Difference between Lithium and Lead Acid Chargers ?

[James26]

Hi,

Recently bought myself a Powakaddy C2i with no charger, I had a lead acid before this and have an LC-2213 charger with the T-bar connection, I'm wondering if anyone knows if I was to open it up and re-wire it with the 3-pin plug now found on the lithium plug 'n' play batteries, if this would be the same as buying the lithium/lead acid charger that Powakaddy sell ?

Cheers for any help,
James

 

[duncan mackie]

I don't know the specifics of Powercaddy but the Motorcaddy Li charger isn't compatible with their lead acid batteries, but the other way round works (but slower).

This is also consistent with thethe generality in that Li can take faster charge rates than associated lead acid.

So, you should be fine but with a longer charge period to full capacity than the dedicated unit. You should be able to pick up a dedicated Li charger somewhere for little money I would have thought?

 

[USER1999]

Given the price of Li batteries, I would not be messing about bodging up a charger.

 

[jim8flog]

The chargers should be different.

Do a websearch on the subject and you will find out why in detail.

It's all to do with happens when the battery reaches full charge

From memory -
a charger for a lead acid battery will go in to float mode
a charger for a lithium battery will switch off charging.

Lithium batteries are much more prone to damage if over charged.

 

[TreeSeeker]

the protective circuit should be in the battery (normally), if so then its no stress to rewire and plug in provided the outputs are the same, however for the price of the proper charger id just get a new / used one

 

[duncan mackie]

The chargers should be different.
...
It's all to do with happens when the battery reaches full charge

.

whilst there may be a float charge differential (Li will ignore it, lead acid appreciates it) there is also a significant difference in the charging current.

 

[cliveb]

A mate of mine had a lithium battery that worked fine for about a year, then found it wouldn't hold a charge.
On investigation he discovered he'd been using his old lead acid charger all that time!
Once he switched to the lithium charger the battery started working properly again.
Whether he was lucky not to damage the lithium battery I couldn't say.

 

[casuk]

Hi,

Recently bought myself a Powakaddy C2i with no charger, I had a lead acid before this and have an LC-2213 charger with the T-bar connection, I'm wondering if anyone knows if I was to open it up and re-wire it with the 3-pin plug now found on the lithium plug 'n' play batteries, if this would be the same as buying the lithium/lead acid charger that Powakaddy sell ?

Cheers for any help,
James

I just received my new lithium battery today and in the instructions its stats in No way use old changer with new lithium battery doing so can result in damage to both battery and charger, also the new charger is very chunky compared to the older one and the power pack is twice the size

 

[SocketRocket]

A lead acid charger will overheat if used on a lithium battery.