Can You Jumpstart A Lithium Battery?-Methods And Tools

Everyone is dependent upon the convenience of cordless power tools. The fact is that a cordless tool is only as reliable as its rechargeable battery. The moment when the battery cannot hold a charge, it is dead and useless.

What you may not observe is that a “dead” battery is only partially dead, which means you can reuse the battery. Here you will get the information about the two methods to jumpstart a dead lithium battery.First you need to know whether the battery is dead, at this moment, you can read: How to Check If A Lithium Battery is Dead. After you jumpstart a battery, you have to avoid charging in the wrong way, and read: How to Charge A Dead Lithium-Ion Battery - Charging And Reviving？

Can you jumpstart a lithium battery at home?

Yes, you can jumpstart, you will need one wholly charged battery, which you can use to jumpstart the dead battery. Set the batteries side by side.

After that, take two short insulated wires and connect them with matching the polarity between the two batteries. The two polarities in the batteries are positive to positive and negative to negative.

The method will help to transfer power from the live battery to the dead one. Then you have to wait for five munites or so, then you have to disconnect the wires and place the dead battery into the tool’s battery charger. If the battery is gaining charge, then the jumpstart is working. Leave the battery in the charger for an hour or until it’s fully charged.

If the battery doesn’t get recharged, you can try jumpstarting it again, if the battery is not getting jumpstart then most probably the battery needs help and must be replaced.

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Other methods to jumpstart the battery:

• Increase the Voltage

This method is also used in jumpstarting lithium batteries. The critical point to remember is that lithium batteries will die if left unused for some time. You should be able to turn any lithium powered devices on at least once every two days to make the consistency in battery’s health.

It is important to note that it is risky. If you overcharge for too long, then it may be probable that the battery could explode. You have to wear eye goggles and perform the process in a large area.The first step is to locate the positive and negative inputs on your battery. It should have clear labels. If they don’t, you can search google for knowing your battery level.

The next step is to cut two pieces of wire. Each of them should measure near about 2.75 inches. One of the battery plays the role of the positive wire, and the other plays the negative. On the positive wire, remove the protective coating from both the ends, which is about 0.4 inches in length. In the negative wire, remove about 0.4 inches in one end and just 0.8 inches in the other end.

If you are ready, then insert one end of the positive wire into the battery’s positive pinout and insert the 0.4-inch end of the negative cable into the negative pinout.

After that, you have to slot the other end of the positive wire inside the charger’s positive pin. At last, you have to attach the 0.8 inches at the end of the negative cable to the negative outer conductor using the clip.

Set the battery aside for two hours. When disconnecting setup, you need to take care of the caution for the risk of explosion. After completing the entire process, reinsert the battery to check if the jumpstart was successful or not.

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• Replace Battery Cells

Try replacing cells in the old battery with functioning cells from a working but unused battery. Starting the process, you have to remove the battery from the r device. A knife and flat head screwdriver are required.

In the battery’s casing, you can see a series of individual cells. They look like regular AA batteries. Each cell will be connected to a circuit board with wires. Ideally, you should use a multimeter to ensure there is no potentially dangerous residual charge.

In the next phase, you have to separate the cells from their wires using the soldering tool, and then you have to remove them out of the case. After that solder your new cells together and reattach the wires to the correct locations. At last, put the battery’s casing back together and give a rest for 48 hours to ensure soldering work has set.

There are a few cautions that you need to keep in mind:

• Replacement cells should have the same chemistry as compared to current cells
  

• New cells should have the same rated voltage as the old ones.
  

• New cells must have the same or higher capacity as old cells.
  

• The size of the new cells must be the same as the old cells.
  

• Soldering tool is required.

What tools do you need when you jumpstart a lithium battery?

Jumpstarting a battery is straightforward. Some basic tools are required, and these are:

• Flat blade Screwdrivers- There is a requirement of various sizes, but it is good to have a size from 3mm to 5 mm. Avoid using thick blades that take a lot of space and get difficult to be kept in small spaces.

• Spudger -  Metal or strong plastic one for separating cases.
  

• Side Cutters/Flash Cutters – It helps to cut the battery or thick tabs and wires. The flash cutters would be a better option to split the cells.
  

• Utility Knife – If you have this one, it would be better than a spudger.
  

• Multimeter – It is used for measuring the voltage.
  

• Gloves – Gloves are used for this task as it helps to protect from the sharp edges of the equipment.
  

Can you use a regular battery charger on a lithium battery?

Yes, you can use it, but you have to use a suitable battery charger. Otherwise, the battery can be destroyed. Proper charging enables the best performance and longer battery life. The batteries are voltage sensitive, and it has higher voltage per cell.

They require higher voltage tolerance, and once it is fully charged, it needs to be stopped. Otherwise, the battery will get swollen or catch fire. The normal lithium-ion batteries need to be charged at a voltage of 4.2 Volts per cell.

Conclusion

It is simple to avoid landing yourself in a situation of jumpstart the battery and if you take care of it on a regular basis. It is recommended that you should use tools to monitor the battery report of the devices. Performing all these actions will keep the battery healthy.