. Charging time directly depends on the degree of rarefaction of the battery. The less the battery has lain in the store, the less time it will take for preventive recharging.

It is not recommended to immediately put a car on which the battery has been replaced in a garage or parking lot and not operate it for even a few days. Such a period of inactivity, especially in winter at sub-zero temperatures, negatively affects the working condition of the battery. The probability of discharge increases even with a new battery.

If you bought a dry-charged car battery, then before installing it, in any case, you will have to take a little time to bring it to readiness. Here you will need to fill in the electrolyte, according to the instructions and charge it so that the battery gains its capacity. For charging, any standard charger that you probably have in your garage will do.

Remember that following the operating conditions of the battery and proper charging is a guarantee of its good performance and long service life. Experienced car owners are well aware of this, and in practice they were convinced of the correctness of such recommendations. If you approach this issue responsibly, regularly monitor the condition of the battery, add water, check the density of the electrolyte, and recharge, then the battery will not cause unnecessary trouble.