Lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries use different charging control methods. To put it simply:
Lithium-ion battery charging control initially involves charging at a constant current. Once the battery voltage reaches 4.2V, the voltage stops increasing. The charger monitors the current; if the current falls below a certain value, charging ends. Lithium batteries are sensitive to overcharging, thus requiring complex protection circuitry. The maximum rated charging voltage for a single 3.6V battery is 4.2V, with an allowable error margin of no more than 1%.
The ideal charging current for lead-acid batteries is pulse charging. The best pulse charging method is direct rectification of the 50-60Hz AC power supply without filtering (this is based on the premise of simple circuit and low cost). Since lead-acid batteries have a relatively high self-discharge rate, when using power frequency charging, a constant voltage charging method is generally used (and there will definitely be current limiting).
Furthermore, the charging termination voltage (current) differs depending on the battery level. For example, the charging termination voltage for a 48V lead-acid battery is around 57.6V, while that for a 48V lithium-ion battery is around 55V. Therefore, for the health and safety of the battery, it is essential to use a certified and licensed lithium-ion battery charger.
In general, there are three main types of batteries: chemical batteries, physical batteries, and biological batteries. We'll discuss chemical batteries later; let's briefly look at physical and biological batteries first. Physical batteries include photovoltaic cells, which convert light energy into electrical energy by utilizing substances that generate electricity when exposed to light; solar cells are a typical example. There are also thermoelectric batteries, which convert temperature differences in materials into electrical energy. And there are atomic batteries, which use the radiation emitted by radioactive materials to generate electricity, resulting in a long lifespan and are often installed on artificial satellites. Biological batteries currently mainly include two types: enzyme biofuel batteries, which work by using enzymes as catalysts to allow materials such as hydrogen, methanol, and glucose to react chemically with oxygen at room temperature, thereby generating electrical energy.
