A lead acid battery goes through three life phases: formatting, peak and decline (Figure 1). In the formatting phase, the plates are in a sponge-like condition surrounded by liquid electrolyte. Exercising the plates allows the absorption of electrolyte, much like squeezing and releasing a hardened sponge. As the electrodes activate, the capacity gradually increases.
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Figure 1: Cycle life of a battery [1]Formatting is most important for deep-cycle batteries. They require 20&#;50 full cycles to reach peak capacity and field usage does this. During breaking-in, manufacturers recommend going easy on the battery. Starter batteries are less critical and do not need priming. The full cranking power is available from the beginning, although CCA will go up slightly with formatting in early use(See BU-701: How to Prime Batteries)
A deep-cycle battery delivers 100&#;200 cycles before a gradual decline begins. Replacement should occur when the capacity drops to 70 or 80 percent. Some applications allow lower capacity thresholds but the time for retirement should never fall below 50 percent as aging may hasten once past the prime.
To keep lead acid in good condition, apply a fully saturated charge lasting 14 to 16 hours. If the charge cycle does not allow this, give the battery a fully saturated charge once every few weeks. If at all possible, operate at moderate temperature and avoid deep discharges; charge as often as you can(See BU-403: Charging Lead Acid)
The primary reason for the relatively short cycle life of a lead acid battery is depletion of the active material. According to the BCI Failure Modes Study, plate/grid-related breakdown has increased from 30 percent 5 years ago to 39 percent today. The report does not provide reasons for the larger wear and tear other than to assume that higher demands on the starter battery in modern cars induce added stress. The organization conducts a study every 5 years to determine the failure modes of batteries that have been removed from service. (BCI stands for Battery Council International.)
While the depletion of the active material is well understood and can be calculated, a lead acid battery suffers from other infirmities long before plate- and grid-deterioration sound the death knell. These conditions are found under: Corrosion, Shedding and internal Short, Sulfation and How to Prevent it, and Water Loss, Acid Stratification and Surface Charge. Most of these can be reduced by proper handling.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Features Of Sealed Lead Acid Batteries.
As battery care-giver, you have choices in how to prolong battery life. Each battery system has unique needs in terms of charging, depth of discharge and loading that should be observed. The following papers summarize what batteries like and dislike.
[1] Courtesy of Cadex
A battery&#;s capacity measures how much energy can be stored (and eventually discharged) by the battery. While capacity numbers vary between battery models and manufacturers, lithium-ion battery technology has been well-proven to have a significantly higher energy density than lead acid batteries. This means more energy can be stored using the same physical space in a lithium-ion battery. Because you can store more energy with lithium-ion technology, you can discharge more energy, thus powering more appliances for longer periods.
A battery&#;s depth of discharge is the percentage of the battery that can be safely drained of energy without damaging the battery. While it is normal to use 85 percent or more of a lithium-ion battery&#;s total capacity in a single cycle, lead acid batteries should not be discharged past roughly 50 percent, as doing so negatively impacts the battery's lifetime. The superior depth of discharge possible with lithium-ion technology means that lithium-ion batteries have an even higher effective capacity than lead acid options, especially considering the higher energy density in lithium-ion technology mentioned above.
Like solar panel efficiency, battery efficiency is an important metric to consider when comparing different options. Most lithium-ion batteries are 95 percent efficient or more, meaning that 95 percent or more of the energy stored in a lithium-ion battery is actually able to be used. Conversely, lead acid batteries see efficiencies closer to 80 to 85 percent. Higher efficiency batteries charge faster, and similarly to the depth of discharge, improved efficiency means a higher effective battery capacity.
Batteries are also similar to solar panels in that they degrade over time and become less effective as they age. Discharging a battery to power your home or appliances and then recharging it with solar energy or the grid counts as one &#;cycle.&#; The numbers vary from study to study, but lithium-ion batteries generally last several times the number of cycles as lead acid batteries, leading to a longer effective lifespan for lithium-ion products.
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