Why can’t we charge batteries using AC power? What is it about alternating current that isn’t compatible with batteries?
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Batteries are inherently DC…the chemical reaction driving the battery is either discharging or charging…either way it’s DC, just in opposite directions.
If you hook AC to the battery will charge a little bit when the current is in the “charge” direction then discharge a little bit in the “discharge” direction.
The end result is the battery doesn’t gain any net charge and it just gets hot.
A battery stored energy and sources direct current (DC) dc has a set polarity, positive and negative.
AC, alternating current is a way of transferring energy where the polerity changes from positive to negative and negative to positive.
If you were to reduce the AC to the appropriate voltage and then run it through a very sturdy diode so that only the energy of one polerity gets through, you could charge a battery with it.
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