How to Charge Lithium Polymer Batteries
Knowing how to charge lithium polymer batteries is useful. By charging the battery improperly, you are taking harmful risk. An overcharged battery has the potential to erupt in flames. Know the basics of how to charge a lithium polymer battery before charging one.
- Purchase a battery charger that is designed for lithium polymer batteries. This type of charger will stop charging if there is a drop in voltage, which prevents overcharging the battery. This technology works by using a sensor. The price of a lithium charger ranges anywhere from $20 to over $100.
- Find out the voltage of each cell in the batteries if there is more than one cell. This is done by taking a voltage test meter. This test should be done every five to 10 charges. A drop in voltage that is more than 0.1 may not be detected by the charger. If the charger fails to stop charging once the battery is fully charged, it could lead to overcharging.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to connect the charger to the battery. Be sure to connect the battery while the charger is off. Set the charger to 4.2 volts to fully charge the battery. Once everything is in place, you can turn the charger on.
- Turn off the charger and remove battery once it is charged completely. The charger will usually cut off on its own once the battery has reached full charge. This may take anywhere between four and six hours.