Can a new battery be charged before it's fully depleted?
1 Answers
A new battery can indeed be charged even if it hasn't been fully depleted. Battery charging and discharging process: Battery charging is essentially an electrochemical [reduction] process, which involves applying a current opposite to that of discharging to restore the battery plates to their original state (before discharge). During discharge, the plates absorb sulfuric acid from the electrolyte, releasing electrical energy. The sulfuric acid adheres to the plates, increasing the resistance between electrodes as discharge time progresses until the electrode voltage drops, reducing discharge capacity. Typically, when a 12V battery discharges to 10.5V, it can no longer continue discharging, which is known as the discharge termination voltage. Battery definition: A battery is a type of cell, also referred to as an accumulator, that works by converting chemical energy into electrical energy. The term 'battery' commonly refers to lead-acid batteries, which primarily use lead and its oxides as electrodes and a sulfuric acid solution as the electrolyte.