The question is caused by the fact that batteries and accumulators are visually (in shape, dimensions, color design of the case) for the most part almost identical. But there is a difference, and first of all, in terms of durability. So let’s figure out what parameters (signs, criteria) can be used to distinguish a regular battery from a rechargeable battery (or a rechargeable battery, as such mini-batteries are often called).

Difference between elements

• Battery. Regardless of the manufacturer, size, capacity, etc., this is a disposable product. Once the resource is exhausted, it cannot be restored and must be disposed of.
• Battery. Reusable element. If the operating rules are followed, it can withstand a significant number of discharge/charge cycles.

Knowing the fundamental difference between batteries, it is easy to determine what exactly is on the store window.

Price

The simplest way to determine whether it is a battery or a battery. The price of the latter is several times (or even an order of magnitude) lower.

Lithium batteries are quite expensive, although they, like all analogues, are disposable products. Therefore, focusing only on price, you can make a mistake. If there is a “lithium” marking on the element’s body, but it stands high, then most likely this is it lithium battery, without the possibility of repeated recharging.

Explanatory notes

They are applied to the element body and are clearly visible.

Power supply type

• “rechargeable” – rechargeable. Therefore, it is a mini battery.
• "do not recharge". Even a person who does not speak English understands that denial (“do not”) indicates the impossibility of restoring performance. That means it's a battery. Everything is very simple.

Energy intensity

Designated "m/Ah". If there is such an inscription on the case, then it is definitely a battery. For batteries this characteristic not specified.

There are a number of other differences, but they are more understandable to specialists, since much depends on the manufacturer of the battery. The author believes that the information presented is quite enough to avoid confusing a battery with an accumulator.

It happens that explanatory markings are difficult to discern - erased inscriptions, poor lighting, visual defects, and so on. It is easy to distinguish a new battery from a rechargeable battery by its “voltage”. To measure voltage, you need to correctly select the position of the switch, set the required limit and attach the probes to the terminals of the element.

Rating values ​​(V)

• Battery – 1.6.
• Battery – 1.2.

An old battery should not be thrown away immediately. If it is no longer suitable for ensuring the normal functioning of one type of household appliance, then it is possible (and this is exactly what happens) it will last for some time after being installed on another device of less power.

2016-04-07

AA batteries are the power supply for many modern devices. Externally, such products cannot be distinguished from each other, but specifications and costs may vary significantly. To prevent troubles associated with purchasing batteries that have little life or do not work at all, you should know how to check the battery charge.

Such knowledge will be especially useful if there are a lot of batteries accumulated at home - after checking, you can understand which ones should be thrown away and which ones can still be used in devices with low power.

Checking the battery with a multimeter

To detect completely faulty elements, a simple check will be enough:

• switch to multimeter mode according to the measured value DC voltage;
• the measurement limit should be 20V;
• Press the probes of the device tightly to the contacts of the battery being tested and measure the voltage level;
• take tester readings.

If the values ​​obtained after testing are greater than 1.35V, the element is fully operational and can be used in any devices. When a little less, but not less than 1.2V, it can be installed in devices that do not require a large amount of energy. If the indicators are even lower, the batteries cannot be used; they should be sent for recycling.

It is worth noting that such a test does not give a complete picture, since the value of voltage without loads (EMF) is shown.

An ordinary small flashlight light bulb can be used as a load element. LEDs are not suitable as they have low resistance. The volume of loads should be in the range of 100−200 mA - these are the indicators for many modern electrical appliances with average power.

A test without load is quite enough to reject batteries that are clearly unsuitable for further use. If the tester showed less than 1.2 V, then there is no point in arranging additional checks. Here, in fact, is the simplest option on how to check a battery with a multimeter.

How to check the amount of charge under load

Selected items are retested. You need to figure out how to measure the battery capacity with a multimeter under load. The procedure is as follows:

• connecting the probes of the device with the contacts of the element being tested;
• parallel connection of the load component;
• wait 30 seconds;
• note the obtained values.

Depending on the data received, the batteries are sorted as follows: if the result is 1.1 V or less, then such products can be safely thrown away; when the value does not exceed 1.3V - can be used in remote controls remote control. If the element under load has 1.35 V or more, it is fully operational.

Check by measuring current

This technique can be used exclusively for new batteries and makes it possible to evaluate the power immediately before purchasing. The position of the device must be in the area direct current. To obtain adequate measurements it is necessary:

• set the tester to the maximum measurement limit;
• Press the probes of the device tightly against the battery;
• a few seconds after the current value on the indicator stops, remove the probes.

Normal values ​​are 4-6 amperes. If the value is 3-3.9 amperes, then the battery life is reduced, but it can still be installed in portable equipment. When you see numbers of 1.3−2.9 amperes, such an element is unlikely to be suitable for household appliances, but it is suitable for any compatible remote controls (not necessarily television ones).

Useful tips will help improve the quality of battery use and understand how to dispose of them:

In addition, damaged batteries should not be thrown away with regular trash, because they contain electrolyte, a substance that is harmful to the environment. Hand them over at special points where they are sent for recycling.

These are all the secrets of how to check the battery capacity with a multimeter, and in which devices the tested elements can be used. To take measurements, you only need a tester and a few free minutes.

AA batteries are used in many modern devices as batteries. Although outwardly these products are indistinguishable from each other, their technical parameters, as well as cost, can vary significantly. To avoid getting into trouble by purchasing a product with a short lifespan, or even one that doesn’t work at all, you should know how to check these elements and be able to do it in practice. This skill will also come in handy when checking batteries accumulated at home - if one of them belongs in a landfill, then others can still serve in devices that do not differ in power. In this article we will figure out how to check the battery with a multimeter, and at what value residual charge it can be used in electrical appliances.

Checking the charge without load

To identify completely faulty elements, it is enough to perform a simple check:

• Select the multimeter mode corresponding to measuring the DC voltage value.
• Set the measurement limit to 20V.
• Apply the probes of the device to the contacts of the battery being tested and measure the voltage.
• Take tester readings.

If the voltage shown when checking the battery with a multimeter is more than 1.35V, the battery is in good condition and is suitable for use in any electrical appliance. If the charge of the element is less than this level, but not lower than 1.2V, it can be used in undemanding devices. At a lower charge level, the battery cannot be used and must be disposed of.

To complete the picture, such a check is not enough, since it shows the magnitude of the no-load voltage (EMF).

As a load element, you can use a regular light bulb designed to work in a flashlight. LEDs are not suitable for this because their resistance is too low. The load volume should be between 100 and 200 mA - this is the most common indicator for most modern medium-power electrical products.

However, to reject batteries that are clearly unusable for use, checking with a tester without a load is sufficient. If the device shows less than 1.2V, testing under load is pointless.

Checking electric batteries with a multimeter under load

The remaining elements are retested. Let's now figure out how to check the battery capacity under load. To do this you need to proceed as follows:

• Connect the multimeter probes to the contacts of the battery being tested.
• Connect the load element in parallel and wait 30-40 seconds.
• Take the result.

Depending on the readings of the device, the measured elements need to be sorted. Batteries with a remainder of 1.1V or less can be safely scrapped. Products, when tested by the device, showed up to 1.3V, can be used in remote controls. If the element under load shows 1.35V or more, it is fully operational.

Checking batteries by measuring current

This method is applied to new batteries and allows you to evaluate their power immediately upon purchase. The multimeter should be set to DC current. To measure the charge level on a new battery, proceed as follows:

• Set the battery tester to the maximum measurement limit.
• Take new element and attach the probes of the device to its contacts.
• After 1-2 seconds, after the current value on the indicator stops increasing, the probes must be removed.

The normal current for a new battery should be 4-6 Amperes. If it is 3-3.9 Amperes, this means that the battery life is reduced, but the element is suitable for use in portable equipment.

Multimeter readings within 1.3-2.9 Amperes indicate that in ordinary household appliances It is better not to use a battery, but it can be installed in devices that consume a small amount of current (for example, television or other remote controls).

If the current value shown by the tester is 0.7-1.1 Amperes, then such an element is capable of operating exclusively in devices with low power consumption, and the quality of the equipment will decrease. It can be used in “remote” systems, but only if there are no better elements at hand.

The process of checking batteries with a multimeter is clearly shown in the video:

• Do not delay in checking and sorting batteries accumulated at home. If new batteries are unavailable or there are insufficient quantities, you can temporarily use tested ones if necessary.
• Dead batteries in a household appliance do not need to be completely replaced. Typically, their discharge does not occur simultaneously, and the test will identify batteries that can be used further.
• Do not store unusable batteries at home and, especially, do not keep them in the equipment case. Electrolyte often leaks from them, and this leads to damage to nearby things.

• Do not attempt to damage the battery housing in any way - the liquid contained in it (acid or alkali) may contact your skin, causing a chemical burn.

In addition, used batteries should not be thrown into trash bins. The electrolyte they contain is harmful to the environment, so batteries must be disposed of in places specifically designed for this purpose.

Conclusion

In this material, we figured out how to properly test a battery with a multimeter, as well as in which devices the tested batteries can be used, based on the measurement results. As you can see, to measure the remaining charge in the battery, it is enough to have a home tester on hand and a few minutes of free time.

The scope of application of finger elements is so limitless that it is simply impossible to list the electrical appliances in which they are used. Variation in prices can also mislead the buyer - it seems like identical copies differ in price, sometimes by 10 times. As a result, you buy batteries that have a service life that differs several times.

Sooner or later, a certain number of batteries accumulate at home, which are a pity to throw away (what if they are still alive?). At the same time, most electrical appliances no longer work on them.
The issue of recycling is especially relevant when several pieces (2, 4 or even 8) work in one device.

The elements are connected in series, so the discharge of one entails a power failure for the entire “system”.

How to check the battery charge to reject truly faulty cells?

It would seem that the instructions are simple:

1. Set the tester mode to the “DC voltage measurement” position;
2. Select the measurement limit of 20 volts;
3. Connect the contacts of the measuring wires to the element being tested;
4. Take readings.

A voltage of at least 1.35 volts is considered normal. These will work on any device. For undemanding consumers, 1.2 volts is sufficient. If the charge in volts is lower, it must be disposed of.

Important! A few recycling rules:

• Do not store discharged batteries near other objects, especially inside an electrical appliance. Sooner or later it will leak out and ruin everything nearby.
• Do not dispose of batteries in regular trash cans. These devices are harmful to nature, so dispose of them in specially designated areas.
• Do not try to destroy (flatten, pick apart) the battery case. Inside there is an alkali or acid that can burn the skin.

However, checking the batteries with a multimeter will not show the true picture.

You will see EMF value, that is, the potential difference without load. The tester doesn't count, it internal resistance so small that it does not affect the discharge current. It is necessary to load the element with a typical consumer. A regular flashlight bulb will do.

Important! Do not use LEDs for testing.

• Firstly, their resistance is too low for the load;
• Secondly, LED elements must be able to be connected, otherwise you will simply destroy them;
• Thirdly, the voltage at which the diode will glow is more than 2.5 volts. One battery is not enough.

A multimeter is a unique, irreplaceable and simple device that can be found in many homes. With its help, many measurements are taken. One of them allows you to check the battery with a multimeter. Let's look at this measurement in more detail.

Problems that can be identified using the device:

• mark the area where there is a break in the electrical wiring or supply cable;
• check the voltage value in the electrical network;
• check for the presence of a phase in the socket or switch;
• measure the resistance level of electrical wiring and various equipment;
• understand whether a light bulb or appliances are working;
• measure the battery charge level;
• check the phone battery capacity;
• find out the voltage in the network to prevent electrical equipment breakdowns.

The list goes on; the scope of application of the tester is extensive. But the main question must be answered.

How to correctly take measurements with a multimeter?

The work can be divided into several stages:

We set the DC current measurement value on the control panel, before setting the highest measurement value of our multimeter.
Then, for a short period of time, we touch the opposite-polarity contacts of the battery. The tester gives an indication of the current value. If the value is not higher than 4 Amperes, but not lower than 2 Amperes - such AA battery can be used for a long time in various devices and equipment. If the measurement results are shown below this value, but not less than Ampere, it can be safely placed in the home equipment control panel.

An unconventional way to check the battery

How to check without a device whether the battery is charged or not. Lift it a few centimeters from the table and release it. If the battery falls, it means it is discharged, and if it remains standing, it means it is charged. This is explained quite simply. When discharged, the gel contained in the alcoline element dries out and becomes a powder. The center of gravity shifts and the battery falls. This method is interesting, but not scientifically approved.

Taking all measurements requires some skill. This is where recommendations from experienced specialists come in handy. proper operation with the device, as well as on the use and safe disposal of batteries.

• You should not delay solving the problem by checking and sorting used batteries. Timely measurements will allow, in the absence of batteries, to temporarily install a tested battery with a sufficient level of residual voltage in household appliances and control panels.
• Using a battery tester to check, the number of batteries in your home will decrease. The main thing is not to forget to check.
• If the equipment control panel malfunctions, do not throw away all the batteries at once. They discharge unevenly, so by checking with a multimeter, you can determine whether they are serviceable; they can still be used in various household appliances.
• You should not leave used or damaged batteries in living areas. It is especially undesirable to leave damaged batteries in household appliances and expensive equipment. If electrolyte leaks from a damaged housing, it can cause damage not only to the device, but also to things and objects located next to it.
• Do not open the battery housings. The liquid (gel) contained in it, when it comes into contact with a person’s skin, causes a chemical burn. For this reason, they should not be thrown into garbage chutes or containers.

The electrolyte, alkali or acid contained in the battery has a harmful effect on the world around us. You should find out the collection points for used hazardous materials and batteries, where, after delivery, they will be sent to the place of their disposal or recycling.

Using a multimeter at home to check battery charging and other work, you get the opportunity to save money on buying batteries and calling an electrician to your home. Warmth and light to your home.