Guide to Charge a Lead Acid Battery
Lead acid battery is one of the best ways to store electric energy and a much better system to recharge it. Chargers make the life of batteries extended, but the most important thing while recharging the battery would matter is how properly the battery has been maintained being in normal usage. And they should be kept charged as much as possible. A lead acid battery left in a discharged state for over 2 weeks will significantly lose capacity or may not be able to be recharged at all. There are separators used between the black and red plates of the battery, in fact two separators between the negative and positive plates to avoid any short circuit. We need to connect the black and red plates to charge the lead acid battery. Overcharging and not fully charging all affects the lifespan of batteries. But how do we properly charger the battery?
Of course, before connecting the black and red plates, we need to remove the caps on the top of the battery. If there are any dirt or corrosion from around the caps, remove them and keep the battery clean. Besides, if you own a maintenance-free battery, you certainly don’t need to do this. Or if you cannot locate any caps, or cannot remove them by lifting them off, a maintenance-free battery is better choice for you.
Check the liquid level and look in the holes where the caps were. The liquid level should be the same in all cells, and should completely cover the lead plates to a depth of at least 3/4 inch. Many batteries have a ring to fill to near the base of the hole. If the level is lower than the standard, it means you have to fill distilled water.
Then connect the charge. Connect the red clamp from the battery charger to the positive battery terminal. Connect the black clamp to the negative battery terminal. Don’t make a mistake.
Set the controls on the battery charger for 12 volts. If the charger is equipped with an amperage control, set it to the lowest amperage level. The battery will charge at a slow rate at this setting, which helps to minimize heat and distortion of the lead plates, leading to longer battery life.
Be careful. Don’t overcharge it, so you need to set the timer. If so equipped, to 12 hours for a 2-amp rate or 6 hours at a 10-amp rate, and turn the charger on.
When it is time to the scheduled time, shut off the charger and remove it from the battery. Check the battery with a voltage meter to ensure the battery is fully charged. Return to the charger if it is not yet fully charged.
Full charged may prolong the lifespan of a lead acid battery. And overcharging or not fully charging leads to its self-discharging, and influence its life. Checking and maintaining the battery on a regular basis is very important, so is the charging.
Source: www.leoch.com
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