From the previous posts, we learned that the SLI battery is a type of lead-acid battery that can be recharged repeatedly. In a vehicle, there is a continuous charging system which consists primarily of the engine, the alternator, and its sub-components (voltage regulator and rectifier). A lead-acid battery, in fact, can also be charged using solar panels, wind and hydro systems. But what’s more interesting to know about these charging systems is that most of them employ the following different methods of battery charging.
Bulk Charging – A constant current is supplied to the battery at a rate determined by the battery charger.
Absorption Charging – A constant voltage is supplied to the battery and the charging current drops off automatically when the battery nears full charge.
Float Charging – A constant current is continuously supplied to the battery at a state wherein it maintains the battery at full charge.
3 Stage Automatic Charging Process
Constant Voltage Charging
Image Source: Century Battery Website
Constant Voltage Charging – The maximum voltage and maximum current (based on the charger’s specifications) are supplied to the battery until the maximum voltage is reached. At this full charge state, the charge current drops off in proportion to the battery voltage increase.
Constant-Current Charging – This uses a specialized type of charger that maintains a predefined constant current level until a specific voltage level is achieved.
These methods of charging a lead-acid battery may sound a little bit technical but getting to know them would at least enhance your knowledge about batteries. But here is another important point that you need to keep in mind about charging lead-acid batteries.
Charge/Discharge Current
The Ampere Hour Rating discussed in another post plays an important role in the battery charging process. A battery rated at a Nominal Capacity of 100Ah will discharge 100 Amps current in 1 hour. When it comes to charging, the charging rate is usually 10% of the battery capacity. And that is equivalent to 10 Amps in 1 hour of a 100Ah rated battery. This will require you to use a 10A battery charging system. This reminds us that choosing the right battery charging system based on the Ah rating will definitely lead to the correct charging methods that will enhance the battery’s life and performance.
Related articles:
What Is An Ampere Hour Rating (Amp Hour or Ah) Of A Battery?
