- by Joe Weber - updated on 8/9/2023
A sleeping LiFePO4 battery is different from your normally fully discharged battery, as it has reached a voltage level that requires special attention to bring it back to its normal operating condition safely. The voltage level is not the only reason for this to happen but it is one of the key reasons. Keep reading to learn what to do if your battery won't provide power to your device or accept a charge from your charger.
If you are new to using lithium iron batteries, you may not even know that sleep mode or protection mode is even a thing. Both of these modes are part of the battery management system (BMS) built into the battery to help manage and improve the performance and safety of the battery. The simplest way to describe what a BMS does is when certain conditions are met, the battery is essentially disconnected until it is safe to operate again.
Protection mode on a LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery refers to a safety feature that is built into the battery management system (BMS) to prevent potential damage or hazardous situations. When a LiFePO4 battery enters protection mode, it typically means that certain conditions or parameters have been exceeded.
Not all lithium batteries have a full BMS and the triggers could differ depending on the brand and application of the battery. Protection mode can be triggered due to any of these reasons, and sleep mode acts as an extension of protection mode.
When a battery management system (BMS) enters sleep mode, it typically occurs when the cell groups of the battery fall significantly below the Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC) threshold. This situation commonly arises when the battery is stored and remains unused for an extended duration.
There are several ways to wake up a sleeping LiFePO4 battery. From connecting the battery to a charge from a solar panel, to warming up the battery and even connecting your sleeping battery in parallel to another LiFePO4 battery. The steps below are the safer and easier way to wake a sleeping lithium battery.
Properly maintaining your battery is the best thing you can do to prevent unnecessary issues from throwing a wrench in your plans when your batteries aren't used in a while.
Every time you use your lithium batteries you should recharge them up to a full charge, even when you've only used a small amount of energy.
When your batteries are not being used they should be stored in a dry, room-temperature place, like a garage.
Before storing them for longer periods, charge your lithium batteries completely. You should always store your lithium batteries with a full charge.
While in storage, charge them at least once every six months. Even when storing batteries at full charge, they will discharge slightly over time. Keep them healthy by keeping them at a full charge as much as possible.
No! Many Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, like our new X2Power Lithium Bluetooth line, feature a long 10-year/2,000 cycle warranty. As long as you don't let the batteries discharge all the way before you recharge, your batteries will stay in excellent health.
If your batteries are acting strange or you are concerned about your battery's health, bring them to your local Batteries Plus to have our battery experts test them and help you bring them back to life.
While you're here, don't forget to take a look at our X2Power chargers which are designed to work with your new lithium iron phosphate batteries to keep them charged and healthy throughout their entire life.