Everybody is well aware of the significance of batteries in today’s world. Show any device that doesn’t utilize either electricity or batteries, and you’ll discover that it’s just impossible. But what if you find your Li-ion battery is dead and you have no spare battery?
The only thought that might be running through your mind is how to jumpstart a dead lithium-ion battery. Thankfully, you can jumpstart your Li-ion battery either using a jump starter or another fresh Li-ion battery, or an advanced method to jumpstart the dead one.
Hold on, when you’re thinking about jumpstarting a dead Li-ion battery, you’re going to deal with chemicals and electricity. So, you can’t just take it on hand and finish the job within a few seconds. Hence, it’s time to stick to our article till the end and see what our experts say.
Can You Jumpstart a Lithium-ion Battery On Your Own?
Practically, many people are hesitant about whether they can jumpstart a dead Li-ion battery at home on their own, whether their batteries are suitable for jumpstarting, or if they need the assistance of a professional.
The simple answer is yes. But, it depends on the overall condition of the battery. For instance, you can jumpstart your Li-ion battery only when the cells aren’t dead yet. In general, when the voltage drops below a certain level in the cells, most Li-ion batteries will be disconnected automatically.
On this occasion, the electrolyte inside the battery dissolves the anode and as you recharge, it may result in an internal short that’s really dangerous. If your battery seems dead from the outside, but the cells aren’t, jumpstarting will be effective in this case. Once again, it possesses dangers.
How Much Does It Cost to Jump Start A Lithium-ion Battery?
Before we delve into the details of jumpstarting a Li-ion battery, arranging all the necessary tools is crucial. At the same time, you should know the initial cost of performing the whole process.
You will need materials that seem to be common supplies in the household. In case you wish to buy things fresh and not preexisting, the overall cost to jumpstart a Li-ion battery will be about $150. Here is a typical list of the minimum equipment you’ll need, along with prices on the market.
- The dead battery you have in your home
- A fresh battery with the same voltage as the dead one – If you have the identical battery at your residence, buying the new one would be pointless. If you choose to buy a second one, you may need to spend $157 per kWh.
- Airtight bag: Hope you have it in your home.
- Crocodile clips: These may cost approximately $15 to $20.
- A voltage meter: Its cost varies depending on the brand and functionality of the voltmeter. The retail price is currently about $30 on average.
- Safety glasses: Batteries should be handled with great care, as they can become unstable if handled wrongly. Great-quality safety glasses will cost you approximately $25.
How To Jumpstart A Dead Lithium-ion Battery
Once you’ve gathered your tools, it’s time to get started jumpstarting your dead Lithium-ion battery. However, we have put together some of the most effective methods to jumpstart a Li-ion battery. Depending on your preference and convenience, you may select among them.
Let’s begin.
- Safe Voltage Increment
The strategy is typically also effective for other kinds of batteries. Since the essential highlight is the fact that lithium batteries should only operate when they are utilized, the bottom line is that lithium batteries need to be turned on or off at your whim.
Whether you have to switch any type of lithium-powered gadget on at least several times daily or need to keep it going perpetually for the best outcome, this technique will work. Here is how:
- The first step is to cut two lengths of wire. For each of them, the length should be close to 2.75 inches. One end of the battery will assume the function of the positive wire, while the other will play adverse.
- On the positive wire, remove the covering from both ends of the lead, which is about 0.4 inches long. Remove the protective covering from one end, which is approximately 0.4 inches long, of the negative wire.
- When you have all the required materials, put the three-way connector and gradually plug in the positive pin of the battery into the positive socket on the wiring buckle and connect the 0.4-inch end of the negative cable to the negative socket.
- Subsequently, you have to open the leading conclusion of the positive wire during the connector’s optimistic pin. In the following step, you need to connect 0.8 crawls to the endings of the unfavorable cord by utilizing the clasp.
Cautions: Keep in mind that you should have your eyes protected from the flash. In the event of extremely long abuse, you may be at risk of a battery explosion. The cycle should be performed in a wide area since an injury could result from the accident.
- Using A Li-ion Jump Starter
The best choice to guarantee the regain life of your battery quickly and safely is a lithium-ion jump starter. Portable battery packs with cables for jump starters you can store in your truck’s storage bin or anywhere else you want to keep them are a good idea. You toss them into the back seat of the car and employ them for several restarts in a matter of minutes.
It’s wonderful to see your car come to life a few seconds after you’ve recently been informed that the battery has died, and all you need to do is just find the starter. As soon as you ask for it, you can get an easy jump start without complications. Follow the steps while using a jump starter:
- Look in your owner’s manual for the proper voltage of your battery charger. Check the voltage of your input device to ensure that it matches the jump starter’s output voltage. Typically, a battery will supply 12 volts.
- Identify the positive and negative terminals to hook up your charging cables. Remove any corrosion from the area of the intermediary to reveal the wires.
- Explore the positive and negative clamps located on the portable jumper. The red charging clamp is a positive clamp and the black charging clamp is a negative clamp.
- Ensure the jumper is turned off before connecting the jumper clamps to the car’s battery. Don’t allow the positive and negative clamps to touch each other.
- Connect the jumper cables to the corresponding terminals while the unit is turned off. Once these cables have been secured, turn on the emergency jump starter and attempt the car’s start.
- If the car doesn’t start after the first try, wait for one to three minutes, then try again. You may need to wait for up to five or six attempts before turning the ignition on.
Cautions: To ensure your jump starter battery booster pack is always up and running, it should be charged at least once every six months and, ideally, immediately the following use.
These batteries will lose power faster, especially during very cold conditions, if left inside the vehicle. In cold weather, always provide your battery booster pack with the power it needs via a charger. And of course, don’t forget to wear protective clothing and never keep your face near the battery.
- Battery Cell Replacement
Yes, you can also think about repairing your dead battery to jump. In this case, you can replace the battery cells of the dead one with cells obtained from another one. When it’s time to replace a burnt-out cell, you will require a cell that works but is normally discarded.
- The first thing you should do is prepare to extract the dead battery from the electronic device.
- You should also have a flathead screwdriver and a pocket knife handy. Inside the battery case, you will see a single cell that resembles a standard AA battery.
- Next, you have to separate the individual cells from their wires using the soldering tool, and then you must remove the cells from the case.
- After that, you must solder together the new cells and follow the existing wiring back to the correct locations. At last, put the battery cartridge back into its position.
Cautions: Each cell is attached to a circuit but is not immersed and covered with plastic, so be aware that you must not short-circuit it while you are working. So, it’s recommended to use a multimeter to ensure there’s no dangerous residual charge.
FAQs
- How do you revive a dead lithium-ion battery?
You should keep your battery pack in a water-free package and bury it in the freezer for 48 hours with the cable connections still attached. Once it comes out of the freezer, leave it out for about 8 hours to let it return to ambient temperature.
- Can a dead lithium battery explode?
A lithium battery that has been discharged deeply or completely dead needs to be recharged slowly to prevent serious damage. In the event of a sudden surge of voltage, just like that gained via a jump start, it possibly causes severe damage or, in extreme circumstances, even causes the battery to explode or catch fire.
- Are lithium-ion jump starters better?
Yes, having a portable Li-ion jump starter can be extremely beneficial to jumpstart your dead batteries.
- What is the expected lifespan of the jump starter battery?
The lifespan of modern Li-ion battery jump starters is expected to be 2-3 years on average. According to the charge cycle rate set by manufacturers, it’s around 300 to 500 complete charges. However, that doesn’t mean you have to through the starter to a trash can after 2 or years. Rather, it indicates that the power capacity of your jump starter could lower after 300 to 500 complete charges and declining charging performance.
- What happens to a lithium battery when it dies?
The process by which ions flow and pass to and from electrodes in lithium-ion batteries slows down when they die. This means that the electrical energy that is readily available will be reduced over time, and this limits the amount of power that you will be in a position to use at a critical time.
End Remarks
As long as you thoroughly complete the maintenance needs and your job, your battery won’t fail for a very long time. However, catastrophe doesn’t always announce itself with warning signs.
Hence, you’ll never know when your lithium-ion battery is dead. Don’t panic and follow our guide on how to jumpstart a dead lithium-ion battery. Hopefully, this will help you out.