The first thought might be to dispose of them and get new ones. But, before disposing of them, is there a chance you can restore an old lithium-ion battery by freezing it? The short answer is yes. You can restore old lithium batteries by keeping them inside a freezer.
Keep reading to learn more about tips, steps, and things to avoid when restoring your Li-ion battery.
Table of Contents
- 1 What Causes A Lithium-Ion Battery To Die?
- 2 Can You Restore A Lithium-Ion Battery By Putting It In The Freezer?
- 3 How to Recondition Lithium-Ion Batteries in Freezer?
- 4 Safety Tips
- 5 Tips To Extend the Life of a Lithium-Ion Battery
- 6 What Does Observing DoD Mean?
- 7 How To Safely Store Lithium-Ion Batteries When Not In Use?
- 8 FAQs
- 9 Conclusion: Can You Restore Lithium-Ion Battery in Freezer?
What Causes A Lithium-Ion Battery To Die?
Has your phone died after charging it for almost 3 hours? If so, your battery must have died, which is normal after some time. When your battery cannot hold a charge or takes forever to charge, you know it is almost dying.
When your phone gets hot when using it, or you notice the battery swelling, this is the time to read this article and find out how to restore your dying lithium-ion battery. Some of the causes for this include:
- High charging rates that cause lithium plating, which refers to the accumulation of lithium metal in the area surrounding the anode.
- Electrolyte oxidation at the cathode due to elevated temperatures and keeping the cells at high voltages.
- Development of a solid electrolyte interface on the anode, obstructing the graphite electrodes.
- Mechanical degeneration, leading to loss of stack pressure.
Can You Restore A Lithium-Ion Battery By Putting It In The Freezer?
One of the user warnings with a lithium-ion battery is that you keep them in cool and dry places. Placing the batteries under direct sunlight or exposing them to heat ruins them. Heat damages the magnetic field in the battery that keeps the positive and negative ions moving continuously.
As the ions move around, they bombard each other, raising the temperature of your battery, even at room temperature. When you charge the battery, the movement of the ions increases, making the temperatures rise, shortening the battery’s lifespan.
When the battery is hot, the movement of the ions increases because they have more energy. Therefore, it makes sense to cool the battery down in an attempt to restore it. You are probably wondering, does freezing harm your lithium-ion battery, or can you revive the battery by putting it in a freezer?
To answer your question, consider this:
Hot stuff moves rapidly, while cold things slow down. Now, moving stuff causes it to generate heat, which causes the temperature to rise. The same applies to your lithium-ion battery. The lithium ions will keep moving around if the battery is at room temperature.
However, cooling the battery down by, say, placing them in a freezer, can help you revive your battery and extend its lifespan.
How to Recondition Lithium-Ion Batteries in Freezer?
- Take the dead battery out of your device.
- Use a voltmeter to measure the voltage on the battery and determine if the battery is healthy or dead. A dead battery will have a voltage lower than half the rating.
- Now, charge the dead battery with a genuine charger.
- Put the battery in a heavy-load device to discharge it fast.
- Take the discharged battery and wrap it in an airtight bag.
- Ensure there is no moisture in the wrapper, then toss the battery in the freezer for 24 hours.
- Take the battery out the next day and let it thaw for about 8 hours.
- Charge it and try it on your device.
Safety Tips
When handling lithium-ion batteries, it is essential to remember that heat can cause an explosion. So, keep the batteries away from any heat and direct sunlight. At the same time, avoid placing the battery on combustible surfaces. Also, when you place the battery in the freezer, tightly close the bag to prevent the battery from getting wet.
Do not let heavy items fall on the battery to avoid denting it. Finally, handle the battery with care to prevent short-circuiting the terminals.
Tips To Extend the Life of a Lithium-Ion Battery
If you do not want to find yourself in a tough spot where you want to revive your lithium-ion battery in a freezer, there are a few tips you can follow to extend the lifespan of your battery. Some of these include:
- Always charge the battery at the correct voltage and ampere levels.
- Store the battery properly- away from extreme temperatures and in dry places.
- Make a habit of charging your battery before you completely drain its power. Observing the depth of discharge (DoD) can help preserve the longevity of the battery.
- Lithium-ion batteries stay the longest when you partially discharge them and charge them regularly.
What Does Observing DoD Mean?
How To Safely Store Lithium-Ion Batteries When Not In Use?
Temperature and environmental conditions are vital to how you store your lithium-ion battery. You should store the battery at 59 °F. Also, keep the batteries at around 40% charge when storing them.
Do not expose the batteries to a lot of vibration, and check that there is no moisture in the storage area.
FAQs
Can you store lithium-ion batteries in the fridge?
It is not advisable to leave the lithium-ion batteries in extreme temperatures for long periods of time. Therefore, you cannot leave your battery in the fridge and expect it to work normally after 24 hours.
Does freezing damage lithium-ion batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries do not have any water in their composition. Therefore, keeping them in a freezer for a few hours will not damage them.
When should you replace lithium-ion batteries?
Most of the lithium-ion brands will last you 4-5 years. After that, you start experiencing problems like quick discharge, slow charging, and overheating your device. That is when you know it is time to replace your lithium-ion battery.
In which temperature range should I operate lithium-ion batteries?
The average temperature range of operating a lithium-ion battery is between 15° C and 35° C. Below this, the performance becomes sluggish, and above the range, you risk getting explosions and reduced battery life.
Conclusion: Can You Restore Lithium-Ion Battery in Freezer?
If you were curious if you could restore lithium-ion batteries in the freezer, now you know you can. Storing your battery in the freezer for 24 hours can help you restore the electrochemical composition of the battery, thus extending its lifespan.
James is an engineer and a professional blogger. He has gained extensive experience over the years, handling all types of power projects. He loves to share his experiences with all things related to batteries, generators, and other power-related topics.
