As we all know, we are now in the midst of the digital era, where technology has become more and more patronized. As the number of technology users increases, the variety of devices also increases.
Each year, these devices become more convenient, from wired to wireless, from manual to automatic, and of course from being bulky, huge, and heavy to portable, lightweight, and tiny.
In addition to being convenient, most of these devices are now rechargeable or battery-operated. Unfortunately, these batteries often require some precautions and much more excellent care, for they may malfunction anytime like any other technological device.
So, to safely charge your batteries, here’s a prepared list on how to properly set it, together with the do’s and don’t when charging.
© Shutterstock
1. Do not overuse and overcharge the batteries.
The first rule in charging batteries is never to overcharge them as much as possible. Overcharging happens when your battery is still charging even after being fully charged for hours.
So, how can you avoid overcharging them? First, after your battery reaches its maximum level, immediately disconnect or unplug your device.
Also, overusing your battery is quite unhealthy. Aside from being worn out, overusing it could also cause malfunctions that sometimes lead to harm.
2. Never leave your batteries away from you while charging.
For your safety, always charge your device or batteries near you. As much as possible, never leave it unattended while charging.
Keep in mind that accidents can happen anytime and anywhere. So, a battery fire is possible, especially when a detective battery overheats.
It will help if there’s always a smoke detector and fire extinguisher near you, especially when home or even in the office.
3. Keep out from any flammable materials.
When charging your battery or device, always ensure that it is away from flammable materials or surfaces. For example, avoid placing them near fabrics, pillows, blankets, papers, clothes, and curtains.
Having good air circulation and room temperature without too much sun exposure could avoid the batterie’s overheating issue that could cause a fire.
4. Do not expose the batteries to extremely high temperatures.
As much as possible, do not expose rechargeable batteries to too much heat.
Aside from unfavorably high temperatures that can shorten battery life, it could also result in overheating. So, it is safer to store your devices and rechargeable batteries in a cool and dry place.
It is advisable to store a battery in a place with at least 15-degree Celsius or 50-degree Fahrenheit.
5. Do not mix chargers and batteries from other devices.
Always use a charging device suitable for your battery. As much as possible, use the one that the manufacturer of your battery recommends.
Some chargers are specifically for a specific type of battery, and mixing them could cause problems or errors.
To be sure, you could check the manufacturer’s websites for further instruction, especially if you plan to charge your batteries by other means.
6. Do not mix disposable batteries with rechargeable ones.
Never forget to separate disposable batteries from rechargeable ones. Disposable batteries or alkaline batteries are not rechargeable, so never plug them in a charging device.
All in all, It is better to separate the batteries to avoid confusion and to avoid further hazards.
Know your batteries limitations
There are different types of batteries; Lithium-ion batteries are one of them. Each battery has its advantages and limitations.
So, in taking care of a specific battery, you must know its characteristics, properties, and limitations; here are some rules of a lithium-ion battery:
- A protection circuit must maintain the battery’s voltage and current to its safe limits.
- Used or not, batteries are subject to aging. To reduce the battery’s aging at40% charge, you could place it in a cool place.
- Lithium-ion batteries are more or less 40% higher than the cost of nickel-cadmium.
- Lithium-ion batteries are not fully mature; the chemicals and metals used continuously change.
- There are transportation restrictions; shipping larger quantities are subject to regulatory control. But this does not apply to personal carry-on batteries.
Take care of your batteries properly.
Taking good care of your batteries reduces the amount of time you should charge them, and it could decrease the chance of being harmed by your batteries and lessen the damage to your device, battery, and even its charger.
Here are some tips on how you could take care of your batteries well:
- To make the current drop unhindered during saturation, You could turn off your device or disconnect the load on charge. Take note that a parasitic load could confuse the charger.
- Like charging your battery at high temperatures, you should also never charge your battery at freezing temperatures. Instead, set it at a moderate temperature.
- In safety charging your battery, especially if it is a lithium-ion base, you do not have to set it fully; partial charging is way better than fully charging it.
- Do not rely on your charger’s ‘ready” signal when the battery is already full. Because not all chargers use a full topping charge, so your battery may still not fully charge even though there’s already a go signal for it. You might see a 100% charge signal, but it could be a lie.
- Check on your battery. Immediately unplug your charger when you notice that its temperature gets high. Also, discontinue using the charger you previously used to charge your lithium-ion battery.
- Before storing, you must apply a charge to an empty battery; a 40 to 50 percent charge would do.
Conclusion
Next time you attempt to ignore safety precautions in storing, recycling, and charging your electronic device or batteries, then think again.
Since technology became more prominent, the list of battery-related incidents continued to rise. Most of these incidents occur when the device is in use or while the battery is charging.
Taking few precautions doesn’t hurt that much; in fact, it could save you from worst-case scenarios, like injury, fire, accidents, and losses.