How to wake up a sleeping lifepo4 battery?
If your lithium iron phosphate battery has been idle for a long time and is unable to power your device, it is not necessarily a battery failure. It may have entered a sleep mode, which is a “self-protection” mechanism of the battery. So, how can you wake up a sleeping lithium iron phosphate battery? Let’s find out!
If you are unfamiliar with lithium iron phosphate batteries, you may not be aware of the sleep mode or protection mode. These modes are part of the built-in Battery Management System (BMS) of the battery, designed to facilitate the management of lithium iron phosphate batteries and to continuously monitor and detect the battery’s status. By setting certain conditions, the BMS activates protective measures to shut down the battery until it can safely operate again.
Sleep mode means that the lithium iron phosphate battery is in a state of low power or no usage and the power output is disconnected to save energy and extend battery life. This protection mode refers to the safety features embedded in the Battery Management System (BMS) that prevent potential damage or hazardous situations. When a LiFePO4 battery enters protection mode, it usually means that certain conditions or parameters have been exceeded, such as overcharging, over-discharging, over-temperature, over-current, short circuit, etc. This triggers the BMS’s protection mode, and the sleep mode is actually an extension of the protection mode.
When does a battery enter sleep mode?
This usually occurs when the battery is not used for a long time. Due to the prolonged period of inactivity, the battery undergoes self-discharge. When the voltage of the battery cell group drops significantly below the Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC) threshold, the Battery Management System (BMS) enters sleep mode.
How to wake up a battery in sleep mode?
A battery in sleep mode can be activated through charging or communication wake-up.
Charging activation: Connecting the sleeping battery to a dedicated charger provided by the manufacturer for charging activation, to prevent any damage or overcharging.
Communication wake-up: Connecting the sleeping battery to a computer or the device for communication wake-up.
How to minimize the occurrence of this situation?
To minimize such occurrences, it is important to properly maintain the battery, which will prevent unnecessary issues when the battery is not used for an extended period, thereby affecting its normal usage. Therefore, when batteries are not in use for a long time, they should be stored at room temperature with a charge level between 40% and 60%. It is recommended to recharge them every 3 months to avoid leaving lithium iron phosphate batteries in a fully discharged state and ensure battery health. For more specific maintenance guidelines, please follow the operating instructions and precautions provided by the manufacturer of the lithium iron phosphate battery.
Does regular charging affect the lifespan of lithium iron phosphate batteries? The answer is no! As long as you don’t let the battery completely discharge before recharging it, your battery will remain in good health. Many lithium iron phosphate batteries have a cycle life of 10 years or 2,000 cycles. For example, PLB’s 26650 lithium iron phosphate cells, such as the IFR26650-30B and IFR26650-33A cells, can even achieve more than 3,000 cycles at 100% depth of discharge (DOD). You can find more detailed specifications on the product page of PLB’s IFR 26650 cell.