Lithium ion and Lithium polymer batteries are by far superior to their other rechargeable battery predecessors, nickel calcium and nickel metal hydride batteries. Unlike other batteries, Lithium chemistry batteries do not suffer from ‘memory’, a term used to describe the condition of a battery when it suffers from reduced capacity if not flu discharged and then fully charged each cycle.
These batteries therefore get charged vey easily, and is thus better preferred, provided, you take care to follow simple guidelines. All you require is a Battery charger as provided by the battery manufacturers.
STEP 1:
See that you use only the charger that is provided along with your Lithium batteries, as they are specially designed to provide the right amount of current supply to your cells. The standard amount will by 0.2 C to 0.7 C, but can vary depending on the manufacturer. The charger is also capable to keep this charge until the current charge touches 4.2 V, and can hold it there until the current charge drops to 10% of the initial charge rate.
STEP 2:
Now, insert the battery or the pack of batteries into the charger. Lithium batteries differ from other batteries in its unique feature that it need not wait for the battery to be fully discharged, before it can be charged again. It can be conveniently charged as and when required, and ‘topping off ‘the battery does not pose any harm.
STEP 3:
Your charges have to be plugged into a standard 110 V electrical outlet only.
STEP 4:
The indicator light on the charger will show when the battery is fully charged. Unplug the charger from its electric outlet and only then remove the batteries. Here again it is distinguished from other batteries because of its quality that it can be removed anytime even if the battery is not fully charged. Doing do will not cause any harm to the life of the battery, although it is advisable to wait till the batteries are fully charged.
You do have to keep in mind not use a trickle charger for the battery, as it is not an acceptable method of charging. It can often lead to the batteries being overcharged, leading to serious problems