Battery self-discharge with low current

How does self-discharge affect the shelf life of batteries?

Self-discharge can significantly limit the shelf life of batteries. The rate of self-discharge can be influenced by the ambient temperature, state of charge of the battery, battery construction, charging current, and other factors. Primary batteries tend to have lower self-discharge rates compared with rechargeable chemistries.

Why do primary batteries have low self-discharge rates?

Primary batteries are not designed for recharging between manufacturing and use, and thus to be practical they must have much lower self-discharge rates than older types of secondary cells. Later, secondary cells with similar very low self-discharge rates were developed, like low-self-discharge nickel–metal hydride cells.

What factors affect battery self-discharge rate?

Self-discharge rates can vary considerably for different battery chemistries (Table: Wikipedia). Self-discharge can significantly limit the shelf life of batteries. The rate of self-discharge can be influenced by the ambient temperature, state of charge of the battery, battery construction, charging current, and other factors.

Do rechargeable batteries have a low self-discharge rate?

Primary batteries tend to have lower self-discharge rates compared with rechargeable chemistries. But that’s not always the case; specially designed rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries can have self-discharge rates as low as 0.25% per month (Table 1). There’s not one method for measuring self-discharge.

What is self-discharge in a battery?

Self-discharge is a phenomenon in batteries. Self-discharge decreases the shelf life of batteries and causes them to have less than a full charge when actually put to use. How fast self-discharge in a battery occurs is dependent on the type of battery, state of charge, charging current, ambient temperature and other factors.

Are lithium-ion batteries self-discharge?

For instance, lithium-ion batteries have a lower self-discharge rate compared to nickel-based ones. Self-Discharge Rate: This tells you how much energy a battery loses when not in use. Lower rates are preferable for long-term storage. So, there you have it – the intriguing world of self-discharge in batteries demystified.