Why regular batteries cannot be charged, but rechargeable batteries can - a simple answer

Today, people are surrounded by electronic devices, most of which are wireless and powered. The industry produces many galvanic cells (batteries) and accumulators. They often match in size and appearance. But the galvanic cell is disposable, and the battery can be recharged. What are the differences between regular batteries and rechargeable batteries, and how to recharge the latter - this is discussed in the article.

There are batteries that can be recharged multiple times.

Alkaline battery design

The size of the cylindrical element is similar to the size of the element of the manganese-zinc system with a salt electrolyte.
However, there are some differences between the design of alkaline and salt power sources: alkaline batteries have an inverted design. In a battery containing an alkaline electrolyte, zinc is in powder form. In this regard, the zinc cup is replaced with a nickel-plated steel cylindrical body, which serves as a current conductor for the electrode with the “+” sign. In the active state, the positive electrode is pressed against the inner walls of the housing. In an alkaline cell, as a rule, it is possible to place a larger amount of the active mass of the positive electrode than in a salt analogue of the same size. Thus, an alkaline D-type battery can contain 35–40 g of manganese dioxide. A salt battery of this size holds no more than 25–30 g of electrolyte.

The separator is pre-impregnated with electrolyte and then inserted into the internal cavity filled with the active mass of the anode. The separation material can be hydrated cellulose film or some non-woven polymer material.

Read also: How to make a generator from a screwdriver

A current lead (made of brass) of the cathode is placed along the axis of the chemical current source, and an anode composition consisting of zinc powder is introduced into the cavity between the brass current lead and the separation material

It is important that before this the zinc powder is saturated with a thickened electrolyte

In production, alkalis pre-saturated with zincates are often used as electrolytes. This measure reduces alkali consumption at the initial stage of operation. In addition, the zincates present in the electrolyte inhibit the development of the corrosion process.

Multimeter

The first and most reliable way: using a multimeter. To begin with, you can conduct a test without load, immediately eliminating unsuitable batteries from the total number. The multimeter turns on, the mode for measuring voltage is selected, and the limit limit is set to 20V. Next, we apply the probes to the battery contacts and see what value appears on the screen.

Testing with a multimeter without load

The remaining battery life is determined by the tester readings:

• voltage more than 1.35 V - the battery can be installed in any household electrical appliance;
• indicators are in the range of 1.2 V - 1.35 V - the element is suitable for less demanding devices;
• the value is less than 1.2 V - the product can only be thrown away; testing it under load is pointless.

Obviously, there are no difficulties in how to check the battery with a tester. The procedure is also simple to perform with a load, for example, using a light bulb. The test will show the voltage of the product if you insert it into an electrical device. This will help determine in which device the energy source can still be useful.

Let's consider in order how to check batteries with a tester under load:

• It is necessary to attach the multimeter probes to the contacts of the power module being tested.
• At the same time, connect a load (you can use a small light bulb) and wait 30 seconds.
• View the result.
• Sort batteries according to the following criteria: with a charge of 1.1V and below, only recycle them; with a charge of up to 1.3V, you can use them in a flashlight or remote control. If the battery has a charge of 1.35V, then it can be used in watches, players, cameras and other devices.

Testing with a multimeter with a load

Main characteristics of batteries

We've sorted out the terminology, now let's see what types of batteries there are and how they differ from each other.

Form factor

Modern batteries - both galvanic cells and batteries based on them - are available in various form factors. The most common are cylindrical and disk. Some batteries may be rectangular in shape.

The most popular sizes of galvanic cells and batteries

As for batteries, they can exactly repeat the shape and size of galvanic cells, but they can also have an original shape. In the photo below, from left to right, you can see a cylindrical AA battery of 3.7 volts (but not 1.5, like a regular AA battery), a disk one that exactly follows the shape of a lithium galvanic cell, and a disk one of the original shape (tablet).

Batteries, like galvanic cells, can be produced in different form factors

Battery types

Based on the type of electrolyte and electrode material, galvanic cells can be divided into:

Saline. Elements of this type have electrodes based on manganese and zinc; salt, ammonium chloride, is used as an electrolyte. The devices are characterized by low electrical capacity and fragility, but have a low cost.

Alkaline. In cells of this type, the same materials are used for electrodes, but alkali is used as an electrolyte - potassium hydroxide. Batteries of this type have higher capacity and longer service life. They are capable of developing high supply currents, but are several times more expensive than salt cells. Alkaline batteries are often called alkaline or alkaline.

Lithium. The anode of these elements is made of lithium, while the cathode and electrolyte are selected depending on the required output voltage, which can vary from 1.5 to 3.0 V depending on the purpose of the current source. Lithium galvanic cells (not to be confused with lithium batteries) have a high capacity, are durable (work for years), but are more expensive than alkaline ones.

Lithium AA battery (voltaic cell)

Silver-zinc. These batteries usually come in tablet form. They can be found in wristwatches and similar small-sized, economical equipment. This is a compact and durable current source, but it is quite expensive (relative to the capacity) and does not have a large electrical capacity.

Output voltage

The output voltage of all salt and alkaline galvanic cells is 1.5 V. Silver-zinc “tablets” produce the same 1.5 V. Lithium cells, as mentioned above, depending on the type of cathode and electrolyte, can have an output voltage from 1.5 to 3.0 V.

Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) and nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable batteries (accumulators) produce 1.2 V. This type of battery is the most popular and is often used as a replacement for finger (AA format) and little finger (AAA) galvanic cells.

Nickel-cadmium (left) and nickel-metal hydride batteries in AA and AAA formats

Nickel-zinc (Ni-Zn) batteries have an output of 1.6 V.

Recently, lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate batteries have become widespread. The former produce 3.7 V, the latter - 3.2 V. They may have the same form factor as salt or alkaline batteries, but due to the difference in output voltages, one cannot be replaced with another.

How to distinguish a disposable battery from a rechargeable battery

We found out what the batteries that can be recharged are called. Their name is batteries. But how to distinguish a galvanic cell from a battery, especially if both are made in the same form factor? This is not difficult to do.

By voltage

No battery produces exactly 1.5 V. It can be 1.2, 1.6, 3.2, 3.7 V, but never 1.5 (see the “Output Voltage” section). If the cell body indicates a voltage of 1.5 V, then this is clearly not a battery. But this rule does not work for batteries. If a battery consists of several cells, then its output voltage can take on different values.

Thus, it is quite difficult to clearly distinguish a rechargeable battery from a battery of galvanic cells by voltage.

According to the accompanying inscriptions

Almost always, the manufacturer indicates its electrical capacity on the battery case. There are no such inscriptions on disposable batteries.

In addition, the type of battery is always indicated - the composition of the electrolyte and the material of the electrodes. In the photo below, we see a nickel-metal hydride battery on the left, and a lithium-ion battery on the right.

The vast majority of batteries are labeled “Rechargeable” or similar. But on the batteries there may be “Not rechargeable” (not rechargeable), and on alkaline ones there may also be the inscription “Alkaline”.

On the left we see batteries, on the right – galvanic cells

By labeling

This is the surest way not to confuse a galvanic cell with a battery. The marking is a code consisting of one or two Latin letters and numbers (for example, LR23 - finger alkaline) behind them. Letters indicate the type of element, numbers indicate its standard size. Just look at the battery label, check the table below and you can find out exactly what we have in our hands.

Marking table for the most popular types of galvanic cells and batteries according to IEC

First character(s)	Battery type	Numbers after symbols	Standard size
R	saline	23	A
LR	alkaline	6	AA
FR	Li-FeS2	03	AAA
HR	Ni-MH	12	B
KR	Ni-Cd	14	C
ZR	Ni-Zn	20	D
CR	Li-ion galvanic cell “coin”	25	F
LIP	Li-ion battery “coin”	1	N
LD or HD	silver-zinc “tablet”	14250	1/2AA

But is it different for lithium-ion batteries in phones and laptops?

The same applies to lithium-ion batteries. Of course, no one has canceled the concept of “charging and discharging simultaneously with the release of heat” (if you understand what we’re talking about), but in practice the EMF of a regular gadget is about 3.7 V, and the charging voltage is much higher (~5 V). That is, the battery is not used while charging.

About the concept of “charging and discharging simultaneously with heat release”

Here's what sometimes happens in laptops: If a battery-powered external power supply device can handle heavy loads, the battery ends up being used as a buffer for external power.

For example, a circuit requires a circuit of 10 A for 30 seconds, then 1 A for the next 30 seconds. Yes, voltage matters, but let's just stick to current to explain things more simply.

So overall we need 5.5A on average. Let's assume that the external power supply can provide 6 A (laptops usually have 4.74 A and 6.3 A adapters, but let's simplify for the sake of this example).

Thus, for 30 seconds of every minute the battery is discharged at a rate of 4.4 A. During the remaining 30 seconds, it can be charged at 4.6 A. In this case, 0.2 A is the charging and discharging loss. In other words, at the end of the cycle the battery is at the same level as before. This 0.2A is what generates the heat.

History of chargers

The discovery of galvanic electricity led to the creation of the first prototype of rechargeable batteries. In 1798, Italian physicist Alessandro Volta conducted an experiment involving placing copper and zinc plates connected in series in an acid solution. He discovered that when current was passed through the plates after it was interrupted, a residual charge remained on them. Subsequently, Gotero, Marianini, and Becquerel became interested in these experiments. But it was not until 1859 that Plante created the truly first battery .

His experiment was based on strips of lead with a piece of cloth sandwiched between them. He then rolled the strips and immersed them in acidified water. By applying and removing current, he received a potential difference across them, that is, the accumulation of capacitance by the element. Further development led to the fact that when the plates were coated with lead oxides, the formation of the active layer improved.

In 1896, the American company National Carbon Company (NCC) was the first in the world to begin producing batteries. Today it is known as Energizer. Early in 1901, scientist Thomas Edison patented a nickel-cadmium type of battery. At the same time, Waldmar Jungner was developing a nickel-iron type called an alkaline battery. Alkaline batteries are used in transport and power plants. In parallel with the development of batteries, charge recovery technologies are also developing.

How to recharge: two experiments

It is impossible to charge the batteries - scientists struggled to clean oxides from the contacts without disassembling the battery. There is no way to reverse the reaction. But to carry out this experiment, you need special equipment, and you shouldn’t do it at home.

What if you put a battery in a battery charger? Miss Clean magazine strongly recommends against doing this: there is a high risk of an explosion.

Why does it explode

Basically, the problem is alkali. If you pass a reverse current through it, it will begin to heat up, releasing gas. And BOOM! The alkali and its reaction products will scatter throughout the room, and fragments of the body will easily burn and injure your hands and face.

But they showed it on YouTube!

Indeed, there are videos on YouTube in which batteries are charged. In essence, this is a way to slightly extend the battery life, nothing more.

How it's done:

1. The battery is placed in the charger for approximately 15 minutes.
2. Strictly monitor the temperature. As soon as the battery has warmed up to 40 degrees (you can feel it with your palm so that the cool case has become warm) - get out of the device.

This “reanimation” is enough for the battery to last another 5-10 minutes. It is much easier and safer to go to the store and buy new batteries.

The method is effective with cheap elements, but not with expensive ones. Why? Because the latter use higher quality materials, and the electrons are not blocked by oxides, but are consumed to the end, and it will not be possible to rip them back out of the anode. If it were possible, the cell would be called a battery.

Let's summarize. There is no point in charging batteries, especially expensive ones - it’s easier to buy new ones. And safer. If you are concerned about the environment and savings, spend a certain amount one-time and purchase two sets of batteries and a charger. This set will serve you for many years, so you will forget to think about batteries and buying them, especially charging.

Precautionary measures

Compliance with basic precautions will allow you to avoid many negative consequences when conducting experiments aimed at restoring non-rechargeable button-type batteries.

If there is a need to recharge an old battery, you should protect your eyes from possible contact with chemically active substances and metal debris in the event of a battery rupture.

In addition to using personal protective equipment, it is necessary to prepare fire extinguishing means in advance. If the lithium battery becomes depressurized during charging, it may catch fire.

If you are charging a rechargeable coin battery, then there is no need to worry. Modern chargers are equipped with a “smart” system that uniformly supplies electric current to the battery contacts.

After reaching the required charge level, the automation will also work and the current supply will stop. The main thing when using such devices is to monitor the functionality of the sockets and wiring in the house or apartment. Despite the low current consumption, the presence of poor contact in the electrical fittings can lead to melting of the contacts.

Additional charger options.

In addition to recharging batteries, energy replenishing devices can perform the following functions:

• Battery discharge function. In addition to being able to charge, these devices can drain the battery. This function is needed if the charged batteries are not planned to be used for a long period of time.
• Battery recharge function. This function is useful when the batteries in use need to be slightly recharged, and the charge level does not necessarily have to be at a low level. In essence, recharging adds another layer of charge to the existing level of charge, but this method can bring the battery to the end of its useful life much faster. The most interesting thing is that in the case of recharge, the battery life also decreases. If, with a full charge, the battery can work for about a day, then in the case of recharging, the work will only last for a few hours.
• Battery precharging function. Thanks to this feature, it is possible to restore the working condition of completely discharged batteries without causing undesirable consequences.
• Trickle charging function. In this case, electricity enters the battery in a uniform layer and does not affect the shutdown when the charge level is full.
• Fast charging function. This function is characterized by a fast supply of electricity, smoothly transferring to the spare compartment.

Battery life

Battery life depends on the load; it is important to know how much energy a household appliance consumes per hour.

• The load is measured in mAh, for example, if the device consumes 20 mAh per hour,
• And the battery reserve is 2000 mAh, then 200 mAh is consumed in 10 hours.
• This means that at this consumption the battery will last for 100 hours of operation.

How to extend the life of batteries

Despite the attempts of some craftsmen to recharge batteries, their device does not allow reversing chemical processes, as happens with batteries

If it is not possible to replace the battery with a new one, then there are several methods, to varying degrees unsafe, to extend the operating time:

• Short-term increase in temperature. For example, dip the battery in hot water for half a minute. Do not heat it over an open fire.
• Hull deformation. By squeezing the outer capsule of the battery, you can achieve a short-term increase in charge. Danger arises when the integrity of the housing is damaged and a caustic solution leaks. This operation cannot be performed with teeth.

Disposable alkaline batteries are difficult to “reanimate”; recharging them is accompanied by the risk of burns from leaked electrolyte. Therefore, it is easier to buy new batteries.

A battery is that element of everyday life without which a person today will have a hard time. Without batteries, most electronic devices cannot function, be it a simple watch, a flashlight, or an abstruse children's toy. Batteries are divided into two types: rechargeable (rechargeable) and galvanic (disposable). For many, a question like “Is it possible to charge a disposable battery” remains open, so next we will try to look at the most common ways to charge batteries.

Method 3: Heating

You can also restore the battery charge by regular heating. But be careful - this method can cause the product to explode!

The simplest thing is this:

1. Fill a container with hot (but not boiling) water. Put batteries there.
2. How long does it take to charge batteries this way? Keep them in water for no more than 20 seconds so as not to provoke sad consequences!
3. Wait until the battery is completely dry and cools down to room temperature. That's it, you can use it!

Microprocessor charger: charging with brains

Devices with a microprocessor are more expensive, which is why they are most often used by those who need batteries for their occupation. For example, photographers. But the prices are by no means astronomical, so nothing prevents you from making a choice in favor of a smart charger. How is it usually better?

• Has settings. You can independently set the optimal current for a specific battery.
• Has independent channels. You can charge only one battery, or you can have a battery with a capacity of 1600 mAh in one slot, and a battery with a capacity of 1600 mAh in the other, and both will be charged 100%.
• Has foolproof and overheating protection. They simply won't turn on until you place the batteries in the correct way and will turn off if the battery gets too hot.
• Has special modes. For example, “Training” - successive cycles of charging and discharging the battery in order to restore its capacity.
• Has a display. You see all the information about the accumulated capacity, voltage, current...

Box for aa batteries

The compartment is for carrying. This way the batteries will be most protected from moisture and short circuits. Most often, containers for type AA elements are made of plastic. But sometimes you can find homemade paper boxes.

A regular snap bag can also serve as a case. This packaging is impervious to moisture and dust. Housings are made for different numbers of energy sources. On sale there are cases with a lid for 6-8 AA batteries. Such cassettes last for a long time. So they are quite durable.

In principle, if you show a little ingenuity, you can make an aa block with your own hands. You just need to find a suitable box and make a rectangular container from it. Such a device will help out if there is a need for carrying.

Method 4: Volume reduction

The method is quite incomprehensible and exotic at first glance. We need to reduce the size of the battery so that the charge in it is restored on its own.

What should you do for this? Mechanically reduce and make the body volume thinner. To do this, the battery is hit against something hard - asphalt, wall, stone, brick, etc. Or they simply trample on it with thick shoes. You can try to flatten it with a handy tool - for example, pliers.

This method will charge all AA batteries. It must be said that such a “barbaric” method helps restore the charge in some cases even to 100%!

Using special devices

You can charge alkaline batteries using special devices. Battery Wizard is in demand among buyers. Consumers who bought it note that the cost of purchasing new galvanic cells has decreased.

The device can be of different shapes, for example round, rectangular or square. To recharge the battery, it is placed inside. After this, Battery Wizard is connected to a household network.

You need to keep an eye on the batteries being charged. When they become slightly warm, they are pulled out. They must not be allowed to overheat.

Effective online calculator

The question that worries me is how many hours it takes to charge the batteries, there is a logical and simple answer. Thanks to a simple formula for calculating the result, you can obtain the necessary data in a few seconds. To do this, you need to enter the parameters of the battery capacity and charger current into the table. Click the “calculate” button and accept the ready answer.

Attention: the resulting value must be multiplied by a factor greater than 1, because part of the energy turns into heat and is lost, especially at temperatures below zero. When calculating the charging time of nickel batteries, a percentage ratio of 1.4 is suitable

The battery discharge voltage should not be less than 0.9V, regardless of the discharge current. In most devices, the threshold value is determined automatically.

You can interrupt the charge, but the total value should not be less than the calculated value. During the charging process, the device body may heat up, the maximum temperature is 55 degrees. In this case, the device switches from the main charging mode to the secondary charging mode. The temperature drops and the process is renewed.

AA battery holder

This device is designed to secure AA types. Usually it is a plastic container. On the one hand, it is covered, and on the other, it is open. Inside there are contacts, some of which are made of metal plates. And the other part is made in the form of springs.

Black and red wires come out of this plastic box from the outside. You can make a similar holder for aa types yourself. To do this you will need:

• Scissors.
• Scotch.
• Plastic bottle.
• Empty cigarette packs.
• Wires for outputting electricity.

Thus, almost anyone can make this device.

Can batteries be charged?

For the sole purpose of “stirring up” hidden resources, you can place the battery in a charger and connect it to the mains for no more than 15 minutes, regularly monitoring its external temperature.

The following happens inside the battery:

1. High currents flow through internal reactants.
2. The dielectric obstacle (crust) is destroyed.
3. Free elements begin to react.
4. The battery regains some of its charge, but does NOT charge.

Actually, for the same purpose, an ordinary battery is bitten with teeth, tapped, and artificially resuscitated.

In this case, the battery does NOT charge, but only increases its efficiency.

ATTENTION! If you forget to remove the battery in time or it overheats, serious troubles are possible:

• battery breakdown;
• swelling;
• bloating;
• release of gases;
• electrolyte boiling;
• leakage of electrolyte, alkali;
• a battery explosion with all the ensuing consequences - damage to the charger, alkali particles flying around the apartment, etc.!

How to find a battery among batteries

To determine which batteries can be charged in a charger, you must first learn to distinguish batteries from regular salt batteries.

These two types have the following differences:

1. Appearance. The capacity is always indicated on the battery in large large numbers. The higher the number, the longer it will last.
2. Inscriptions in a foreign language. In English, “rechargeable” is “rechargeable”. And the phrase “don't recharge” means that these batteries are ordinary and cannot be recharged.
3. Marking. The battery has abbreviations: NiCl, Ni-MN, Zn, HR, ZR, KR. These are the designations of its type. For saline, the following abbreviations are included in the labeling: R, CR, LR, FR.
4. Price. Batteries are several times more expensive than regular batteries, so the cost of the presented specimen is also worth keeping in mind.

In the Union, the batteries were being charged...

Many craftsmen in Soviet times charged dead batteries. That's what they thought. In fact, the battery design does not allow chemical processes to be reversed, as happens with batteries.

Older galvanic cells used salts that could clump or create a crust of residue on the current collectors. Passing current through the battery eliminated these awkward moments and forced more reagents to react. Unfortunately, in most cases, about 30% of the substance remained unused. Thus, what the craftsmen called recharging the battery was in fact just a small shake-up.

Modern galvanic cells leave no more than 10% of the substance unused. The more expensive the reagents, the greater their capacity, while the same ones on silver work 7-10 times longer, but they are also not cheap at all. In normal everyday conditions, simple salt batteries are sufficient. They aren't so expensive that you risk your health trying to figure out a way to charge them.

Without a multimeter

If you don’t have a tester at hand, you can check the battery’s performance in a simpler, but less accurate way. To do this, you need to lift it perpendicular to a horizontal hard surface at a height of 2–3 cm and carefully release it.

If the battery is working, it will fall with a hard sound and, most likely, will remain standing. The exhausted element will make a muffled sound when falling and will tip over.

If the method does not help, increase the height of the battery drop to 20 cm. A charged element will simply fall on its side, but a discharged one may jump several times and fly away from the place of fall by several cm. There is an opinion that this test method only works with alkaline batteries, but There is no exact confirmation of this.

Well, the easiest way to check the performance of a battery is to insert it into one or another device, for example, into a remote control, which requires a minimum residual resource for operation. If the batteries do not work in the remote control, you can safely throw them away.

Choosing a charger

And finally, let’s look at which chargers are chosen by users of devices powered by rechargeable batteries. The table was compiled according to the degree of popularity of the latter.

Rating of chargers by popularity

Rating	Appearance	Model	Manufacturer	Battery type	Battery size	Number of compartments (independent channels)	Additional functions	price, rub.	Where can I buy
1	Nitecore D4	TM Nitecore	IMR/Li-ion, Ni-MH/Ni-Cd	AA (R6), AAA (R03), AAAA, C (R14), 26650, 22650, 18650, 10440, 14500, 16340, CR123A, 17670, 17500, 18490, 18350	4	Automatic type detection, status display on LCD display, capacity detection, restoration, protection against polarity reversal, overcharge, overdischarge, powered by car cigarette lighter	2 200	Ya.Market
2		Liitokala Lii-500	Liitokala	Li-ion, Ni-MH	18650, 18490, 18350, 17670, 17500, 17335, 16340 (RCR123), 14500, 10440, 26650, 22650, 26500, A, AA, AAA, SC	4	Automatic type detection, LCD status display, test function, recovery, reverse polarity protection, overcharge, overdischarge protection, USB port 5V/1A	2 700	Ya.Market
3		Palo P10	Palo	NI-MH, NI-CD	AA, AAA	8	LED charge indication, fixed charging current (200 or 180 mA), low cost, pair charging, pair auto-off at the end of charging	900
4		Opus BT-C3100 v2.2	Opus	Ni-Cd, Ni-MH and Li-Ion	AA, AAA, C (R14), 10440, 16340, 14500, 17500, 17335, 17500, 18490, 17670, 18650, 22650, 26650	4	Auto-detection, charge/discharge/testing, status display on LCD display, charging and recharging current programming, trickle charging mode, recovery	2 800	Ya.Market
5		SkyRC MC3000	SkyRC	NiMh, NiCd, NiZn, Eneloop, Lithuim-Ion, Lilo4.35, LiFeP04	AA, AAA, C, D, SC, AAAA, 18650, 14500, 16340, 32650, 14650, 17670, 10440, 18700, 18350, RCR123, 18500, 18490, 25500, 13500, 13450, 1665 0, 22650, 17500, 10340, 17650, 10500, 26500, 12340, 12500, 12650, 14350, 14430, 16500, 17350, 20700, 21700, 22500, 32600	4	Automatic type detection, status display on LCD display, remote control via Bluetooth 4.0, recovery, protection against polarity reversal, overcharge, overdischarge, temperature control, USB port 5 V/2.1A, power supply from on-board network, maximum charging current up to 3 A	7 000	Ya.Market

Dummy AA battery

This thing serves as a substitute for a real power source. It can also be used as a toy for children. Real batteries are dangerous to give to children due to possible toxic elements. And these are almost harmless. The only thing a child can do with them is swallow. Therefore, older children can play with them.

A do-it-yourself dummy AA battery is made from ordinary cardboard or 5 milliliter syringes. The picture below shows how such plastic things replace real energy sources in the camera.

A wire protrudes from this device, to which you can connect any 3-volt power source. In some cases this approach is convenient.

Here's what you'll need:

1. 2 syringes 5 ml or cardboard/paper.
2. Metal round plates from old batteries.
3. Wires.
4. A capacitor can be used as an energy storage device.

Next, a dummy is made from all this as shown in the picture above. The main thing is not to confuse the polarity.

How to understand how long to keep charging the battery

It may well happen that after putting the battery on charge and waiting for some time, you discover that no charging has occurred. There is no need to suffer any further. Clearly something went wrong. Maybe the battery itself is faulty, or maybe the charger is faulty.

The most important thing when dealing with batteries is to charge them correctly. And for this you need to know exactly and observe their charging time.

To determine this time, you can go in two ways:

• Go to one of the specialized sites and calculate everything in an online calculator. Everything here is simple and clear.
• You can calculate this time yourself. A formula has been developed for this.

Formula for calculating charging time and its fineness

To calculate the time required to fully charge the battery, use the formula:

Time required for charging = battery capacity / current * recharge coefficient, which ensures a 100% charge.

The coefficient can be from 1.2 to 1.4

For this formula to work, the following factors must be taken into account:

• In order to charge the battery, you need to spend from four to twenty hours. No more, but no less. If the battery is charged earlier than four hours, the charger itself will stop supplying current. The battery can now be used. If the battery has not been charged in more than twenty hours, then the current strength is very low. In this state, the battery can remain in the charger for almost a week. It won't do him any harm.
• The capacity value can be taken from the battery case, or you can find it out from the information on the packaging or in the instructions.
• The current required for charging is written on the battery case, and it is also duplicated in the instructions.

The time it takes to recharge is not constant. This depends on several factors:

• chemicals included in the battery;
• ambient temperature;
• amount of charge remaining in the battery.

Number of recharge cycles

When using rechargeable batteries, be aware that they do not last forever. Their resource is gradually decreasing, and each new charge brings this closer. For example, batteries based on nickel and cadmium can be recharged between a thousand and one and a half thousand times. True, newer batteries can be recharged up to four thousand times.

The main thing for a battery is the first four recharge cycles. At this time, the battery capacity “builds up”, which will remain throughout the entire operation of the product.

Do not be lazy to study the instructions for the battery in detail. They are written by smart people and describe in detail how to charge the device.

How long do you have to wait for the battery to charge?

Calculating the amount of time required to fully recharge a battery is easy. To do this, divide the battery capacity by the charger current. Do not forget to take into account the coefficients. They range from 1.2 to 1.6.

To find out which coefficient needs to be applied, let's look at the difference between the current and the battery capacity value. The greater the interval between them, the greater the coefficient value we use.

Online calculators on special websites operate on exactly the same principles.

Charging instructions

Let's start with galvanic cells. As mentioned above, these cells cannot be recharged, but can be recharged periodically to extend their life. The method is suitable for batteries whose voltage has not dropped below 1.2 V (for single alkaline and salt batteries). If it is lower, it is too late to recharge.

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Specialist in repair and maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.

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Important! It only makes sense to recharge batteries that operate in low-power devices. If the battery operates with high discharge currents, then recharging will do almost nothing.

Now let's figure out how to charge the battery at home to extend its service life. For recharging, a small pulsating current is usually used. For batteries of size AA and AAA, the charging current is selected at about 10 mA; for sizes B and C, the current can be increased to 20 mA; for batteries of type D, we restore it with a current of 30-40 mA. Lithium three-volt “coins” are restored with a current of 3-4 mA; for silver-zinc “tablets” we select a current of about 1-2 mA.

How long does it take to charge? Depending on the condition of the element, its capacity and charging current, the time can range from tens of minutes to several hours. The end of recovery is determined by the voltage at the element terminals. As soon as it rises to a value of 1.7 V (for single alkaline and salt batteries), charging is stopped.

Important! During the charging process, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature of the battery case. If the element becomes noticeably hot, recharging is stopped immediately. And, of course, the charging element should never be left unattended.

DIY battery charger

Of course, you can’t do without a special charger, but its circuit is quite simple. Anyone with basic knowledge of electrical engineering can repeat the design. As an example, consider the circuit of a charger that can be used to recharge cylindrical salt and alkaline galvanic cells.

The alternating voltage, reduced to 3-4 V, is supplied to a simple rectifier made on a silicon diode VD1. The resulting pulsating unipolar voltage is applied to the positive terminal of the charged element. Voltage is supplied to the negative terminal through ballast lamp L1, which limits the charging current.

The design can use any mains step-down transformer, including a low-power one, with an output voltage on the secondary winding of 3–4 V. If you use a transformer with taps, as shown in the diagram, the charger can be used to recharge elements or batteries with a higher voltage. In this case, the voltage at the output of the transformer should be approximately 1 V higher than the operating voltage of the battery being restored.

Almost any rectifier diode can work in place of VD1. The light bulb is selected depending on the required charging current. It can be designed for an operating voltage from 3.5 to 13.2 V. It is quite clear that instead of a light bulb, you can use a variable wirewound resistor. This will allow you to quickly change the charging current.

The device works like this:

1. Connect a rechargeable battery and plug the device into the network.
2. The voltage at the battery terminals is periodically measured, and when it exceeds the nominal value by 0.2 V (for a single cell), charging is stopped.

If a battery is being charged, then 0.2 is added to the rated voltage of the battery, multiplied by the number of cells in this battery.

Now let's find out how to charge the batteries. Everything is much simpler here, and you don’t need to invent anything. For these purposes, special chargers (chargers) are used, which can be purchased at any relevant store. Moreover, there are devices for charging both one battery and several at the same time.

This charger can charge two AA batteries at the same time.

The only thing you need to pay attention to when buying such a device is the following:

1. The device must be designed to install batteries of the size we need.
2. The charger must support charging the type of battery we need. If, for example, we have Ni-MH power sources, then they cannot be charged with a device designed to work with Ni-Cd batteries and vice versa.
3. You shouldn’t chase cheapness and buy simple Chinese chargers. They will quickly destroy batteries, which will be much more expensive than the charger itself.

The photo below shows a device that really deserves attention. Firstly, it has a cassette that can accommodate both AA and AAA size batteries. Secondly, it supports charging any type of battery - you just need to select the appropriate mode.

And thirdly, the device does not charge batteries thoughtlessly, but according to an algorithm that is optimal for each type of battery. At the same time, it monitors the degree of charge and displays information about the current state of the batteries being charged. If necessary, the same device can be used to “drive” the battery to eliminate its memory effect.

What batteries can be recharged?

In order for the battery to be recharged, it must be of a special, rechargeable type. You can determine which battery we have in front of us by reading the information indicated on the case. Do not even try to insert simple, disposable batteries into the charger.

If you do not follow this recommendation, the following may occur:

• if you are a lucky person, then nothing will happen;
• the battery may boil;
• the housing will overheat and, as a result, fire or explosion.
• It may also close the network.

It is precisely because of these likely consequences that you should not insert ordinary batteries into the charger.

In their shape, batteries are very similar to simple batteries. Among the batteries there are the same types, except for the tablet form. Limited quantities of tablets are produced. Those button batteries that are produced are intended for hearing aids.

The user may have a natural question: “How should batteries be charged?” The question is correct, because in order for the battery to be used for a long time, the charging process must be approached competently. You cannot take the battery and leave it on charge for two or three days. There is a simple formula to determine the exact recharging time, or you can use various services that have calculators for calculating time.

Why do regular batteries not charge?

The appearance of rechargeable batteries and simple batteries is almost the same. This leads many to mistakenly assume that all batteries, without exception, can be recharged. Naturally, this is far from the truth. All processes that occur in conventional batteries cannot be reversed. But in battery-powered ones it’s easy.

The process taking place inside both types of batteries is based on a single principle. The energy of the chemical process is converted into electricity. Batteries contain a special substance called electrolyte. The electrolyte contains electrodes. As a result of the chemical reaction occurring at the electrodes, a potential difference occurs. As soon as the ends of the terminals are closed by a conductor, the electrical discharge passes to it. Gradually, the number of ions decreases, and the battery charge runs out.

What's the point of passing current through a simple battery? There is nothing and nowhere to be restored there.

A completely different picture with the battery. In them, both the electrolyte and the electrodes easily return to their original state. In rechargeable batteries, the electrodes and the electrolyte itself can be restored to their original state.

Basic rules for recharging

Proper charging will extend the life of the battery. First of all, you need to choose a suitable charger, and it is desirable that it renews the capacity slowly (which will give a full charge).

Charger for rechargeable batteries.

Recharging in the cold (below -5°) and in the heat (above +50°) is not allowed. As the charge is replenished, the power source may become warm. If the temperature feels comfortable to the touch, it’s okay. If the battery overheats, you need to turn off the charger.

Modern lithium power supplies do not have the so-called “memory effect”, so they do not need to be specially prepared. But Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries need to be “chased” - completely discharged and fully charged. If this is not done, the energy intensity will drop noticeably.

In order not to be confused with the charging duration, buy a charger with an indicator - it shows how much charge is in the connected battery. Such devices turn off themselves when charging is complete, thereby extending the life of the battery.

On average, it takes about 17 hours to recharge the 1800 mAh battery. If the battery has not been charged within 24 hours, it means that it has “outlived its usefulness” and all that remains is to dispose of it.

Can regular batteries be charged?

Many people claim and even prove that batteries can be charged in a charger. In fact, it’s impossible. Batteries are rechargeable for the reason that when current appears in the case, the electrolyte releases oxygen and hydrogen ions, which renew energy.

The design of conventional batteries is different. As a rule, these are salt cells, where ions move from the electrolyte to the electrodes, and their supply is limited. In addition, disposable batteries, mostly cheap ones, are prone to oxidation - they do not even lose half of their energy capacity. Expensive batteries (Duracell, Energizer) can last longer - their potential is revealed by 90%.

And if the consumer inserts a regular battery into the charger, the salt crust will be destroyed due to the action of the current. The power supply simply will not charge. You shouldn’t hold it for a long time (even 10 minutes), otherwise:

• the battery will begin to hiss and ruin the charging;
• due to overheating of the salt base, the current source may even explode;
• a short circuit will occur.

Zinc galvanic cells (with the letters Zn in the marking) are strictly prohibited from charging. When connected to a charger, their electrodes are completely destroyed.

To determine which category a battery belongs to, just look at the labeling. If someone says that ordinary batteries can be charged, this is a mistake. Recharging is only available for batteries, and each type requires its own charging parameters. Therefore, universal memory devices are most convenient to use.

Can an alkaline battery be charged?

The market for galvanic cells is diverse. Millions of different batteries roll off assembly lines every day. There are plenty of cheap copies available to everyone. They can be purchased at the checkout counter of any supermarket or electrical goods store. Thus, the question of whether alkaline batteries can be charged has lost its relevance. Everyone knows from a school chemistry course that when the caustic alkali contained in batteries is heated, a violent chemical reaction can occur. The reverse current of the charger, passing through a closed space, provokes boiling of the battery and even a thermal explosion.

If the battery manages to survive a single charge cycle, its capacity will still not increase to its original level. Any alkaline battery will most likely lose its charge again soon. In this case, depressurization of the housing and leakage of electrolyte may occur, and this may cause breakdown of the device consuming energy. It turns out that instead of the desired savings, you can simply ruin an expensive device.

For those who are willing to take the risk or need an emergency recharge because there is no way to buy an alkaline battery at the moment, there are several clever ways to extend the life of the current source.

1. Take the power supply and plug it into the network. Next, using wires, connect the element to the adapter. We must not forget about observing polarity: minus is connected to minus, and plus must be connected to plus. Polarity is usually indicated on the top of the battery housing. The galvanic element is heated to 50 degrees, after which the power is turned off and cooled. Then, within two minutes, connect the charger to the network and immediately turn it off. After the manipulations have been completed, the battery is thrown into the freezer for 15 minutes.
2. You can charge an old battery by heating the latter. This method is fraught with danger - everything can end in an explosion. The discharged object is placed in boiling water for 30 seconds - and the battery is again suitable for use for some time.
3. You can recharge an alkaline battery by reducing its volume. To do this, you need to flatten it with your hands.

It is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person without the so-called “helpers” - technical devices that are powered by batteries or accumulators.

A camera, a laptop mouse, a key fob for a car alarm - all these things cannot function without batteries, and a person, at least once a month, has to worry about buying a new battery for one or another household appliance.

However, not everyone knows that some batteries can serve as a battery, that is, they can withstand repeated use - to do this, they just need to be recharged.

In this article we will look at the main differences between a regular battery and a reusable battery, which is completely identical in appearance to a standard battery. It will also talk about the main criteria when selecting a charger for batteries and accumulators.

Charging methods

1. Batteries. These are special devices for charging batteries. They are used to charge alkaline batteries, but salt batteries should never be charged in such a device.
2. Connection to the power supply. The battery is connected to the terminals of the power supply, plus to plus, and minus to minus.
3. Heating. This method is very simple, but it is considered dangerous, since the battery can simply explode. Most often, hot water is used, which should reach the entire area of ​​​​the battery.
4. Reducing volume. This is an effective method that is used most often. The battery is pressed down with teeth or pliers, which reduces its volume. This method is used only once, after which the battery cannot be used again.
5. Boiling in saline solution.

Refilling the battery. The most difficult method, which only a true expert can do.

Knowing how to properly charge batteries, you can significantly extend their life and reuse them in any necessary device.

Battery and accumulator - general

So, the general device is clear: liquid is poured into a container, an element rich in negative particles is placed at the bottom, and a positively charged element is placed at the opposite end. Electrons are eager to occupy “positive” places, but the reaction flows weakly - until the contacts are connected. As soon as the circuit is closed (i.e., batteries/accumulator are placed on contacts in some device or simply connected with wires to a light bulb), the reaction becomes intense. Negative particles rush to the anode and stick to it. The reaction lasts, in theory, until the entire supply of negative particles is exhausted.

Differences

The principle of operation is the same for both batteries and accumulators. So what are the differences? In the composition of the liquid and the materials of the cathode and anode.

Batteries are usually alkaline, and their batteries often dissolve during the exchange of electrons. So the chemical process in batteries is irreversible. Batteries use materials that allow the cathode and anode to be restored using reverse current, that is, by changing the plus and minus.

Additional Tips

Depending on the battery device, they may take different amounts of time to charge:

An acid battery made of lead and used in a car is charged with a current of 0.1 of the rated value. The time is ten o'clock. If the capacity is 50 A/h, then a current of 5 A is required. The condition of the lead plates will not deteriorate from a full charge.

Lead acid battery

Another type is nickel-cadmium batteries. Types: finger and little finger. For the charging procedure, chargers are used, which indicate the required current value. To determine the time, use the calculation method described above.

Nickel-cadmium batteries

Polymer batteries made from lithium. The battery is charged using pulsed currents. Charge control is carried out using the charger processor. The time depends on the current. The time range is 30-60 minutes.

Lithium polymer batteries

The first two types of batteries must be fully charged. But the last type does not need to be charged; a full charge is murder for them.

Types of batteries

Only batteries can be recharged multiple times. It is easy to recognize them from a wide range of stores: the capacity is indicated on them in large four-digit numbers.

Based on their composition and method of discharging an energy charge, batteries are divided into:

• nickel-cadmium;
• nickel metal hydride;
• nickel-zinc;
• lithium-ion;
• lithium polymer.

The first type in the list has a memory effect, which means that during operation they need to be completely discharged and only then plugged into the network via a charger.

The following sizes are available among battery power sources:

• little finger;
• finger;
• keg (D battery);
• crown (corundum);
• ½ AA.

Button-type batteries can only be found in specialized hearing aid stores.

The charge capacity is indicated on the battery in large numbers. This figure ranges from 150 to 6500 mAh.

The larger it is, the longer the battery cell will last. At the same time, the cost of a battery with high performance is an order of magnitude higher.

Power bank on AA batteries

There are two options to get a Power Bank:

1. Buy in store.
2. Do it yourself.

The first one is the simplest. The second one is a little more complicated.

A power bank with AA batteries is not very efficient and not very profitable.

For self-assembly you will need:

• 4 batteries or more.
• USB connector.
• The wire.
• In some cases, a controller, resistor, or LED may be required.
• Diodes.