Types Of Lead Acid Batteries

A lot is written and read about batteries. In fact, it is so much useful in our daily life that we often leave unseen. It would not be incorrect if we say that without batteries, it is difficult to run our daily life. However, least we know about batteries is there are acid based batteries which help your appliance work, cars and bikes run, etc. In this article we have managed to cover most of the information that you would like to know about batteries.

So let’s start with understanding what exactly batteries are?

Batteries are useful device that stores energy by the electro-chemical process. The energy can be stored for some time depending on the designing of the battery and used for stipulated period. The chemical properties used in the battery enables us to use the chemical energy through chemical reaction. Just like gasoline emits energy after the chemical process, batteries are similar kind of products which releases energy.

There are different types of batteries which can discharge after single use while some can be recharged several times. Almost all the batteries have positive and negative terminals through which the energy is released. Whether it is appliance, remote control device or any automotive engine which is using the battery engine, the designing of the battery is similar while the sizes may differ.

Basically the combination of chemical compounds in the battery leads to the discharge of energy. So, if we talk about lead acid batteries, which are the most used, multi-purpose and long life batteries available in the market, the electrodes and grids in it are made from lead. The active material used in the batteries is lead oxide formulation and the quantity depends on the manufacturer of the lead acid battery.

The multi-purpose battery helps in wide range of utilities, commonly used for starting engine. Small bursts of electric discharge energize the motor to turn the shafts and start internal combustion. These types of batteries are known as Starting Lighting & Ignition (SLI). The lead acid batteries can easily store energy for months or years for utilities which need battery backup. It discharges very slightly and it can be recharged when the power is back.  Further, there are different types of lead acid batteries which are used for different purposes.

Different types of lead acid batteries are:

Flooded Lead Acid Battery

The wide usage of flooded lead acid battery is in the automotive industry. It is a cost effective solution which offers least cost per amp hour. The modern wet cell batteries come in further two variants, i.e. serviceable and maintenance free. The traditional flooded lead acid batteries need regular maintenance like watering, cleaning the terminals and equalizing charges. Due to the highly dangerous goods classification of the lead acid batteries, the transportation needs specific methods as it can be shipped only with certified shipping or courier companies.

Sealed Lead Acid Batteries

These batteries are also known as Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) which are now available in different formats. The primary form of manufacturing sealed lead acid batteries is the plates and thickness of the plates in the batteries. Unlike wet cell batteries, these batteries do not degrade so easily and safest type of lead acid batteries. There are two variants in the sealed lead acid batteries, absorbed glass matt (AGM) and Gel Cell (Gelified Electrolyte).

The AGM Sealed Lead Acid Battery offers the best in class quality in its variants. The micro-fibre glass offers highest efficiency by boosting maximum energy with minimal internal resistance. It comes in much larger capacity despite its smaller case packaging. The AGM sealed lead acid batteries are commonly used in UPS, telecommunication industries, mobility vehicles, etc. It is always important to choose the right type of AGM batteries so that you can get long-lasting services.

The Gel Sealed Lead Acid Battery is made up of gelified electrolyte which is much different than its counterpart AGM sealed lead acid batteries. Because of the gelified form of the material, these batteries can be shipped with any standard courier without the need of specific methods. However, best possible standard procedure should be followed as needed for any of the hazardous materials.

Deep Cycle Lead Acid Battery

As the name suggests, Deep Cycle Lead acid batteries are designed for the deep cycle applications. It has fewer plates compared to its counterparts and it discharges only 50% of the its total capacity and recharges again. The deep cycle lead acid batteries are commonly used in golf carts, mobility scooters, power banks, etc. If you or any of your friends plan to purchase the deep cycle lead acid battery then we recommend you to choose the battery with three times the capacity of your daily usage. In case the capacity is low and usage is high then there are chances that it can cause damage to the battery.

Engine Starting Lead Acid Battery

The engine starting lead batteries are also known as cranking batteries which have large number of thinner plates which can generate maximum current. It has been designed to maximum current in short time frame. In order to identify the quality of the cranking battery, one should check the CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) rating given on the battery. The performance of the engine starting lead acid battery is best until properly maintained.

Standby Lead Acid Battery

The basic and common variety of batteries are the standby lead acid batteries which are designed for maintaining backup storage energy especially for Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS), network systems, telecommunication industries, etc. The standby lead acid batteries are generally of AGM variety.

Marine Specific Battery

Batteries used in the marine conditions need to be highly powerful and take lot of stress because of which the marine specific batteries are designed in different combination including cranking, deep cycle and combination of both. The batteries which are designed for marine conditions are specifically labelled as the Marine grade. So, if you are planning to choose one then do check the labeling and quality of the battery.

Now that you have the complete details of batteries and types of lead acid batteries, it is also important to understand the points while choosing a battery as per your requirements. The basic things that one should ensure are:

• Choosing the battery that is new and recently manufactured. A fresh battery will last longer than others stored for a longer period in the storage facility.

• Checking the battery performance and life guarantee/warranty and recharging time provided by the manufacturer. Normally most of the batteries come with a 12-60 months warranty.

• Selecting the battery form authorized outlet or professional who sells branded and good quality batteries.

If you are planning to purchase a battery, car battery replacement or need assistance with jump starting the battery, you can always contact Swift Battery Specialist to find out more about the pricing, book an appointment or ask us more questions! Feel free to text us or call us at +65 8858 9959. We provide fast and precise servicing for your car battery as our team are all well trained and equipped with professional tools.