When used, sealed lead-acid batteries will eventually discharge their charge, and it must be periodically restored. Aspects of this process will be considered in the framework of the article.
What is called charging
This is the name of the process, which is the reverse of discharge. During the charging of lead-acid sealed batteries, they are stored with energy, while feeding from an external power source. In the final result, a charge is accumulated, which is equal to the capacity. And what do chargers look like for sealed lead acid batteries? They are an energy converter and two terminals, each of which is connected to the anode and cathode. A sealed, maintenance-free lead-acid battery, when connected to the network, will begin the process of restoring and converting electrical energy (supplied from the network) into a chemical one. So that in the future, as soon as there is a need, he could conduct the reverse process and provide power supply to various devices and devices.
We charge simply and safely
To do this, use the "current-voltage" method. What is it? The battery is initially charged with direct current. When the necessary indicators are reached, constant voltage support starts to go. To know the initial charging current, it is usually enough to inspect the case carefully - this parameter is indicated there. Usually this value is up to 0.3 battery capacity. To make it more clear, imagine that we have a device with a parameter of 100 A / h. Then the charge current should not exceed 30A. But this is a safe maximum, many manufacturers in their chargers use the rule of ten percent. This allows you to charge the batteries without the least fear of doing something wrong and disabling it. And how much should I charge? If the initial current is 20% of capacity, the battery reserve will be restored by 90% in about 5-6 hours. The remaining 10% will take about a day. Here are some features of its functioning has a charger for sealed lead-acid batteries. Is there any way to accelerate this process? Yes, and we will now consider how.
Fast charging of lead-acid sealed batteries
The norm is charging with a direct current at a voltage of 13.8. More is not recommended because of possible negative consequences. But if they do not frighten you, you can increase the voltage to 14.5 V (this is for 12 V batteries). As a result, the battery at 20% charge will charge for 6 hours. This method is used exclusively for cyclic operation.
Effect of temperature
All that was written above, refers only to the case when the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius. At other indices, it is necessary to introduce compensation of the charging voltage. Charge the lead-acid batteries in the range from -15 to 40 degrees. The higher the temperature, the lower the voltage should be to avoid overcharging. In the opposite case, this indicator, on the contrary, should be increased in order to avoid undercharging. A sealed, maintenance-free lead-acid battery is therefore desirable to be charged at 20 degrees Celsius, plus or minus a few. Of course, you can calculate every time, but it is not always convenient. As an ideal place for the temperature parameter often choose their homes, but then you need to take care of the quality of airing the place of charging, both during this process, and a few hours after its end.
The consequences of non-compliance with safety regulations
The methods described above are aimed at fast and safe charging. At the same time, the goal is to maximize the lifetime of the lead-acid battery by minimizing its aging factors. And now let's look at the deviations. What will happen if the current is used more than the maximum permissible current? Initially, it should be noted that sealed lead-acid batteries can not fully charge. Also, due to a decrease in the efficiency of the gas recombination mechanism, the electrolyte will lose water. Therefore, even a single charge is enough to reduce the resource of work.
And what will happen if the current is reduced to 0.5 percent of the capacity? Sealed lead-acid batteries are also charged in this case, but this process will continue for several weeks. In addition, the device will be in a state that is equivalent to a discharged one. And this leads to sulfation and accelerated aging. Of course, a single charge with a low current is not enough for serious damage, but it's better not to use them. It is also necessary to monitor the final voltage, so that the device does not undercharge and reduce its life.
And why do lead-acid batteries have such a temperature range for charging? The fact is that when they exit from them, the work of the gas recombination mechanism stops, and the electrolyte loses its water.
Whether everything was well done
To get a good result, it is necessary to comply with the required parameters within the required framework. The main place in this matter should be occupied by current and voltage (take into account the temperature). Then the sealed lead-acid batteries will be charged successfully and will last for a long time. If there are electrolyte around the safety valves , white coating or bubbles, then the restoration of the characteristics of the device was not done correctly. To determine the state, you can use a tester. Restoration of sealed lead-acid batteries is carried out with the help of special chargers (which may take several days) or additional mechanical actions (somehow pour the electrolyte).
Conclusion
As you can see, the process of charging lead-acid batteries can not be called difficult. If safety is observed, it will not be easy to get something wrong. But finally I want to recommend charging them in separate rooms, and if the devices are restored in a residential house, care should be taken to ensure that the air is well ventilated during the process, as well as several hours after it. These security measures are necessary due to the fact that, even in microscopic doses, but lead can get into the air, and through it and into the body, where it is very slowly excreted and constantly has a toxic effect.