A method for providing an electrochemical cell which manages an amount of ions that reversibly transfer between the positive and negative electrodes enabling a near zero voltage storage for prolonged periods of time under an applied load capable of recharge without significant degradation of discharge performance, comprising: (a) fabricating a first electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a reference electrode, and an electrolyte; (b) measuring the voltage difference between the negative electrode and the reference electrode to determine the electrochemical potential of the negative electrode verses reference level and measuring the voltage difference between the positive electrode and the reference electrode to determine the electrochemical potential of the positive electrode verses reference level upon application of an applied load that electrically connects the positive electrode and negative electrode of the first electrochemical cell as the voltage difference between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the first electrochemical cell voltage, reaches a near zero voltage of less than about 500mV; (c) determining the electrode asymptotic potential from the measured electrochemical potential of the negative electrode verses reference level and the positive electrode verses reference level in the first electrochemical cell; (d) adjusting the amount of ions that reversibly transfer between the positive and negative electrodes in the first electrochemical cell based upon the determined electrode asymptotic potential from the first electrochemical cell, or fabricating a second electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a reference electrode, and an electrolyte and adjusting the amount of ions that reversibly transfer between the positive and negative electrodes in the second electrochemical cell, based upon the determined electrode asymptotic potential from the first electrochemical cell; and (e) repeating steps a), b), c) and d) until an amount of the ions that reversibly transfer between the positive and negative electrodes in the cell is identified that achieves the negative electrode potential verses reference level below a negative electrode copper dissolution potential of the cell and the positive electrode potential verses reference level above a positive electrode damage threshold potential of the cell under the applied load at a near zero cell voltage state. (a) fabricating a first electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a reference electrode, and an electrolyte; (b) measuring the voltage difference between the negative electrode and the reference electrode to determine the electrochemical potential of the negative electrode verses reference level and measuring the voltage difference between the positive electrode and the reference electrode to determine the electrochemical potential of the positive electrode verses reference level upon application of an applied load that electrically connects the positive electrode and negative electrode of the first electrochemical cell as the voltage difference between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the first electrochemical cell voltage, reaches a near zero voltage of less than about 500mV; (c) determining the electrode asymptotic potential from the measured electrochemical potential of the negative electrode verses reference level and the positive electrode verses reference level in the first electrochemical cell; (d) adjusting the amount of ions that reversibly transfer between the positive and negative electrodes in the first electrochemical cell based upon the determined electrode asymptotic potential from the first electrochemical cell, or fabricating a second electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a reference electrode, and an electrolyte and adjusting the amount of ions that reversibly transfer between the positive and negative electrodes in the second electrochemical cell, based upon the determined electrode asymptotic potential from the first electrochemical cell; and (e) repeating steps a), b), c) and d) until an amount of the ions that reversibly transfer between the positive and negative electrodes in the cell is identified that achieves the negative electrode potential verses reference level below a negative electrode copper dissolution potential of the cell and the positive electrode potential verses reference level above a positive electrode damage threshold potential of the cell under the applied load at a near zero cell voltage state.