Fast MEA break-in and voltage recovery

A system for breaking-in and humidifying membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) in a fuel cell stack, said system comprising:

• an anode input and a cathode input to the fuel cell stack, said anode input flowing anode reactant gas to the fuel cell stack and said cathode input flowing cathode reactant gas to the fuel cell stack;
• a temperature sensor, said temperature sensor measuring a temperature of the fuel cell stack;
• and
• a controller configured to control the temperature and current density of the stack such that the temperature of the stack increases over one or more temperature steps and the current density of the stack is cycled within a predetermined range for each of the one or more temperature steps, said controller controlling a fuel cell stack voltage such that the voltage is maintained within a predetermined range, said controller further controlling the anode and the cathode reactant flows so that the anode and cathode reactant flows are maintained near an approximate set-point during the current density cycling of the one or more temperature steps such that by-product water from a fuel cell stack electrochemical reaction condenses so that the stack is able to operate at a predetermined threshold of fuel cell stack voltage output capability after the voltage cycling and humidification is complete.