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Let discuss about how to recondition a Lithium-ion battery in a step by step by method. Where Lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion batteries) are durable, rechargeable batteries that are becoming a global standard due to their superior performance and broad applicability.
Li-ion is widely used in laptops, cell phones, e-books, tools, drones, and literally every known electronic device. Due to their many advantages, the demand for Li-ion batteries is soaring. In addition, Li-ion batteries are also used in hybrid vehicles, such as the GM Volt, because of their ability to store up to five times as much energy in the same space as other batteries.
All of these applications attest to the quality of Li-ion batteries, which is mainly attributable to their two important characteristics: high capacity and a consistently extraordinary charge and discharge curve. However, despite their unprecedented versatility, Li-ion batteries have a shorter total cycle time than standard NiMH and NiCd (nickel-metal hydride) batteries.
After a few years, Li-ion batteries begin to lose their charge capacity. But before you get rid of your lithium-ion battery, you should try to recondition it because, in many cases, it comes back to life and lasts a few weeks or even months longer. How to recondition a lithium-ion battery? Here’s everything you need to know.
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How to Recondition a Lithium-ion Battery?
Things you will require
- Voltmeter
- Safety glasses
- The lithium-ion battery charger that has a recovery boost or wakes up feature.
Step 1 – Read the voltage
Turn the appliance off from its power source first. Locate the battery chamber and take out the Li-ion battery. Use your voltmeter to take a voltage reading. Sometimes, Li-ion batteries don’t show the proper reading. This is because they go into sleep mode when you drain them completely.
The best way to identify if your battery is sleeping is by checking the voltmeter. Suppose it’s a 3.7-volt battery, but the reading shows 1.5 volts. This means the battery is drained out and is in sleep mode.
Step 2 – Connect the battery to a charger
Some lithium-ion battery chargers come with boost, recovery, and wake up feature to power up a Li-ion battery from its sleep mode. If you notice that the battery isn’t showing its correct reading, you can hook it up with one of these chargers.
A word of advice: boosting a battery with a reading of 1.5 V or lower isn’t wise. The charger may not work for these batteries. Apart from them, all you need to do is insert the battery to the correct polarity of the charger and turn on the power button. Let the charger bring the battery up to its correct voltage before you move to the next step.
Step 3 – Check the battery’s status
Allow the charger to wake up the battery for a couple of minutes. Alternatively, you can check the manual of the charger to see if it has some light indicators to show when charging is complete.
If you don’t notice any change in the battery’s life, then it’s time to replace them for good. On the other hand, if you see an improvement in the voltmeter reading, then keep charging the battery until it reaches its normal voltage.
Step 4 – Keep charging and discharging the battery
Once the charger wakes up the battery, it’s time to return it to its original charger. Charge it till it reaches 100%. This should take approximately 3 hours, depending on the size and capacity of your Li-ion battery. Some chargers may progress from recovery to charging mode while battery reconditioning. In such cases, you can leave the battery in its chamber throughout.
Your next job is to discharge the battery. Insert it in the appliance and put a heavy load on it. If you are reconditioning your laptop battery, switch on the laptop after inserting the battery and keep it on until the battery discharges completely. This will again take some time. Have some patience because it may bring your battery back to life for a few more weeks.
Step 5 – Freeze the battery
Once you discharge the battery, take it off from its chamber and seal it in an airtight bag. Put this bag in your refrigerator’s freezer for nearly 24 hours. Make sure there is not even a single drop of moisture that can enter the airtight bag. Your hard work will go to waste if the battery is wet when you take it out of the freezer.
Take out the bag and let the battery thaw for approximately eight to ten hours. This should bring the battery back to room temperature.
Step 6 – Charge the battery
Now that the battery is at room temperature, you should put it in its charger. Charge the battery fully. This should improve its performance. You may notice a drop in charge suddenly, but that’s normal. It should come back to speed after a couple of charges and last longer between charge cycles.
Essential tips on Recondition of Li-ion batteries
It is always best to store Li-ion batteries at room temperature or any place that has a low temperature. This not only improves the performance of the batteries but also prolongs their lifespan. You will often see instructions printed on Li-ion batteries saying, “Keep in a cool place. Don’t expose Li-ion batteries to sunlight.”
Charge a discharged battery as soon as possible. Otherwise, it may go into sleep mode, and you will have to use a special charger to wake it up.
Moreover, if you keep batteries discharged for long periods, their performance deteriorates significantly over time. They may not last as long as you expect them to. In fact, these batteries discharge quickly than batteries that you charge frequently.
It is a good practice to charge Li-ion batteries even if they are not fully discharged. It helps to improve their lifespan and performance. You can try experimenting with your digital camera’s batteries to see if prolonged discharged batteries work best or the ones that you charge frequently give better battery backup.
Warnings on Reconditioning Li-ion batteries
You should always wear safety glasses whenever you are reconditioning Li-ion batteries. These batteries contain electrolyte and electrolyte is flammable.
When you pressurize the cell with the special charger, there’s always a risk of the electrolyte exploding. While this type of mishap happens rarely, you should take precautionary measures while handling Li-ion batteries, especially while reconditioning them.
Just because your Li-ion batteries aren’t working doesn’t mean they are dead. You can bring them back to life if you follow these instructions step by step. If the batteries still don’t work, go and buy a new battery.
Conclusion
Lithium-ion batteries have been one of the most impressive inventions of recent years. Their popularity is soaring because there’s no other battery other than Li-ion that can store five times more energy in the same space. The benefits of Li-ion batteries are evident in their application in hybrid and electric vehicles.
One of the most notable applications of Li-ion battery is in the recently released GM Volt. But as effective as Li-ion batteries are, they have one drawback – a low recharge cycle.
However, you can help to prolong the effective life of your batteries by following the simple steps mentioned in this detailed guide. I hope you will find this short manual useful. All the best!
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