Chargers for Lead Acid Batteries

Lead Acid batteries have an eco-nomical price and a long lifetime. They are a good alternative for mobile power if the very low power density and the resulting high weight has no relevance.

Lead acid batteries can be charged with different charging characteristics. It is important that the maximum charging current is never more than the battery specification. Overcharging of the battery is just as bad as an insufficient charge as both have a serious impact on the lifetime of the battery. Therefore, the charging technology chosen has a major influence on the rechargeable lead acid battery life and durability.

ANSMANN has chargers with IV and IVoV characteristics in its lead acid standard charger range.

This technology charges the rechargeable lead acid battery with a limited current. The current decreases slowly during the last charging phase up to the end charge voltage. The charger can be left connected to the battery during charging.

During charging with the IVoV technology the battery first will be charged with a regulated charging current (cycle mode) until its voltage reaches a pre-defined value (2.45 V per cell).  After the current has decreased to a defined lower value the charging voltage will be reduced to 2.3 V per cell to avoid damaging by gassing (floating mode). In comparison to the IV technology the charging with the IVoV characteristic achieves a considerably shorter charging time.

While the charger is in operation it can be left connected to the battery. Due to an implemented hysteresis function the charging operation restarts when the battery voltage falls below a predefined value.