Review Of Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries
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Regular car batteries are designed to provide a brief but violent burst of power to start the vehicle's engine. However, sealed deep-cycle batteries have thicker plates and denser active materials to withstand repeated charge and discharge cycles.
Sealed deep cycle batteries are available in two capacity ranges: 6 volts and 12 volts. A flooded lead-acid battery is a type of deep-cycle battery, sometimes called a lead-acid, FLA, or wet battery, that consists of a lead plate or grid with a liquid electrolyte, usually concentrated sulfuric acid, in a container.
As the cheapest and oldest battery technology, it has been popular with practitioners of budget-conscious and off-grid living. Considering the ratio of the battery's weight to the energy it provides, the FLA is quite heavy. As a result, the popularity of this type of battery is waning.
Advantages and disadvantages of flooded lead-acid batteries
Its advantages are as follows:
- The cheapest
- Reliable
- Low internal resistance
- Can provide very high current
- Tolerate Abuse and Excessive Charges
- Indefinite shelf life if stored without electrolytes
- Can maintain trickle or float charge for a long time
- Available through many suppliers worldwide
- The most recycled product in the world
Shortcoming:
- Very bulky
- Typical usable capacity is 30% to 50%
- The charging efficiency is 70% to 85%
- High self-discharge, 5% per month
- It may overheat when charging
- Toxic gas is generated when charging
- Regular maintenance is required to replenish the electrolyte
- Low cycle life - about 300 to 500 cycles
- Must be fully charged to avoid damage
- Must be kept upright to prevent electrolyte spillage
- Sensitive to freezing (shell burst, electrolyte overflow)
Changshu Wanlong Power Technology R&D Co., Ltd. is a storage battery manufacturer from China. The company sells sealed gel batteries all year round.