battery charge time
battery_charge_timeEstimates battery charge time given capacity in mAh, charge current in mA, charger efficiency, and initial state of charge. Accounts for real-world charging losses (typically 80-90% efficient) to produce time in hours and minutes, energy required in Wh (at an optional voltage, default 3.7V for Li-ion), and the C-rate of the charge. Useful for solar charge controller sizing, USB charging time estimation, lead-acid float charging, and EV battery planning. The C-rate output helps verify the charge current is within safe limits (typically 0.5C-1C for Li-ion). Chain from solar_sizing charge_controller_amps to size a solar charging system end-to-end.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| voltage_v | No | Nominal battery voltage for energy calculation (V), default 3.7 for Li-ion | |
| efficiency | No | Charger efficiency factor (0-1), default 0.85 | |
| capacity_mah | Yes | Total battery capacity in milliamp-hours (mAh) | |
| initial_soc_pct | No | Initial state of charge as percentage (0-100), default 0 (empty) | |
| charge_current_ma | Yes | Charge current in milliamps (mA) |
Output Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| c_rate | Yes | C-rate of the charge (charge_current / capacity) | |
| charge_time_hours | Yes | Estimated charge time in hours | |
| energy_required_wh | Yes | Energy required to charge at nominal voltage (Wh) | |
| charge_time_minutes | Yes | Estimated charge time in minutes |