Guide to VRLA Batteries - East Penn Manufacturing
Contents
1. If any two of the three values are known the third value can be calculated using the above equation OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE The voltage of a battery when it is not delivering or receiving power PLATES Thin flat structures comprised of a grid and active material The grid supports the active material and conducts elec trons out of the cell Plates are either positive or negative depending on the active material they hold POSITIVE Designating or pertaining to a kind of electrical potential opposite of negative A point or terminal on a battery having higher relative electrical potential The positive battery ter minal is the point to which electrons flow during discharge PRIMARY BATTERY A battery that can store and deliver electri cal energy but cannot be recharged A lead acid battery is NOT a primary battery RESERVE CAPACITY RATING The time in minutes that a new fully charged battery will deliver 25 amperes at 27 C 80 F and maintain a terminal voltage equal to or higher than 1 75 volts per cell This rating represents the time the battery will continue to operate essential accessories if the alternator or generator of a vehicle fails RESISTANCE The opposition to the free flow of current in a circuit or battery It is commonly measured in Ohms SECONDARY BATTERY A battery that can store and deliver electrical energy and can be recharged by passing direct current through it in a directio2. INJ eSMOKING SEVERE BURNS a FAST DO NOT REMOVE VENT VALVE VENTILATE WELL WHEN IN AN ENCLOSED WARRANTY VOID IF VENT VALVE IS REMOVED SPACE AND WHEN CHARGING SEE INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION REPAIR SHOULD BE PERFORMED ONLY INSTRUCTIONS FOR IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS BY A QUALIFIED SERVICE TECHNICIAN Batteries battery posts terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds and other chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm Wash hands after handling California Proposition 65 Warning m Avoid ultra deep discharges The definition of ultra deep discharge may vary with application and battery type m Don t leave a battery at a low stage of charge for an extended length of time Charge a discharged battery as soon as possible m Don t cycle a battery at a low state of charge without regularly recharging fully Use the highest initial charging current available up to 30 of the 20 hour capacity per hour while staying within the proper temperature compensated voltage range What is a thermal runaway The appropriate charge voltage depends on the battery tem peratures A warmer battery requires a reduced voltage If the voltage is not reduced current accepted by the battery increases When the current increases the internal heating increases This can rise to destructive levels if not taken into consideration Thermal ru
3. fill reducing the internal pressure CONVEX APPEARANCE To prevent the permanent loss of gases so that recombination has time to take place each cell can hold an internal gas pres sure above external pressure before venting Batteries with very large Cells will slightly bulge as this normal pressure builds This is especially noticeable at higher temperatures because the polypropylene case is more pliable when warm Therefore a certain amount of bulge is normal If a battery bulges severe ly on charge this is not normal It is an indication of a blocked valve or an overcharge situation Such a battery should be removed from service V GLOSSARY TERMS ACTIVE MATERIAL The porous structure of lead compounds that produce and store electrical energy within a lead acid battery The active material in the positive plates is lead dioxide and that in the negative is metallic sponge lead When an electrical circuit is created these materials react with sulfuric acid during charging and discharging according to the following chemical reaction PbO Pb 2H SO 2PbS0 2H 0 AGM Absorbed Glass Mat A type of non woven separator material comprised almost entirely of glass microfibers that absorbs and retains the electrolyte leaving no free electrolyte in the cell to spill VRLA batteries made with this material are often referred to as AGM batteries AMPERE Amp A The unit of measure of the electron flow rate or curr
4. of the energy when fully charged and measured lt EASTIFENN under the same discharge conditions If the battery is fully charged the State of Charge is said to be 100 STRATIFICATION The unequal concentration of electrolyte due to density gradients from the bottom to the top of a cell This con dition is encountered most often in batteries recharged from a deep discharge at constant voltage without a great deal of gassing Continued deep cycling of a stratified battery will result in soften ing of the bottoms of the positive plates Equalization charging is a way to avoid acid stratification SULFATION The generation or conversion of the lead sulfate discharge in the plates to a state that resists normal recharge Sulfation often develops when a battery is stored or cycled ina partially discharged state at warm temperatures TERMINALS The electrical structures on the battery to which the external circuit is connected Typically batteries have either top terminals posts or side terminals Some batteries have both types of terminals dual terminal VENTS Mechanisms that allow gasses to escape from the bat tery while retaining the electrolyte within the case Flame arresting vents typically contain porous disks that reduce the probability of an internal explosion as a result of an external spark Vents come in both permanently fixed and removable designs VOLT The unit of measure for electrical pot
5. the electrochemical reaction PbO Pb 2H2S04 2PbS0 2H20 ELECTRONIC TESTER An electronic device that assesses the condition of a battery through an ohmic measurement such as resistance or conductance typically without drawing large cur rent loads ELEMENT A set of positive and negative plates assembled with separators EQUALIZATION CHARGE The process of ensuring that the cells and plates within a battery are all at full charge and that the elec trolyte is uniform and free of stratification This is normally done by charging the battery under controlled conditions charge cur rent time and upper voltage limits are usually specified FORMATION In battery manufacturing formation is the pro cess of charging the battery for the first time Electrochemically formation changes the lead oxide paste on the positive grids into lead dioxide and the lead oxide paste on the negative grids into metallic sponge lead GEL Electrolyte that has been immobilized by the addition of a chemical agent normally fine silica to prevent spillage Batteries made with gelled electrolyte are often referred to as Gel batteries Gel batteries are one typical type of VRLA battery GRID A lead alloy framework that supports the active material of a battery plate and conducts current GROUND The reference potential of a circuit In automotive use the result of attaching one battery cable to the body or frame of a veh
6. Valve Regulated Lead Acid VRLA Gelled Electrolyte Gel and Absorbed Glass Mat AGM Batteries EAST PENN Expertise and American Workmanship _ _ oe absorbed by the negative plate This suppresses the production i of hydrogen at the negative plate Water H20 is produced I INTRODUCTION TO VRLA instead retaining the moisture within the battery It never How it Works needs watering and should never be opened as this would 4 expose the battery to excess oxygen from the air In addition to a Differ ence Between VRLA and Flooded damaging the battery opening it also voids the warranty deal Applications The difference between VRLA and traditional Il AGM amp GEL BATTERIES ee seule oer ooded electrolyte batteries do not have special one way AGM Batteries pressure relief valves as they do not work on the recombi Gel Batteries nation principle Instead flooded designs utilize a vent to Similarities Between Gel amp AGM allow gas to escape They contain liquid electrolyte that can A spill and cause corrosion if tipped or punctured They Differences Between Gel amp AGM should not be used near sensitive electronic equipment m Gel amp AGM Battery Design Advantages They can only be installed upright Flooded batteries lose capacity and become permanently damaged if Ili EAST PENN S VRLA m Left in a discharged condition for any length of time BATTERY DESIGN due to sulfation This is especially true of des
7. ary baal partorg a8 Aasignad Reactions other than the charging reaction also occur to Grid Casting Inspections Specified checks such as alloy transport this current through the battery mainly gassing sampling lead pot temperatures ladle temperatures grid Hydrogen and oxygen may be given off faster than the weight and thickness analysis assures patented alloy blend recombination reaction This raises the pressure until the and precise conditions for proper grid formation and appli one way pressure relief valve opens The gas lost cannot cation into battery production be replaced Any VRLA battery will dry out and fail prema Acid Mixing Checks Regulatory acid temperature turely if it experiences excessive overcharging and specific gravity monitoring optimizes battery Note It is too much voltage that initiates this problem not too performance and longevity much charge a battery can be over charged damaged m Paste Mixing Monitoring Computer assisted formula by too much voltage even though it is not fully charged monitoring and extensive acid gravity and temperature Never install any lead acid battery in a sealed container checks provide best attributes for paste adhesion power or enclosure Hydrogen gas must be allowed to escape absorption and delivery performance Can continual undercharging E Paste to Grid Application Monitoring Temperature harm a VRLA battery thickness weight and line speed analysis assures prope
8. ates This minimizes the destructive nature of ultra deep discharges Ultra deep discharging is what causes plate shedding which can destroy a battery Major difference between Gel and AGM battery performance A Gel battery is better suited for super deep discharge appli cations which means it can withstand deeper discharges without damaging the battery s performance However due to the physical properties of the gelled electrolyte Gel battery power declines faster than an AGM battery as the temperature drops below 32 F 0 C AGM batteries excel for high current high power applications and in extremely cold environments AGM batteries deliver a better dual purpose solution for a combination of starting and accessory power Advantages of GEL and AGM battery designs KEY BATTERY BENEFITS GEL AGM Premium maintenance free design Yes Yes Yes Yes Air transportable most sizes many sizes Spillproof construction won t leak if turned sideways Yes Yes Minimizes terminal corrosion Yes Yes Superior deep cycle life and resiliency Yes Yes to deep discharge damage Best Good Operates at severe angle or on side won t leak or spill Yes Yes Low to no gassing Yes Yes Ideal for use around sensitive electronic equipment Yes Yes Extended shelf life low self discharge rate Yes Yes Enhanced recharging efficiency Yes Yes Resistance to vibration Yes Yes Delivers the
9. best combination starting Yes Yes cycling and deep cycle service Good Best ee Yes Yes Operation in cold temperatures Good Best Cold engine cranking Low Yes Ill EAST PENN S AGM amp GEL VRLA BATTERY DESIGN Features and benefits that make our VRLA batteries unique East Penn Expertise East Penn builds VRLA batteries to the highest standards Our manufacturing process features improved controls using state of the art computers and the latest manufacturing technology and equipment VRLA batteries produced by East Penn consistently meet the highest quality performance and life standards One Way Pressure Relief Valves A critical feature of any VRLA battery is the quality of the seal ing valve Not only must the valve safely release excessive pressure and gas but it must also keep the cell from being contaminated by the atmosphere Oxygen contamination will discharge and eventually ruin a VRLA battery Our valves are UL recognized and 100 tested The benefit is reliable performance and long life Exclusive Gel Formula amp Computerized Mixing Proper gel mixing is critical to life and performance Our state of the art gel battery manufacturing facility is one of the finest in the world with a proprietary computerized gel mixing operation Our exclusive formula is mixed using computer control in every stage of the process Computer control delivers superior consistency for gel battery performance that is unequaled Ou
10. e optimized for electrical performance plate and oxygen from the positive plate during charging Computer Enhanced Filling Controls During this com VRLA batteries have one way pressure relief valves puterized process batteries are monitored and filled to Without the ability to retain pressure within the cells hydro exacting levels for precision separator absorption and gen and oxygen would be lost to the atmosphere eventually complete permeation drying out the electrolyte and separators Multi Staged Filling and Vacuuming Process Every bat Voltage is electrical pressure energy per unit of charge tery is filled and vacuumed several times during this Charge ampere hours is a quantity of electricity Current computerized process Multi staged vacuuming assures amperes is electrical flow charging speed A battery can complete electrolyte to plate interface only store a certain quantity of electricity The closer it gets to being fully charged the slower it must be charged Temperature also affects charging If the right voltage is used for the temperature a battery will accept charge at its ideal m Computerized Polarity Check Every battery is checked by computer analysis for proper polarity m Discharge Test High precision calibrated sensors allow rate If too much voltage is used charge will be forced computers to monitor the voltage drop during this dis through the battery faster than it can be stored eral Toa SUE tal ov
11. ent through a circuit AMPERE HOUR Amp Hr Ah A unit of measure for a battery s electrical storage capacity obtained by multiplying the current in amperes by the time in hours of discharge Example A battery that delivers 5 amperes for 20 hours delivers 5 amperes X 20 hours 100 Amp Hr of capacity BOOST CHARGE The process of ensuring that the cells and plates within a battery are charged sufficiently for the battery to perform its desired function Boost charging is typically done for a short duration at a high current CAPACITY The capacity of a battery is specified as the number of Amp Hrs that the battery will deliver at a specific discharge rate and temperature The capacity of a battery is not a constant value and is seen to decrease with increasing discharge rate The capaci ty of a battery is affected by a number of factors such as active material weight density of the active material adhesion of the active material to the grid number design and dimensions of plates plate spacing design of separators specific gravity and quantity of available electrolyte grid alloys final limiting voltage discharge rate temperature internal and external resistance age and life history of the battery CONTAINER AND COVER The reservoir and lid containing the battery parts and electrolyte made from impact and acid resistant material such as polypropylene CELL The basic electrochemical current producing unit
12. ential or voltage VOLTMETER An electronic device used to measure voltage normally in a digital format VOLTAGE DROP The net difference in the electrical potential voltage when measured across a resistance or impedance ohms Its relationship to current is described in Ohm s law VRLA Valve Regulated Lead Acid battery AGM and Gel are the two types of VRLA batteries These batteries have no free liquid electrolyte and in the cell operate on the oxygen recombination cycle which is designed to minimize water loss VRLA batteries feature valves that have a one way pressure relief design These low pressure valves prohibit air entering the cell while permit ting gases to vent from the cell if necessary The pressure maintained in the battery though only very slight is required to facilitate the oxygen recombination reaction which converts the oxygen generated at the positive plates back into water www dekabatteries com East Penn Manufacturing Co Lyon Station PA 19536 0147 Phone 610 682 6361 Fax 610 682 4781 Order Department Hotline 610 682 4231 E P M Form No 1927 04 15 2015 by EPM Printed in U S A All data subject to change without notice No part of this document may be copied or reproduced electronically or mechanically without written permission from the company
13. formance and power Gel Ultra Premium Glass Mat Double Insulating Separators Another critical component is the separator which isolates the positive from the negative plate The separator must allow maximum charge flow between the plates for maxi mum performance East Penn s Gel battery utilizes a separator with two layers m The first fiberglass sheet layer maintains compression force over the entire surface of the positive plate pro hibiting active material shedding The fiberglass strands from this layer also prevent shedding by embedding themselves into the surface of the plates This acts like reinforcing rods in concrete These extra reinforcements lock the active material to prevent capacity degradation for longer life performance m The second layer is a porous organic polymer The quan tity and size of the pores is optimized to balance the performance characteristics of the battery with its life characteristics This layer has ribs on both sides to allow gel to reach the entire surface of both plates and to maintain the correct plate spacing Gel Polyester Element Wrap To prevent life shortening mossing in our gel batteries we use a special polyester fiber sheet that is wrapped around the edge of each element similar to the wrap in an industrial battery The result is longer service life AGM Ultra Premium Glass Mat Separators Variations in separator properties can be detrimental to the AGM battery s functi
14. icle that is used as a path for completing a circuit in lieu of a direct wire from a component Today over 99 of automotive and LTV applications use the negative terminal of the battery as the ground HYDROMETER A device used to measure the strength i e the concentration of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte of the electrolyte through specific gravity of the electrolyte INTERCELL CONNECTORS Lead structures that connect adjoining cells in series positive of one cell to the negative of the next within a battery LOAD TESTER An instrument that draws current discharges from a battery using an electrical load while measuring voltage It determines the battery s ability to perform under actual discharge conditions LOW WATER LOSS BATTERY A battery that requires little to no water additions under normal operating conditions also referred to as maintenance accessible batteries MAINTENANCE FREE A battery that normally requires no service watering during its lifetime of use NEGATIVE Designating or pertaining to electrical potential The negative battery terminal is the point from which electrons flow during discharge OHM A unit for measuring electrical resistance or impedance within an electrical circuit OHM S LAW Expresses the relationship between volts V and amperes I in an electrical circuit with resistance R It can be expressed as follows V IR Volts V Amperes I x Ohms R
15. igns that require water maintenance Set pee Misi Features m Continually over discharged due to active material shed ding This is especially true of automotive starting types S SSSI Sele SE Ideal applications for VRLA batteries IV GENERAL QUESTIONS Deep Cycle Deep Discharge Applications ABOUT VRLA BATTERIES m Marine Trolling m Electronics m Sailboats m Electric Vehicles V GLOSSARY OF TERMS m Wheelchairs Scooters Golf Cars m Portable Power m Floor Scrubbers m Personnel Carriers m Renewable Energy I INTRODUCTION TO VRLA m Village Power Solar Wind Valve Regulated Lead Acid or VRLA including Gel and AGM m Marine amp RV m Commercial Deep Absorbed Glass Mat battery designs can be substituted in House Power Cycle Applications virtually any flooded lead acid battery application in conjunc tion with well regulated charging Their unique features and Standby and Emergency Backup Applications benefits deliver an ideal solution for many applications where m UPS Uninterrupted m Cable TV traditional flooded batteries would not deliver the best results Power Systems m Emergency Lighting For almost three decades East Penn has been manufactur Computer Backup m Renewable Energy ing valve regulated batteries using tried and true technology m Frequency Regulation Solar Wind backed by more than 65 years experience East Penn pro duces a complete line of Gel AGM and conventional flooded products for hundreds of app
16. in a battery consisting of a set of positive plates negative plates electrolyte separators and casing In a lead acid battery the cell has an open circuit voltage of approximately 2 volts There are six cells in a 12 volt lead acid battery CIRCUIT An electrical circuit is the path followed by a flow of electrons A closed circuit is a complete path An open circuit has a broken or disconnected path CIRCUIT Series A circuit that has only one path for the flow of current Batteries arranged in series are connected with negative of the first to positive of the second negative of the second to positive of the third etc If two 12 volt batteries of 50 ampere hours capacity each are connected in series the circuit voltage is equal to the sum of the two battery voltages or 24 volts and the ampere hour capacity of the combination is 50 ampere hours CIRCUIT Parallel A circuit that provides more than one path for the flow of current A parallel arrangement of batteries usu ally of like voltages and capacities has all positive terminals connected to a conductor and all negative terminals connected to another conductor If two 12 volt batteries of 50 ampere hour capacity each are connected in parallel the circuit voltage is 12 volts and the ampere hour capacity of the combination is 100 ampere hours COLD CRANK RATING The cold crank rating refers to number of amperes a lead acid battery at 0 F 17 8 C can deli
17. ions should be supervised by personnel familiar with batteries and battery safety precautions Protective Equipment To assure safe battery handling installation and maintenance the following protection equipment should be used m Safety glasses or face shield Consult application specific requirements Acid resistant gloves Protective aprons and safety shoes Proper lifting devices Properly insulated tools Procedures Consult user manual of specific application for safety amp operating requirements The following safety procedures should be followed during installation Always wear safety glasses or face shield affected area with water immediately and consult a physi cian if splashed in the eyes Consult MSDS for additional precautions and first aid measures 2 Prohibit smoking and open flames and avoid arcing in the immediate vicinity of the battery 3 Do not wear metallic objects such as jewelry while working on batteries Do not store un insulated tools in pockets or tool belt while working in vicinity of battery 4 Keep the top of the battery dry and clear of all tools and other foreign objects 5 Provide adequate ventilation as regulated by Federal State and Local codes and follow recommended charging voltages 6 Extinguishing media Class ABC extinguisher Note CO may be used but not directly on the cells due to thermal shock and potential cracking of cases 7 Never remove or tamper with pressu
18. is necessary Simply recharge at the recommended recharge settings This means longer life and consistent performance Proprietary Case Cover and One Way humidity to create the optimal environment to facilitate the Pressure Relief Valve curing process We design our own highly functional polypropylene cases m Cast On Strap and Assembly Audits Monitors lead valves and covers Many are molded in our on site state of temperatures line speed alloy sampling weld quality the art plastics molding facility This provides ultimate control terminal burn depth and leak testing all to ensure the of our high performance designs quality and delivery to our final assembled product meets rigid specifications and manufacturing plant assuring you the highest quality battery standards providing a solid construction to support and most reliable service premium VRLA battery products East Penn s Quality Assurance Checks Below are a few examples of the hundreds of quality checks IV GENERAL QUES TIONS that are performed on Gel or AGM battery types to assure total ABOUT VRLA BATTERIES confidence in the performance and life of our batteries Wh l k m Extended Shelf Stand Test Before shipment every battery at do need to know about is required to stand for a period of time and ending volt VRLA battery charging ages are analyzed This extra quality assurance step verifies All lead acid batteries release hydrogen from the negative that the batteries ar
19. lications This diverse Other Applications product offering enables East Penn to be objective as to the m Race or High advantages of each type of battery East Penn s VRLA Gel Performance Cars and AGM products have the reputation of being the highest m Telephone Switching On Highway Trucking Off Road Vehicles quality VRLA batteries available m Wet Environments Marine amp RV Starting i m Diesel Starting Cars and Light Trucks How it works m Vehicles with with Accessories A VRLA battery utilizes a one way pressure relief valve Start Stop Systems system to achieve a recombinant technology This means that the oxygen normally produced on the positive plate is Il AGM amp GEL BATTERIES VRLA technology encompasses both gelled electrolyte or gel batteries and absorbed glass mat or AGM batteries Both types are regulated by special one way pressure relief valves and have significant advantages over flooded lead acid products AGM Absorbed Glass Mat batteries The electrolyte in AGM batteries is completely absorbed in separators consisting of matted glass fibers This causes them to be spillproof meaning they don t leak acid like a flooded design if tipped on their side The glass mats in AGM batteries are wrapped around the positive plate which helps prevent damage from vibration and extend cycling The battery s groups are packed tightly in the case partitions also protect ing its power producing components AGM batte
20. n opposite to that of discharge A lead acid battery is a secondary battery SEPARATOR A porous divider between the positive and neg ative plates in a cell that allows the flow of ionic current to pass through it but not electronic current Separators are made from numerous materials such as polyethylene polyvinyl chloride rubber glass fiber cellulose etc SHORT CIRCUIT An unintended current bypass in an electric device or wiring Outside the battery a short circuit is estab lished when a conductive path is established between the two terminals of a battery Inside a battery a cell short circuit is the result of contact between the positive and negative plates and will cause a Cell to discharge and render the battery useless SPECIFIC GRAVITY Sp Gr or SG Specific Gravity is a measure of the electrolyte concentration in a battery This mea surement is based on the density of the electrolyte compared to the density of water and is typically determined by the use of a hydrometer see Hydrometer By definition the specific gravity of water is 1 00 and the specific gravity of the sulfuric acid elec trolyte in a typical fully charged battery is 1 265 1 285 Specific gravity measurements are typically used to determine if the bat tery is fully charged or if the battery has a bad cell STATE OF CHARGE The amount of deliverable low rate elec trical energy stored in a battery at a given time expressed as a percentage
21. naway can be prevented with m Temperature compensation monitoring at the battery not at the charger Limiting charging currents to appropriate levels Allowing for adequate air circulation around the batteries Using timers or ampere hour counters Using smart chargers that recognize the signature of a thermal runaway event which will shut the charger down Why do some VRLA batteries have a concave or convex appearance CONCAVE APPEARANCE The gas pressure in a VRLA battery can be lower than ambi ent pressure under certain circumstances This partial vacuum will pull the container walls and cover inward This may give the ends sides of each cell and tops of each cell a noticeable concave inwardly dished appearance This is normal The product is not defective Its performance is not compromised in any way In some situations charging will reduce or eliminate this appearance Internal gas pressure being lower than external pressure has several potential causes that can operate alone or in combination The recombination process continues after charging ends consuming most of the headspace oxygen decreasing internal pressure An increase in external pressure will result from a decrease in altitude Cooling the battery reduces the internal gas pressure by contraction and also by causing some water vapor to return to liquid form Severe discharging shrinks the volume of the internal materials This leaves more volume for the gas to
22. o that its integrity is upheld in the battery to withstand the forces of vibration and shock in service Heavy Duty Grid Style Design for Heavy Duty Service East Penn uses a high performance deep cycle grid designed for durability The thick grid wires not only lock the active material onto the grid but also act as bus bars to collect and direct the energy to the terminals Acid Stratification Prevention Acid stratification can occur in conventional flooded cells During charge acid is released at the plate surfaces During discharge acid is consumed at the plate surfaces Since the concentration is not uniform diffusion spontaneous mixing by random molecular motions begins If this mixing occurred rapidly stratification would not occur but it is relatively slow allowing lighter parts of electrolyte to float toward the surface and heavier parts to sink toward the bottom The top portion of the plates do not perform as well in contact with lower concentration electrolyte The bottom portion of the plates do not perform as well with the higher concentration and will corrode prematurely High voltage equalization charging is sometimes used in flooded batteries to make gas bubbles that remix the electrolyte Immobilized gel or separator absorbed electrolyte will not float or sink within itself when a non uniform concentration exists so it cannot stratify Therefore no high voltage equalizing charge
23. onal performance East Penn uses glass mats that are engineered to have consistency and an ideal balance of critical properties This attention to detail results in high performance and long life High absorption and retention rate holds acid securely in glass fibers to prevent uneven saturation and acid strati fication see explanation of acid stratification under Acid Stratification Prevention section m Thick highly compressible mats provide padded protec tion around plates and absorb shock and vibration This maintains compression force over the entire surface of the positive plate prohibiting shedding which results in capacity degradation An AGM separator contains no materials subject to failure from oxidation Low electrical resistance from electrolyte holding fibers and micro porous composition optimizes current flow between plates for a more efficient transfer of power m Durable mats are wrapped around the bottom of the plate and are wider than the plates This inhibits failures from direct contact electrical plate shorts or shorts from the build up of material on the battery elements Exclusive Alloy Compositions Our exclusive alloy compositions provide the optimal combi nation of longer shelf life more power conductance enhanced durability and superior corrosion resistance By using special grain refiners we can dramatically improve performance and life Calcium strengthens the grid for processing in the plant s
24. r EE adhesion and extended service life In many respects undercharging is as harmful as over charging Keeping a battery in an undercharged condition allows the positive grids to corrode and the plates to shed dramatically shortening life Also an undercharged battery must work harder than a fully charged battery which contributes to short life as well An undercharged battery has a greatly reduced capacity It may easily be inadvertently over discharged and eventually damaged Do VRLA batteries have a memory like Ni Cad batteries m Curing Checks Assures proper time temperature and One of the major disadvantages of nickel cadmium ni cad batteries is that after shallow discharge cycles the unused portions of the electrodes remember the previous cycles and are unable to sustain the required discharge voltage beyond the depth of the previous cycles The capacity is lost and can only be restored by slowly discharging com pletely generally outside the application and properly recharging VRLA lead acid batteries do not exhibit this capacity robbing effect known as memory What are the safety precautions for VRLA batteries Although all valve regulated batteries have the electrolyte immobilized within the cell the electrical hazard associated with batteries still exists Work performed on these batteries should be done with the tools and the protective equipment listed below Valve regulated battery installat
25. r temperature controlled process and specially designed equipment assures a homogenous gel Our equipment was designed by our engineers specifically for gel mixing even down to the contour of the tank bottoms and feed pipe locations Exclusive AGM Electrolyte and Filling Process Our AGM electrolyte contains high purity sulfuric acid and pure demineralized and deionized water Avoiding impurities enables the battery to function at the critical performance levels necessary of the recombinant principle utilized in a valve regulated design This assures minimized gassing as well as water and capacity loss providing longer service life and sustained performance The AGM filling process assures that each cell is saturated with the maximum amount of electrolyte that can be held by the separators without leaving excess electrolyte that could spill or leak Multi Staged Filling and Vacuuming Operation Our gel process fills and vacuums each cell several times This multi step process assures complete evacuation of air and complete gel to plate contact Our computerized process also weighs every SLI and Stationary battery before and after filling as a check for proper gel levels The result is a battery with more consistent and reliable performance Our AGM topping process assures that the maximum retain able electrolyte quantity is held within the battery separators to produce a complete electrolyte to plate contact optimizing battery per
26. re relief valves Warranty void if vent valve is removed Can VRLA batteries be installed in sealed battery boxes NO Never install any type of battery in a completely sealed container Although most of the normal gasses oxygen and hydrogen produced in a VRLA battery will be recombined and not escape oxygen and hydrogen will escape from the battery in an overcharge condition as is typical of any type battery These potentially explosive gasses must be allowed to vent to the atmosphere and must never be trapped in a sealed battery box or tightly enclosed space Does depth of discharge affect cycle life Yes The harder any battery has to work the sooner it will fail The shallower the average discharge the longer the life It s important to size a battery system to deliver at least twice the energy required to assure shallow discharges 1 These batteries are sealed and contain no free flowing Follow these tips for the longest life electrolyte Under normal operating conditions they do not present any acid danger However if the battery jar case or cover is damaged acid could be present Sulfuric acid is harmful to the skin and eyes Flush A DANGER m FLUSH EYES TGH aes Wo amp IMMEDIATELY RISK OF SHOCK l SULFURIC WITH WATER DO NOT TOUCH D inn EYES NO Jacip LO UNINSULATED EXPLOSIVE GASES g SPARKS f CAN CAUSE TERMINALS OR f cay CAUSE BLINDNESS FLAMES BLINDNESS OR i CONNECTORS f OR
27. ry designs can have over twice the cycle life of a conventional flooded product in the right application Gel or Gelled Electrolyte batteries The electrolyte in a Gel battery is permanently locked in a highly viscous gelled state instead of the traditional liquid form Because there is no liquid type electrolyte it will not leak out of the battery if tipped on its side The thick gelled electrolyte and tightly packed groups also protect the bat tery s power producing components Gel battery designs have a superior deep discharge resiliency and can deliver over two to three times the cycle life of an AGM product in the right applications Similarities between Gel and AGM VRLA technology m Batteries utilize special one way pressure relief valves and must never be opened m Requires no electrolyte maintenance unlike deep cycle flooded batteries that require frequent checking and adjustment of electrolyte levels m Uses a recombination reaction to prevent the escape of hydrogen and oxygen gases normally lost in a flooded lead acid battery particularly in deep cycle applications m Spillproof design enables installation in virtually any position upside down installation is not recommended m Has a higher tolerance against damage from deep discharge These batteries have optimized amounts of electrolyte which is also referred to as acid starved so that they use the power in the acid before they use the power in the pl
28. ver for 30 seconds and while maintaining at least 7 2 volts 1 2 volts per cell This is commonly referred to as CCA Cold Cranking Amps CONDUCTANCE The ability to transmit current in a circuit or battery CORROSION The chemical or electrochemical reaction between a material usually a metal and its environment that produces a deterioration of the material and its properties The positive lead grids in a battery gradually corrode in service often leading to bat tery failure Battery terminals are subject to corrosion if they are not properly maintained CURRENT The rate of flow of electricity or the movement of electrons along a conductor It is comparable to the flow of a stream of water The unit of measure for current is the ampere CURRENT ALTERNATING AC A current that varies periodi cally in magnitude and direction A battery does not deliver alternating current AC CURRENT DIRECT DC An electrical current flowing in an electrical circuit in one direction only A secondary battery delivers direct current DC and must be recharged with direct current in the opposite direction of the discharge CYCLE In a battery one discharge plus one recharge equals one cycle DISCHARGING When a battery is delivering current it is said to be discharging ELECTROLYTE In a lead acid battery the electrolyte is sulfuric acid diluted with water It is a conductor that supplies water and sulfate for
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