Airsoft Battery Charging Guide

Airsoft batteries are the heart of every airsoft gun, and a good airsoft battery will ensure you get the most out of your airsoft gun. Whether you are a beginner or veteran airsoft player, understanding your battery is critical to your success. Fortunately, airsoft batteries are fairly easy to understand with this handy airsoft battery charging guide.

In this airsoft battery charging guide, we cover how long should you charge an airsoft battery? Charge your airsoft battery between 4-6 hours to get it fully charged. However, airsoft batteries’ charging time typically depends on several factors, including battery capacity and the type of charger you are using.

Using a battery that is only partially charged is not recommended, so always be sure to fully charge your battery before loading it into your gun. It can take several hours to charge an airsoft battery from a dead state. When you first put your battery on charge, it may appear to be charging correctly, but it may actually not be charging at all. This is because the battery needs to be discharged before it can be charged.

The amount of time you’ll charge your airsoft battery also depends on how discharged the battery is. If you are using a NiCad battery, you’ll need to completely discharge it before you begin to recharge. On the other hand, you won’t have to discharge NiMH batteries before recharging them.

Airsoft Battery Charge Time Calculator: How to Calculate The Charge Time of Your Airsoft Gun

Remember we talked about different factors affecting the charge time of your airsoft battery? There’s a formula to calculate the exact recharge time of your battery.

The correct formula is (battery capacity (battery mAh rating)/charger output (ma)) × 1.5( for NiMh batteries) = time (in hours).

Take, for instance, if the capacity of your battery is rated 1200mAh and the power of your charger is rated 250mA, the number of charge hours = (1200/250) × 1.5

Therefore, you’ll need an average of 7.2 hours to charge a battery of 1200mAh, if you are using a 250mA rated charger.

Bear in mind that the above charging time is calculated on the notion of a fully discharged battery pack. Obviously, you’ll only need to top up your battery if it is half discharged. If you are not sure about calculating charge time, we recommend investing in an auto cut-off charger. Such chargers will cut off charge current when the battery circuit reaches maximum capacity.

Airsoft Battery Charging Guide: How to Charge Your Airsoft Battery Correctly

As stated earlier, we recommend using a smart charger over cheap chargers primarily because they prevent your battery from getting damaged.

One major problem with using a regular charger is that they continue to supply power to the battery, even when the battery is completely charged. This is Why you’ll sometimes find your battery getting immensely hot during charge time.

Such situations make it difficult to guess when the battery charges completely. Many people end up undercharging or overcharging their airsoft batteries, therefore, leaving them prone to damage. 

When You Shouldn’t Attempt to Charge An Airsoft Battery

Having talked so much about adequate charging, it’s vital that you know when you shouldn’t attempt charging your airsoft battery. The following instructions regarding when not to charge your battery should be strictly adhered to. 

• Avoid the temptation to charge two battery packs simultaneously. Some airsoft battery chargers come with more than one unit, but that doesn’t mean you should charge two batteries at once. We recommend charging your batteries one after the other.
• Don’t buy excessively cheap chargers. We know that cost is not necessarily a determinant of quality; it is still a pointer to consider. Most excessively cheap chargers are prone to defects and can damage your airsoft battery. 
• Look out for appropriate chargers. If you ever need to buy an additional charger for your airsoft battery, it’ll be best to buy a charger that best suits your battery. This information is usually available in your battery specifications. 
• Avoid the temptation to charge a non-rechargeable battery. You can tell what category a battery falls into by looking at the specifications on its body.

How to Differentiate an Airsoft Smart Charger From and a Standard Charger

If you want to avoid overcharging your battery or producing too much heat during the process, you should opt for a smart charger.

Smart chargers cost more than ordinary chargers, but they guarantee top functionality. They also ensure fast and safe charging of your airsoft batteries.

The idea behind smart chargers is to prevent problems that can arise from overcharging. They come with indicators that notify owners when the battery is fully charged. However, if you do not stop charging the battery, the charger can automatically activate the battery cells without letting them overcharge.

Please note that LiPo batteries use a different charger from NIMH/NiCd batteries. However, we recommend buying a smart charger, irrespective of battery type.
Using a wrong charger to charge a wrong battery can potentially cause a short circuit, leading to an explosion or fire outbreak.