Batteries continue to evolve. Large, "D-cell" alkaline batteries are all but obsolete . As small, portable electronic devices from cell phones to GPS units get more popular, the need for lightweight, long-lasting batteries increases. Currently, lithium-ion batteries are the answer. More powerful and longer lasting in a fraction of the size, lithium-ion batteries have created new possibilities in electronics. However, their chemistry is fundamentally different than alkaline, nickel-hydride (NiMH) and other types of batteries and they need to be charged differently. Incorrect charging may destroy a lithium battery.
Lithium vs. Lithium Ion
First, to be clear, there is a world of difference between a "lithium" battery and a "lithium ion" battery. Casually, people call lithium ion batteries "lithium" batteries, but there is an important distinction: you cannot recharge lithium batteries. Fortunately, you won't have a need to for a long time. But once expired, lithium batteries are no longer of use. Rechargeability is the reason lithium-ion batteries were developed. Make the distinction between "lithium" and "lithium-ion" batteries---especially if you're considering buying electronics with "lithium batteries." Don't assume they're rechargeable.
Smart Chargers
Fortunately, "smart chargers" do all the work for us. A smart charger doesn't just charge a lithium-ion battery; it monitors the charge for you and adjusts the charging procedure accordingly. All you have to do is plug in the charger and forget about it. Most smart chargers have a light that indicates when the battery or device is fully charged.
Trickle Charging
What is most important about the charging method is that you use a smart charger that monitors the charge. Laptop computer batteries, for example, monitor the batteries' charging. Trickle chargers cannot be used on lithium-ion batteries. Trickle charges give a steady flow or "trickle" of electrical charge to the battery, regardless of the charged-state of the battery. For other types of batteries this can work, but it isn't so with lithium-ion batteries. If a charger cannot monitor the charged-state of a battery, it should not be used on a lithium-ion battery.
Charging Safety
The sequence used by lithium-ion smart charges is quite complex, and some smart chargers are smarter than others. Smart chargers don't just protect against overcharging. They protect against reversing polarity, charge current, discharge, over-discharge, voltage, and temperature. While most of those tasks are best left to the charger, it's helpful for us to know just two things. One is that lithium-ion batteries should not be charged when the temperature is below 32 or above 113 degrees Fahrenheit. The second is that it is imperative to have the correct charger for your battery. Do not "wing it." These batteries can explode and/or start a fire if they are not charged with the correct charger. Use the manufacturers charger. If you need to replace it, replace it with a charger specifically built for your device, or reference the precise charger specifications from the manufacturer.
Tags: lithium-ion batteries, lithium batteries, lithium battery, used lithium-ion, between lithium, charged-state battery
