User:Matt B./Work in progress
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Rechargeable batteries are batteries with a reversible reaction such that their stored chemical energy can be fully restored through the application of electrical energy. They are also called storage batteries, secondary cells, and, in British usage, accumulators (whose abbreviation accu, or akku from the German akkumulator, has a more widespread use). Their designs and chemical formulations are widely varied to serve many diverse markets and uses. Some types of rechargeable batteries are susceptible to damage due to reverse charging if they are fully discharged; other types need to be fully discharged occasionally in order to maintain the capacity for deep discharge. There are fully integrated battery chargers, often called smart chargers, which regulate a safe charging voltage and current for each chemistry. Attempting to recharge non-rechargeable batteries (or storage batteries in an unsafe manner) may lead to a battery explosion.