HOW TO MAINTAIN THE CHARGE ON A STORED BATTERY

A battery will deteriorate and get damaged if it is stored without being charged. This is because the charge in a battery is stored in chemical form, and chemical reactions that occur inside the battery convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Hence, no charge equates to no electrical energy, aka. a dead battery.

The conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy takes place when a load is connected to the battery. However, even when no load is connected to the battery, the chemical reactions will still take place albeit at a slower rate and the battery will actually lose charge.This means that even when the battery is stored, it will eventually lose its charge.

Nonetheless, there are several ways to ensure that the battery retains its charge when it is being stored.

1. Charge the battery completely before storage

Prior to storing your battery, always charge the battery to full capacity. A battery that is fully charged will lose current to self-discharge at a lower rate than a battery that is partially charged.

When a battery is fully charged, the concentration of sulfuric acid is at its highest point. At these concentration levels, the batteries specific gravity is at the highest point and the battery is unlikely to suffer freezing if stored in a very low-temperature environment.

2. Keep the Battery Clean

When storing your battery, it should be kept in an area where there is no contamination. External elements such as water, dust, and other contaminants will cause the battery to undergo corrosion.

Corrosion willenhance the rate of charge loss from a battery. The contaminants on the top of a battery may cause a short circuit that will also result in loss of battery charge.

3. Connect to a solar battery maintainer kit

A battery maintainer kit will keep your battery fully charged by giving it a small amount of charge current to compensate for the amount of loss from discharge.

This Newpowa 10W Solar Battery Maintainer Kit includes a 10W solar panel that’s wired to a charge controller.This solar kit setup allows for a natural way to charge your battery using the sun’s energy, eliminating the possibility of a dead battery.

When a battery charge level falls beyond a certain point, the 30W 24V battery maintainer kit will provide enough current to charge the battery in order to keep it healthy. It can also remain connected to the battery for extended periods of time without causing any damage or overcharging the battery.

4. Run your vehicle engines for a short while

With a stored vehicle that isn’t used for long periods of time, you can always ensure that the battery retains its chargeby regularly turning on the car engine. As the car engine runs, the alternator will provide a charge to the battery to top it off, however, since this process can take some time to fully recharge your battery, it’s recommended to leave your car running for no more than 30 minutes.

When you have a battery that you’re not going to use for a while, either disconnected or connected to your car, it is always a good practice to keep the battery fully charged. Storing a battery in a discharged state will suffer permanent damage that cannot be reversed by reconditioning the battery.

To avoid the hassle and cost of replacing a dead battery that cannot be charged, always have a maintenance schedule for your battery so you can check it’s charge levels, battery acid levels and clean outany dust or other contaminants from the battery if needed.

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