A continuous float charge, also known as high-voltage-hold, increases the Li-ion battery to above the specified upper cut-offs potential. Turning the charge current off keeps the battery stable and enables the voltage to neutralize. The Li-ion system is so efficient that excess energy has nowhere to go when the battery is fully charged. Nickel-based batteries receive trickle charge when fully charged to compensate for self-discharge.
#ACTIV ENERGY BATTERY CHARGER LOADED FULL#
The CCCV method is also used to charge Lead acid with the difference that a float charge is applied in Stage 3 to keep the battery at full charge and to prevent sulfation.
Stage 3 is the ready mode with no charge applied. Stage 2 completes the charge under constant voltage (CV) as part of saturation charge. Stage 1 applies bulk charge under constant current (CC). Charge regime of the lithium-ion battery. Figure 1 illustrates typical voltage, current and capacity signatures of the CCCV charge. Li-ion cannot absorb overcharge and no charge is applied in Stage 3. Full-charge is reached when the current decreases to typically 0.05C, which is one-twentieth of the rated ampere-hour. The current begins to drop as the battery saturates.
The cell reaches 4.20V/cell, a common voltage limit for Li-ion, after which Stage 2 continues by applying a constant voltage (CV) charge. Depending on battery chemistry, the charge process goes through several stages, and with lithium-ion Stage 1 consists of a constant current (CC) charge that brings the battery to roughly 70 percent state-of-charge (SoC). Contributed commentary by Isidor Buchmann, CEO & Founder, Cadex Electronics Inc.Ĭharging a battery is simple but the complexity rises when a parasitic load is present during charge.