Your RC vehicle is powered by a lead-acid battery. To be more specific a 12v 7ah battery which is a sealed lead acid battery. But to keep it running you need to charge it periodically.
So want to know how to charge a 12v 7ah battery?
Firstly disconnect the battery from the vehicle. Then attach it to the power line. And then you need to set up the proper charging voltage. Be careful not to overcharge the batteries. After finishing, reattach it to the car, or leave it at trickle charging if you’re not going to use it soon.
Well, now you know the basics of charging a 12v 7ah battery. But to do it hands-on, you need to know a little more. And that’s why we have this article for you.
So, let’s get started!
What Is a 12v 7ah Battery & Where Is It Used?
When we buy batteries to power our RC cars. We often notice that there are ratings on it. Mostly what we see in the case of RC cars is 12v 7ah written on it.
Well, the 12v 7ah is indicating the battery voltage and the battery capacity. It means that with a voltage difference of 12v the battery will be able to deliver 7 amps constantly for one hour.
Or it can also mean that you get a constant 1 amp for 7 hours. In both ways, it gives us an idea about 12v 7ah battery runtime. Though in real-life scenarios the battery drains over time.
And that affects how much power the battery will be able to deliver. And the time that your battery can run.
There are many different varieties of batteries that you can get. Each with a different power level and time. Each is applicable to different scenarios.
And in the case of RC toys, we generally use a 12v 7ah battery, as the size and weight are right for rcs.
These batteries are lead-acid batteries. So they get power from the chemical reactions between acids inside of it. There are sealed and unsealed lead acid batteries.
But 12v 7ah batteries are mostly sealed batteries. Because they are smaller and sealed are convenient for usage. They are also safer to transport and play around with. That’s why they are the go-to option for RC vehicles.
But you can’t just keep replacing a battery once it is finished. That is really not cost-effective at all. As well as discarding lead acid batteries pose a threat to the environment.
So it requires you to charge it periodically. And charging these batteries is different from charging other batteries or electronic devices. So it’s normal to ask how to charge a 12v 7ah sealed lead acid battery.
These kinds of batteries can be tricky. But if you know how to do it, you won’t face a lot of trouble because it’s not that difficult or complicated.
So let’s see how to charge a 12v battery at home!
Step By Step Charging a Sealed Lead Acid Battery
Sealed batteries are easier to maintain and handle. But you shouldn’t be careless even if it’s the safest option out there.
You need to follow a few tricks here and there for good charging. Let’s get started!
1. Remove the Battery From the Car
You can theoretically charge your battery even when it’s wired to your vehicle. But most times charging while attached to your vehicle poses the threat of overcharging.
And overcharging can greatly damage your battery. And lessens its lifetime. So it’s best to remove it to charge.
Use appropriate tools to remove the battery from your vehicle. Maintain caution as lead acid batteries have very reactive acid in them. They are very corrosive.
So you should be careful even if it’s sealed.
2. Connect the Charger & Set the Charging Voltage
You need to get a 3-stage battery charger. These are perfect for charging sealed lead acid batteries.
Hopefully, this makes finding a charger easy for you! Now onto the next steps.
There is a small hole in the sealed acid batteries. These help exit the gas buildup inside. Make sure that’s not obstructed.
Connect the charger with the line power. Now you need to apply the appropriate charging voltage.
If you want the fastest charging then you need to set 2.45-2.40 volts per second. But that’s not very ideal for your battery life.
Setting it slightly lower will charge it slowly of course. But your battery will last way longer this way. After you’ve set the charging voltage, now you can turn on the power and start charging.
Now you have to keep in mind that this will take some time. First, it will charge quite fast but after 70 percent the charging rate slows down.
A 12v 7ah battery charging time is nearly 5 hours. And then the charger will go to the float phase. This is also known as trickle charging.
3. Reconnecting the Battery
Now that you’ve finished charging, it’s time to reconnect it to the RC. Simply disconnect the battery and charger from power. And then take it to the RC vehicle and connect it properly.
Carefully connect the positive and negative terminals correctly. And there you go!
But remember, batteries discharge slowly even when not in use. So if you’re planning on not using the battery for a long period of time. You should set it to trickle charging mode.
That’ll account for the slow discharge of the battery. And it’ll also keep it ready and increase its longevity.
And there you go! Be careful not to overcharge the lead acid batteries. Because overcharging will heat them up, and that’ll create gasses inside of the battery.
That will build up pressure inside and can damage the battery. And if it gets bad it can potentially damage your RC vehicle and you also. So keep an eye on the timing and you’re good to go!
FAQs
Q: Do Sealed Lead Acid Batteries Need To Be Vented?
Ans: Yes, they do but that isn’t regular. Also if it happens it’s for a very short amount. As sealed lead acid batteries have minimal chance of interaction with the fluid. They are less affected by the environment. However, overcharging can cause gasses to form. But a one-way valve takes care of that.
Q: Do Sealed Lead Acid Batteries Catch Fire Often?
Ans: No, sealed lead-acid batteries are really safe in this regard. Due to the low energy density of lead acid, it’s not prone to catching fire. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which are really sensitive to catching fire. Also, sealed lead acid batteries ensure a non spillable environment for the acid.
Q: Are Lithium Batteries Better Performing Than Lead Acid Batteries?
Ans: Yes, practically lithium-ion batteries are the better performers. Lithium-ion batteries are more efficient as well as lighter than lead-acid batteries. Also, poor cold weather performance, low specific energy, and short lifecycle make the lead acid battery fall behind when it comes to performance.
Wrapping Up
After the discussion, now you should be clear on how to charge a 12v 7ah battery. These are basic information that every person should know.
Until next time, best of luck!
- SCX24 Motor Upgrade Guide 2024 [Step By Step] - January 1, 2024
- RC Helicopter Shaking – 4 Reasons And Solutions! - September 24, 2023
- 1/10 vs 1/16 Scale RC – Which One Should You Purchase? - September 24, 2023