Batteries
BATTERY OPERATIONS
Shelf Life
The shelf life of a battery is the time which a battery may be stored and not lose more than
10 percent of its original capacity.
Charge and Discharge
The charge of a battery may refer to as one of two things: (1) the relative state of capacity of
the battery, or (2) the actual act of applying current flow in the reverse direction to return the
battery to a fully-charged state.
Discharge, simply stated, is the act of drawing current from a battery.
Summary
Battery operations are summarized below.
Battery Operations Summary
The output voltage of a battery connected in series is equal to the sum of the cell
voltages.
A battery that is connected in parallel has the advantage of a greater current-
carrying capability.
Secondary cells can be recharged; primary cells cannot be recharged.
The unit for battery capacity is the ampere-hour.
Internal resistance in a battery will decrease the battery voltage when a load is
placed on the battery.
Shelf life is a term that is used to measure the time that a battery may sit idle
and not lose more than 10 percent of its charge.
The charge of a battery may refer to one of two things: (1) the relative state of
capacity of the battery, or (2) the actual act of applying current flow in the
reverse direction to restore the battery to a fully-charged condition.
Discharge refers to the act of drawing current from a battery.
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