How to Revive Your Dead Rechargeable Batteries with These Simple Hacks  

Introduction  

What will you do when a Rechargeable battery is not performing according to your needs or stops working? You will throw it away and buy a new one. But before doing so, you need to know some facts. A report was released by the Environmental Protection Agency, which estimated that discarded batteries exceed the limit of 180,000 annually in America only. It is important to know that battery discarding is not only overspending but a burden on resources, and it is dangerous for our surroundings and us.  

Now the question is how to reduce these threats, so the answer is simple and interesting. Have you ever heard that you can revive your dead battery? I am sure that you haven’t. Here are some simple tips and tricks that can help bring life to your Dead battery. But before we go into this, we should know the exact reasons that cause it to die, and later, we will discuss how we can revive the rechargeable battery. 

What Causes Rechargeable Batteries to Die? 

As the name implies, rechargeable batteries can get recharged repeatedly, but this can also be done to some extent. So, we need to know what causes are involved that lead to low battery performance and make it dead.  

Excessive charging: 

This is a very common phenomenon in that people leave their batteries charging for hours and hours. It exceeds the capacity of a battery which automatically distorts its performance. 

Disruption in chemical reactions and electrical properties: 

It causes the battery to die before its life expectancy, and this causes severe damage like battery leakages, making the battery swell, increasing heat, and even it can explode, which is very threatening.  

Undercharging: 

Charging a battery to a lesser level than it is required to run, usually called ” undercharging. A battery needs a specific amount of power and energy to work properly. If there is negligence, for example, if you undercharge it or use it before it is charged completely, then it can affect its performance and durability. This can lead to sulfation or dendrites formation. Charging or using it without making it full charge can positively impact its life and functionality. 

Battery memory effect: 

It is also known as the memory effect.  The incomplete discharge of the battery causes this effect. This effect sets a limit for capacity which is usually low than it can hold. So, by following that pattern, it holds less power than it can hold.  

Self-discharge: 

When a battery is unused or inactive, it slowly and gradually loses its shelf life. Many other factors, such as high or low temperature, humidity, and chemical reactions, can also cause this condition, affecting the battery’s life and functionality.  

Central aversion: 

Aging or any damage can disrupt the flow of electrons and create resistance. And this resistance or aversion can cause low voltage and reduce current.

How to Test Your Dead Rechargeable Batteries?  

To Revive the battery’s life, a few things are needed to determine before you go any further. Testing their functionality is the foremost thing to do, and for this purpose, you can get a multimeter, usually used as a battery tester. A battery tester can help in measuring the exact voltage of the battery. But a battery analyzer is also a good option to know the capacity.  

To know the outcome of your test, you need a comparison with nominal voltage. The average voltage is the nominal voltage of the charged battery, and the maximum amount of energy is the rated capacity. The voltage and capacity of the battery are close to or higher than nominal, which indicates that it still has chances for revival. But if both are less, then it indicates that it is dead.  

Before testing, always check a few things, such as if there are any leakages, cracks, corrosion, or damage. If you find any of the signs, you shouldn’t test them or revive them because they can cause serious damage if they come in contact with water or heat. So, it is advised to discard and destroy them properly. 

How to Revive Your Dead Rechargeable Batteries with These Simple Hacks? 

Refreshing: 

It is compatible with any rechargeable battery that needs reconditioning. Before you go for this option, ensure your battery is fully discharged and empty. Later, charge them completely with a good charger. And repeat this cycle at least three times unless you see an improvement.  

Freezing: 

It is only desired for NiMH and NiCd types of batteries. These batteries can lose their charge due to two factors which are the memory effect and secondly, it can also be caused due to self-discharge. If you plan this method, you need a plastic bag to pack these batteries and put them in the freezer for 12 hours or even a day. After 12 or 24 hours, you need to place them at room temperature for 8 to 16 hours maximum. Then you can recharge it, and you will notice an improvement in capacity and performance.  

Zapping: 

This specific method is for NiMH and NiCd. These Beatrice’s usually pose high central resistance, so you need a high-voltage source to connect your battery. It is advised not to touch any wire or terminal because it can cause sparking or shock. Then give a short current and repeat it unless you see an improvement in voltage. This helps in breaking crystals that exist in the battery. 

Jumpstarting: 

It is suggested for Li-ion and Li-polymer batteries. These batteries are usually in sleep mode or have less voltage. You need a working device for this method to connect your batteries. If you are wondering what working devices are, it can be a laptop or phone, and you can connect it with an adapter or USB. In the next step, turn on your device properly and make it run for a few minutes. It will shock the battery, and then it will be able to accept charging. In other conditions, such as if your device does not recognize your battery, you can use a booster circuit or multimeter to increase the voltage to around 3 volts.  

FAQs  

Final Analysis  

Compared to disposable batteries, these batteries are cheap and eco-friendly. These batteries can be used multiple times, and it is also true that it loses its performance over time. One of the important things is that such batteries can be revived easily by following a specific method. Some methods are refreshing, zapping, and jumpstarting. These methods can restore the life span and its functionality.  However, you need to follow some safety measures to avoid any damage that can be imposed during recharging and disposal.