ricepudding
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Please Note, I will be creating this guide over a few days, so what you see now is not the finished product.
NOTE: I AM NOT A EXPERT ON BATTERIES! THIS GUIDE IS BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE OF WORKING WITH LIPO / LION / LIFE BATTERIES. THEREFORE, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED MAY NOT BE 100% CORRECT. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURY, DEATH, OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM YOUR ACTIONS.
At the current time that this guide was written, there are three main types of Lithium batteries; Lipo / Li-poly - lithium polymer, Li-ion - Lithium Ion, and LiFe - Lithium Iron Phosphate. Each of these battery types have distinct characteristics. But, In this summary guide, i will only be talking about Li-Ion batteries, as they are the most common in consumer items (drills, flashlights, cell phones, etc)
copyright (http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/07/panasonic-li-ion-batteries.jpg)
Li-ion batteries are one of the most common battery in consumer electronics today. They are popular because they have no memory effect, have a slow loss of charge when not in use, and have a high energy density. Li-ion batteries are becoming a popular replacement for NiCad, NiMh, and Lead-Acid batteries. Li-ion batteries have a lower discharge rate (max amp draw from battery) than LiPo batteries, but a higher discharge rate than LiFe batteries.
Li-ion batteries are able to be manufactured into four common shapes;
* small cylindrical bodys - drills, Laptops, flashlights
* large cylinderical bodys
* pouch bodys - cell phones
* prismatic - electric vehicles (cars, forklifts, etc)
Charging procedure
(this section is from wikipedia)
(copywright http://endless-sphere.com/w/images/3/33/Lipo_battery_balance_charging.jpg)
The charging procedures for single Li-ion cells, and complete Li-ion batteries, are slightly different.
A single Li-ion cell is charged in two stages:
-Constant current (CC)
-Voltage source (CV)
A Li-ion battery (a set of Li-ion cells in series) is charged in three stages:
-Constant current
-Balance (not required once a battery is balanced)
-Voltage source
During the constant current phase, the charger applies a constant current to the battery at a steadily increasing voltage, until the voltage limit per cell is reached.
During the balance phase, the charger reduces the charging current (or cycle the charging on and off to reduce the average current) while the state of charge of individual cells is brought to the same level by a balancing circuit, until the battery is balanced. Some fast chargers skip this stage. Some chargers accomplish the balance by charging each cell independently.
During the constant voltage phase, the charger applies a voltage equal to the maximum cell voltage times the number of cells in series to the battery, as the current gradually declines towards 0, until the current is below a set threshold of about 3% of initial constant charge current.
Periodic topping charge should be done about once per 500 hours. Top-up charging is recommended to be initiated when voltage goes below 4.05 V/cell.Failure to follow current and voltage limitations can result in an explosion.
Consumer-grade lithium-ion batteries should not be charged at temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F). Although a battery pack may appear to be charging normally, electroplating of metallic lithium can occur at the negative electrode during a subfreezing charge, and may not be removable even by repeated cycling. Most devices equipped with Li-ion batteries do not allow charging outside of 0-45 °C for safety reasons, except for mobile phones that may allow some degree of charging when they detect an emergency call in progress.
WHEN TO CHARGE YOUR LITHIUM BATTERY, AND HOW TO STORE IT
If you have ever used a lithium battery pack before, you would know that once the battery becomes discharged, a internal circuit completely cuts off battery power. What you may not know, is that draining the lithium cells to the cutoff voltage may damage them over time. Lithium cells when over discharged, start to crystallize and possibly short circuit small sections internally. When part of a lithium cell crystallizes, that area affected becomes useless, reducing the total capacity of the lithium cell. If internal short circuits happen within the lithium cell, the cell can overheat, and "puff" up from expanding gases within the cell. If the protective cover of the lithium cell were to be broken or ruptured, the lithium within the battery pack would react with oxygen and other gases in the air, causing extreme heat, possible toxic smoke, and an explosion and / or fire!!!
To prevent over discharge, always charge the lithium battery pack when you start to feel a "slow down" during use, or the voltage display reads less than 3.2v / cell or less than 1 bar on its display.
HOW TO STORE YOUR Li-ION BATTERY
To best way store your Li-Ion batteries ( and any battery for that matter) its in a cool ( 10-20C) dry ( not humid) area, without direct contact with sunlight. the storage bin should be made out of a heat resistant material such a metal, or fibreglass. Wood, plastic, and flammable materials may ignite if the lithium pack were to catch fire during storage. ( better safe than sorry) Lithium battery packs should not be stored along with any metal items that may contact the power terminals, is a metal item should cause a short circuit, a fire will ensue.You should always fully charge your battery pack before storage, as this will lessen the chance of them self - discharging below 30% capacity ( 3.2v / cell ).
Never store a lithium battery pack in areas where the battery pack may freeze. If your working in an area when the temp is less than freezing, try your best to keep the battery pack warm. An lithium pack that reaches an internal temp below freezing will self - discharge / discharge up to 30% faster than a room temperature battery.
NOTE: I AM NOT A EXPERT ON BATTERIES! THIS GUIDE IS BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE OF WORKING WITH LIPO / LION / LIFE BATTERIES. THEREFORE, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED MAY NOT BE 100% CORRECT. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURY, DEATH, OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM YOUR ACTIONS.
At the current time that this guide was written, there are three main types of Lithium batteries; Lipo / Li-poly - lithium polymer, Li-ion - Lithium Ion, and LiFe - Lithium Iron Phosphate. Each of these battery types have distinct characteristics. But, In this summary guide, i will only be talking about Li-Ion batteries, as they are the most common in consumer items (drills, flashlights, cell phones, etc)
copyright (http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2008/07/panasonic-li-ion-batteries.jpg)
Li-ion batteries are one of the most common battery in consumer electronics today. They are popular because they have no memory effect, have a slow loss of charge when not in use, and have a high energy density. Li-ion batteries are becoming a popular replacement for NiCad, NiMh, and Lead-Acid batteries. Li-ion batteries have a lower discharge rate (max amp draw from battery) than LiPo batteries, but a higher discharge rate than LiFe batteries.
Li-ion batteries are able to be manufactured into four common shapes;
* small cylindrical bodys - drills, Laptops, flashlights
* large cylinderical bodys
* pouch bodys - cell phones
* prismatic - electric vehicles (cars, forklifts, etc)
Charging procedure(this section is from wikipedia)
(copywright http://endless-sphere.com/w/images/3/33/Lipo_battery_balance_charging.jpg)
The charging procedures for single Li-ion cells, and complete Li-ion batteries, are slightly different.
A single Li-ion cell is charged in two stages:
-Constant current (CC)
-Voltage source (CV)
A Li-ion battery (a set of Li-ion cells in series) is charged in three stages:
-Constant current
-Balance (not required once a battery is balanced)
-Voltage source
During the constant current phase, the charger applies a constant current to the battery at a steadily increasing voltage, until the voltage limit per cell is reached.
During the balance phase, the charger reduces the charging current (or cycle the charging on and off to reduce the average current) while the state of charge of individual cells is brought to the same level by a balancing circuit, until the battery is balanced. Some fast chargers skip this stage. Some chargers accomplish the balance by charging each cell independently.
During the constant voltage phase, the charger applies a voltage equal to the maximum cell voltage times the number of cells in series to the battery, as the current gradually declines towards 0, until the current is below a set threshold of about 3% of initial constant charge current.
Periodic topping charge should be done about once per 500 hours. Top-up charging is recommended to be initiated when voltage goes below 4.05 V/cell.Failure to follow current and voltage limitations can result in an explosion.
Consumer-grade lithium-ion batteries should not be charged at temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F). Although a battery pack may appear to be charging normally, electroplating of metallic lithium can occur at the negative electrode during a subfreezing charge, and may not be removable even by repeated cycling. Most devices equipped with Li-ion batteries do not allow charging outside of 0-45 °C for safety reasons, except for mobile phones that may allow some degree of charging when they detect an emergency call in progress.
WHEN TO CHARGE YOUR LITHIUM BATTERY, AND HOW TO STORE IT
If you have ever used a lithium battery pack before, you would know that once the battery becomes discharged, a internal circuit completely cuts off battery power. What you may not know, is that draining the lithium cells to the cutoff voltage may damage them over time. Lithium cells when over discharged, start to crystallize and possibly short circuit small sections internally. When part of a lithium cell crystallizes, that area affected becomes useless, reducing the total capacity of the lithium cell. If internal short circuits happen within the lithium cell, the cell can overheat, and "puff" up from expanding gases within the cell. If the protective cover of the lithium cell were to be broken or ruptured, the lithium within the battery pack would react with oxygen and other gases in the air, causing extreme heat, possible toxic smoke, and an explosion and / or fire!!!
To prevent over discharge, always charge the lithium battery pack when you start to feel a "slow down" during use, or the voltage display reads less than 3.2v / cell or less than 1 bar on its display.
HOW TO STORE YOUR Li-ION BATTERY
To best way store your Li-Ion batteries ( and any battery for that matter) its in a cool ( 10-20C) dry ( not humid) area, without direct contact with sunlight. the storage bin should be made out of a heat resistant material such a metal, or fibreglass. Wood, plastic, and flammable materials may ignite if the lithium pack were to catch fire during storage. ( better safe than sorry) Lithium battery packs should not be stored along with any metal items that may contact the power terminals, is a metal item should cause a short circuit, a fire will ensue.You should always fully charge your battery pack before storage, as this will lessen the chance of them self - discharging below 30% capacity ( 3.2v / cell ).
Never store a lithium battery pack in areas where the battery pack may freeze. If your working in an area when the temp is less than freezing, try your best to keep the battery pack warm. An lithium pack that reaches an internal temp below freezing will self - discharge / discharge up to 30% faster than a room temperature battery.
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