22 Years' Battery Customization
Aug 16, 2021 Pageview：1058
The long service lifespan and reliable performance of a lead-acid battery are primarily dependent on how well it is charged. Charging your lead-acid batteries without following the correct procedures or doing so with the inappropriate equipment will send yours to its early grave. Choosing the suitable charger for your sealed lead-acid batteries and applying suitable charging methods is equally as important as choosing the right kind of battery. It would be best if you chose a charger that works well with your battery chemistry. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's break this subject down by diving deep into various charging methods and their benefits.
Charging Lead-acid Batteries in Series
Some lead-acid battery owners are still not sure if they can charge their batteries in series. If you are also asking that same question, then you ought to know that the answer is yes. You can charge your lead-acid batteries serially if you wish. Having said that, there are several things you still need to know regarding serial charging of lead-acid batteries.
Lead-acid batteries are simply a collection of two-volt cells that are serially connected one to another. They are most represented in the format of two, three, four, or six cells for one battery. You can safely charge as many lead-acid batteries up to 48V or even higher. But, it would help if you also understood that as you increase the number of serially connected batteries, there will be a corresponding difference in terms of capacity. The difference in ability can be traced to storage history, age, abuse, or temperature variations.
A note of warning: discharged batteries and fully charged batteries should not be combined when you are charging lead-acid batteries in series. You should charge the discharged batteries first before you connect them serially with the charged ones for charging.
Therefore, when you connect one voltage charger across the voltage string, an equal amount of current will flow through all the cells. Based on the individual battery characteristics, the serially connected batteries may experience a varying level of charging. Some may be overcharged, while others might charge below expectations.
To correct this disorder, ensure you are using batteries of the same age, same manufacturer, same ampere-hour rating, and similar history. Also, if you can, make sure you are not connecting batteries that will sum up to more than 24 or 48V. Finally, this connection can be helpful in various capacities, particularly when you are looking for a power supply that can serve you for a longer time.
Charging Lead-acid Batteries in Parallel
It's equally possible to charge lead-acid batteries in parallel. Unlike in serial connection, the mode of connection is slightly different here. The reason for this connection should also be different. What do you need to know about charging lead-acid batteries in parallel? Continue reading to find out.
You can connect lead-acid batteries in parallel with one or multiple batteries that have the same voltage. Whenever lead-acid batteries are connected in parallel, the amount of current coming out from the charger will be equally shared among all the batteries. In this type of connection, you don't need to match the batteries. Yes, it is not necessary in this case that battery matching is carried out.
That means when batteries of different capacities are connected in parallel, the current supply will be according to the power of the individual batteries. That is not the same with serial connections. You would recall that for serial connection, you need to avoid using batteries of different capacities because it can affect the efficiency of the entire process. But, there is no problem in this case because the current will be served according to the internal resistance of the different batteries.
One more thing, if you are charging your lead-acid batteries in parallel and you are aware of the difference in capacities, there are measures you can take to boost the efficiency of the process. You can take extra steps to ensure the current difference due to capacity difference will not be much.
Connecting lead-acid batteries in parallel also has its own benefits. You can Google around to discover those benefits. What you intend to achieve will determine whether you should opt for serial charging or parallel charging. Just take the necessary precautions to ensure you get the maximum current on all the batteries.
Charging Lead-acid Batteries in Cold Weather
There are certain behaviors you should expect from your lead acid battery in cold weather. First, you must understand that cold weathers are not the best time to charge your lead-acid batteries. For instance, when the temperature drops to a particular level, your lead acid battery starts to lose its charge even without you using it. The fluid within the battery turns into a gel-like form, resulting in a molecular activity that would gradually slow down activities in the battery cell. So, if it's ever possible, please try to avoid charging your lead-acid batteries during such temperatures.
That's not all; there is also a marked distinction between a lead-acid battery that is fully charged and the one that isn't during cold weather. According to a special report, lead-acid batteries that are charged have the ability to hold their charge in place even when temperatures fall to -76F. Unfortunately, it is not the same thing with discharged lead-acid batteries. For lead-acid batteries that have been discharged, they can freeze whenever they are exposed to a temperature of 32F. You can see the big difference between the two states of batteries. Therefore, if you intend to use your lead-acid batteries out in the cold, you should go with them when they are fully charged. Otherwise, you should not be surprised if your battery ends up disappointing you in such conditions.
Conclusion
It is imperative that you follow instructions and guidelines when charging your lead-acid batteries. That is how they can last the test of time.
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