all you all you need to know about batteriesneed to know about batteries

7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries

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D ate C oding of batteries for stock rotation purposes

A -Storage

1 Alw ays rotate your stock. Practice FIFO (First In, First O ut).

B atteries slow ly lose their charge, and good stock-rotation

stops batteries going flat in storage and m akes sure that

the custom er buys a good battery.

O n the back of the battery. There is a label show ing theexpected period before the battery w ill require recharging.

This m akes it easy to identify the oldest and new est

batteries in stock. Please use the recharge date to ensure

that the oldest batteries leave your stock first. R echarge

date is only an indication of recharge period as self

discharge is subject to storage conditions.

2 Store batteries in a cool, dry, w ell-ventilated area.

3 Protect batteries from excessive heat. (H eat causes

batteries to lose charge m ore quickly, and excessive heat

can dam age batteries).

4 Store batteries in an upright position. (To stop them falling

over or leaking).

5 D o not stack batteries on top of other batteries. (To avoid

scratching, and tearing labels. To avoid dam aging term inals

that stand proud of the lid).

6 Store shrink-w rapped batteries up to 3 high. (Any higher

and there is a risk of them falling over and injuring people).

7 D o not rem ove any seals from dry-charged batteries until

you are ready to com m ission the battery by filling it w ith

acid. (The seal preserves the charge in the battery. If it is

broken, air w ill enter and cause the battery to lose charge).

8 Store batteries on racks or on pallets, not on the floor.

(Sm all stones or sharp points on a concrete floor can

dam age the base of the battery and cause leakage).

9 M ake sure handles are left in the flat (dow n) position.

U pright handles are m ore likely to be dam aged.

B Maintenance ofStock handling andrecharging of batteries

WET Charged Bat teries

1. B atteries should be installed ideally w ithin 15 m onths after

m anufacture. The voltage should be (w orse case higher

than 12.25V) ideally higher than 12.4V at the tim e ofinstallation.

2. B atteries require recharging w hen the voltage has dropped

below 12.4V due to extended w arehouse storage. All safety

precautions should be undertaken prior to recharging

batteries.

See charging instruction section in catalogue for further

details.

If a b attery has been recharged, the recharge date on the

back label should be updated by 6 m onths after second

recharge date by physically notching the label. (N ote a

m axim um of tw o recharges are allow ed prior to sale, and

product should not be sold a m axim um of 9 m onths after

the expiry of first recom m ended recharge date).2.1 A voltage check should be carried out as a m atter of

course, both to identify older stock and highlight batteries

req uiring recharge.

2.2 U se a digital voltm eter/m ultim eter w ith a m inim um of 2

figure resolution (eg 12.76V).

2.3 Scrap any batteries below 11.0V (these batteries w ill have

developed sulphation that cannot be com pleted reversed

by charging and so w ill not give the expected perform ance

and life to the custom er.

2.4 N ote D igital C onductance testers (such as M idtronics

and/or B osch B AT121) are:-

N O T designed for the testing of new batteries.

D igital battery testers are not designed to check the

fully developed cold cranking perform ance of a

new battery.

They are designed purely for the testing and

evaluation of faulty or used batteries.

Any C C A/state of health reading from the test on a

new battery C AN N O T be a reliable guide as to

specification of the battery.

See com m ents on D igital C onductance testers.

DRY Charged Batteries: Maintenance of Stock

Sales of dry charged batteries w ithin our range is very lim ited,

usually for specialist m arkets and hence not listed in this

catalogue.

1. If you keep the batteries cool and dry, and do not rem ove

the seal, dry-charged batteries do not need any other

attention.

2. The m axim um storage tim e of dry-charged batteries before

they are com m issioned by filling w ith acid is 24 m onths.

3. If the seal is dam aged, the batteries should be w etted up

im m ediately and the product then treated as W ET

C H AR G ED batteries.

All You Need To Know About Batteries

Before handling, charging or installingbatteries, please understand and complywith the precautions given in Health andSafety Information in this Catalogue.

Information


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The all-powerful, high performance range from GS

All You Need To Know About Batteries continued

C : DRY Charge Batteries : Commissioning1. O nly com m ission a dry-charged battery w hen it is needed

for a custom er.

2. If fitted , rem ove and discard any sealing plugs, tape or foil.

3. If fitted, rem ove and keep norm al vent-plugs and term inal

covers (usually red and black).

4. For filling, use battery-grade dilute sulphuric acid of specific

gravity 1.270 1.280 at 25C conform ing to B S3031 or

better. (N ote: contam inated acid w ith im purities can

seriously dam age the life of the battery, in som e cases

reducing this to a few days. D o not use acid from old

batteries).

5. The tem perature of the acid and the battery should both be

at room -tem perature in the range 15 - 30C .

6. Fill each cell w ith acid to a level of 3 6m m above the top s

of the separators. Fill each cell one after the other and

com plete the filling in one operation.

7. Leave the battery for 20 30 m inutes and then m easure the

open-circuit voltage. If it is below 12.50V, charge thebattery. (See Section G ). If it is above 12.50V, adjust the

acid-levels to the correct operating levels w ith dilute

sulphuric acid of specific gravity 1.270 1.280.

See S ection D .

8. Fit the norm al vent-plugs and term inal covers.

9. W ash the battery w ith hot w ater and dry it.

10.N ote that perform ance checks on new ly-com m issioned

dry-charged batteries w ith m odern electronic digital testers

using conductance technology are not recom m ended.

Exam ples are testers supplied by M idtronics or B osch. The

results can be m isleading until the battery has undergone

som e service use.

D - Electrolyte-Levels (Acid-Levels)inService

Notes: Please read before adjusting acid-levels.

Do not top up to the m axim um levels a battery that needs

charging. (Levels rise on charging). H ow ever, if the levels

are below the tops of the sep arators, top up w ith distilled or

deionised w ater until the separators are just covered.

Adjust levels to the m axim um levels only after the battery

has stood for at least an hour after charging.

N ever overfill a battery. (The acid m ay com e out of the vent-

plugs w hen the battery is being charged).

U se only distilled or deionised w ater for topping up.

(Sulphuric acid should never be used except for the initial

filling of a battery). D o not use bottled M ineral w ater

(im purities w ithin the w ater w ill increase w ater loss and

battery self discharge).

1. W hen the battery is in service, the electrolyte levels should

be checked and adjusted to the levels given below .

2. If the battery has a m axim um level line on the side of the

container, fill to this m axim um level.

3. If there is no m axim um line, but there are filling tubes

projecting from the bottom of the lid, fill to the bottom

of the tubes.

4. If there is not a m axim um line nor filling tubes in

polypropylene batteries, fill to 7m m (0.25 inches) below

the bottom edge of the lid-skirt.

5. If there are no filling tubes in hard-rubber batteries, fill to

15m m (0.5 inches) above the tops of the separators.

E -Selecting the Correct Battery for theApplication

Car and Commercial Vehicle (CV) Batteries

1. Select the specified battery from the A pplication Section

of this C atalogue.

2. O n 24 Volt system s, or w hen 2 off 12 Volt batteries are

fitted in parallel, both batteries should be replaced at the

sam e tim e. Failure to do this w ill result in a greatly reduced

battery life for the new battery that has been fitted.

W hen batteries are joined in series, the negative term inal

of one battery is connected to the positive term inal of the

other, giving a total voltage of 24 Volts. The Am pere-hour

capacity of the system is the sam e as that of the individual

batteries.

W hen batteries are joined in parallel, the positive term inals

of the 2 batteries are connected together, and the negative

term inals of the 2 batteries are also connected together.

The voltage of the system rem ains unchanged at 12 Volts,

but the Am pere-hour capacity of the system is double thatof the individual batteries.

Neptune Leisure Batteries

1. U se the battery w ith the perform ance and size

recom m ended by the equipm ent supplier.

2. W e recom m end that a leisure battery in a m edium cyclic

application should be sized so that it is not norm ally

discharged to m ore than 50 per cent state-of-charge. This

w ill ensure that the battery gives a good life. The life of a

battery regularly discharged by 50 percent is about 5 tim es

that of a battery regularly discharged to 100 per cent. For

exam ple, a load of 4A for 10 hours w ill discharge a batteryby 30Ah. If this represents 50 per cent state-of-charge, w e

w ould recom m end a 80A h battery.

Neptune Marine Batteries

1. The M arineLine battery range has been designed w ith

greater cyclic durability than the Leisureline range and

principally designed for hotel load usages on boats.

Information


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F - Removing Batteries and InstallingBatteries on Vehicles

Removing Batteries

1. It is good practice to tell the custom er that, w hile you w ill do

your best to keep the m em ory settings, it is possible these

m ight be lost.2. M ake sure the hand-brake is on, and that the car is in

neutral or park. Sw itch off all electrical loads and rem ove

the ignition key from the car. N ote: O n som e cars, the doors

w ill lock w hen the battery is disconnected so this is w hy the

key should be rem oved from the car. Also sw itch off any

non-factory-fitted alarm s.

3. C heck that the cigar lighter is still w orking. If not, turn the

ignition key to the auxiliary position. Install a C om puter

M em ory Saver (C M S).

4. D isconnect the earth-connector first. (This is norm ally the

negative on m odern vehicles). This can result in the loss of

m em ory settings; please refer to the vehicle handbook.

5. D isconnect the live-connector second. If a C M S is used, the

connector w ill still rem ain live after it has been disconnected.

To prevent the connector shorting against the car, place an

insulator such as a rubber glove over the connector.

6. R em ove the hold-dow n clam ps.

Preparation of a Bat tery for Fitting

1. C heck that the battery has the correct polarity for the

vehicle.

2. C heck that the battery has the correct height for the vehicle.

(If a battery is too high, it can short out on the bonnet or the

bottom of a seat, or it can dam age the bonnet).3. It is good practice to place the old and new battery side by

side to com pare polarities, hold-dow ns and perform ance-

levels. Som e batteries have hold-dow ns at both the sides

and ends. O nly the ones used for securing the battery on

the vehicle need to be checked.

4. C heck that the battery is clean and dry.

5. C heck that the vent-plugs or m anifolds are firm ly in position.

6. C heck that the battery has a voltage above 12.40V. If not,

charge the battery or use another that has a voltage above

12.40V.

7. Ensure the 2 term inal caps are still fitted at this stage.

Preparation of the Vehicle

1. C lear aw ay any item s on the battery-tray w hich m ight

dam age the battery. (Placing a heavy battery on a piece of

sharp grit can puncture the b ottom of the battery).

2. C heck that the connectors, the hold-dow n clam ps and the

tray are clean and corrosion-free. (If there is any corrosion,

hot w ater w ill instantly rem ove this). If there is severe

corrosion w hich m ight affect the stability of the battery or

has affected other parts of the engine com partm ent, have

the vehicle checked by an authorised distributor.

3. C heck that the alternator drive-belt tension is correct.

R efer to the vehicle handbook or service m anual.

4. It is recom m ended that the electrical system , and

particularly the charging system , of the vehicle be checked

to m ake sure it is operating correctly. R efer to the vehicle

handbook or service m anual.

Installing the Battery

1. Fit and tighten the hold-dow n clam ps. These should be

tight enough to secure the battery and not allow it to m ove.

DO NO T OVERTIG HTEN.

2. C onnect the live-connector first to the correct battery-

term inal (norm ally the positive) after rem oving the term inal

cap. D O N O T O VERTIG H TEN.

3. C onnect the earth-connector to the other term inal after

rem oving the term inal cap. D O N O T O VER TIG H TEN .

4. Place the 2 term inal caps on the old battery that has been

rem oved from the vehicle to avoid the possibility of short-

circuits.5. R eplace onto the new battery any com ponents that have

been taken from the old battery such as exhaust tubes,

vent-elbow s, term inal covers, rem ovable hold-dow n strips

(w idgets) etc.

6. The use of petroleum -jelly (Vaseline) is not necessary on

m odern polypropylene batteries, but there is no

disadvantage in using it. Sm ear lightly on the term inals.

It is still recom m ended for hard-rubber batteries. D o not

use grease.

7. Rem ove the C M S.

8. Start the engine

9. For non-autom otive applications, install the battery in linew ith the equipm ent-suppliers recom m endation.

G- Charging Off-Vehicle

Note: Please read before charging batteries

Do N O T charge a battery if its tem perature is below 3C as

the electrolyte m ay have frozen.

C harging the battery on the vehicle is not recom m ended.

Refer to Section F for inform ation about rem oving the

battery from the vehicle.

Sealed and AG M vehicle batteries should be charged onlyon constant potential chargers or sm artchargers. D o not

charge on constant current chargers or boost chargers.

Sealedvehicle batteries do not allow any access to the

electrolyte, and so cannot be topped up. There are no

rem ovab le vent-plugs or m anifolds. The battery is able to

vent gases through breathing holes, and so it is not strictly

sealed.

A new , unused battery w ith a voltage below 11.00V should

be scrapped and not charged. See S ection B .


Information


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General Procedure for All Types of Chargers

This section gives com m on inform ation for all types of

chargers. The sections below give details for different types of

charger.

1. C heck the electrolyte-levels in all the cells. If these are

below the tops of the separators, top up w ith distilled ordeionised w ater to the tops of the separators. D o not fill to a

higher level before charging, but adjust the levels after

charging. See Section D .

2. If you are using a constant-current charger or a boost-

charger, rem ove the vent-plugs or m anifolds before

charging. (See below ). There is no need to rem ove the vent-

plugs or m anifolds if you are using a constant-potential or a

sm artcharger.

3. C heck that the charger is sw itched off.

4. W hen fitting the charger to the battery, connect the positive

lead to the positive term inal and the negative lead to the

negative term inal.

5. Sw itch on the charger. See below for the correct charging

conditions depending on your type of charger.

6. Stop charging if the battery begins to gas freely (som e

gassing is norm al during the last stages of charging) or if

the battery tem perature rises above 50C.

7. Sw itch off the charger.

8. It is good practice to w ait for about 20 m inutes for the

gases to clear before rem oving the leads from the battery

as som e chargers rem ain liveand can cause a spark.

9. C heck the electrolyte-levels in all the cells and top up if

necessary. See Section D .

10.R efit vent-plugs or m anifolds if these have been rem oved.11.W ash the battery w ith hot w ater and dry it.

12.N ote. M any custom ers severely underestim ate the am ount

of tim e necessary to charge a flat battery. This results in

custom ers returning batteries saying that they have

charged the battery but that it is still not holding charge.

Types of Charger and how to Use these.

There are m any types of charger available; their w orking

principles and the procedure for using these is given below .

Index

S ection C harger Type1 C onstant C urrent C hargers.

2 C onstant P otential C hargers.

3 M odified Constant Potential Chargers.

4 Sm artC hargers.

5 B oost C hargers.

1. CONSTANT CURRENT CHARGERS.

These m aintain a fixed, constant, preset current throughout the

charging period irrespective of the battery on-charge voltage.

D o not charge AG M batteries on a constant current charger.

Charging Procedure with Constant Current Chargers

A. Ideally, charge each battery on a separate charger unit. Ifthis is not possible, charge batteries in series. W e d o not

recom m end charging batteries in parallel because it is not

possible to control the am ount of current passing through

each battery.

If batteries in different states-of-charge are being charged

in series, each battery should be rem oved as soon as it is

charged. (If you w ait until the last battery is charged, som e

of the batteries w ill be overcharged).

B . M easure the open-circuit voltage of the battery. To obtain a

stable voltage, the battery should not have been used or

charged for a m inim um of 3 hours before checking the

voltage.

C . C harge the battery at the recom m ended charge rate (See

B attery Specifications section of the C atalogue). If you

cannot set the recom m ended rate, extend or reduce the

charging tim e on a pro rata basis.

For exam ple, if the recom m endation is to charge the

battery at 4.0A for 6 hours (24Ah = 4.0 x 6), charge the

battery for 12 hours if you can only set the charger at 2.0A

(24Ah = 2.0 x 12).

D . C harge the battery for the num ber of hours show n in the

table below depending on the open-circuit voltage.

For exam ple, if the battery has a voltage of 12.16V, charge

it for 10 hours at the recom m ended charge rate.

O PEN -C IR C U IT C H AR G IN G

VO LTAG E (V) TIM E (H O U R S)

Above 12.40 4

12.31 12.40 6

12.21 12.30 8

12.11 12.20 10

12.01 12.10 12

11.91 12.00 14

11.81 11.90 16

11.71 11.80 18

11.00 11.70 20

B elow 11.00 See paragraph E below

E If you are charging a battery below 11.00V (overdischarged)that has been in service, a specialised charger capable of

providing a very high charging voltage m ay be necessary,

and the recom m ended current m ay not be obtainable at

first. In this case, m onitor the current and adjust as

necessary during the charge.

If a battery has becom e overdischarged, it w ill have lost

both life and perform ance because of irreversible

sulphation. C harging m ay reduce further its potential life.

Information


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2. CONSTANT POTENTIAL CHARGERS.These m aintain a fixed, constant, preset voltage throughout the

charging period. The current cannot be set and w ill fall as the

battery state-of-charge increases.

Charging Procedure with Constant Potential and

Modified Constant Potential Chargers.

A These chargers are norm ally designed to charge one

battery at a tim e.

B Stop charging w hen the battery is gassing freely and the

battery-voltage show s no increase over a period of at least

2 hours.

C N ote. The m ajority of constant potential chargers are

incapable of charging a severely overdischarged (below

11.00V) battery in a realistic period of tim e. A m inim um of

24 hours is norm al.

It m ight be im possible to charge an overdischarged battery.

3. MODIFIED CONSTANT POTENTIAL CHARGERS.The m ajority of com m ercial chargers , particularly hom e-

chargers, are of this type, and allow neither the voltage nor the

current to be preset.

Charging Procedure with Modified Constant

Potential Chargers.A U se the sam e procedure as for C onstant Potential

C hargers in the paragraph above.

4. SMART CHARGERS.The latest generation of chargers is able to check the battery

condition, and to supply autom atically a controlled charge that

w ill charge the battery in the fastest tim e w ithout dam aging itand w ithout overcharging it at the end of the charge. Som e

sm artchargers have a special setting for all-calcium batteries

and w ill charge these from flat, w hich m ost other chargers are

unable to do.

Charging Procedure with Smart Chargers

A Follow the m anufacturers instructions.

B These chargers should be able to charge overdischarged

(below 11.00V) batteries. N ote that som e have a special

setting for all-calcium batteries.

5. BOOST CHARGERS.These provide a very high initial current, and are used m ainly to

put som e charge into a flat battery w hen it is needed urgently

by the custom er. The current falls as the battery state-of-

charge increases, and the battery tem perature is m onitored to

m ake sure it does not overheat.

Charging Procedure with Boost Chargers

A B oost charging is not recom m ended except in exceptional

circum stances eg a stranded custom er, as this w ill reduce

battery life, especially if a battery is boost-charged m ore

than once.

B N ever boost-charge any battery that is below 11.00 Volts

as it w ill be too sulphated to accept a charge; scrap the

battery or charge norm ally.

C O nly use a boost-charger that lim its the charging voltage to

a m axim um of 14.2 Volts and that has a tem perature

m onitor.

D Follow carefully the charger-m anufacturers instructions.

H - Checking Battery-Performance

1. ELECTRONIC TESTERS USING CONDUCTANCE

TECHNOLOGY.

1. The latest generation of testers is digital. Exam ples are

M idtronics and B osch testers. These w ill give an im m ediate

decision on about 80 per cent of batteries in service,

including flat ones. In the rem aining 20 per cent of cases,

the batteries need recharging before testing.

2. These testers show w hether the battery is in a good,

charged condition, w hether it is discharged or w hether itneeds replacing.

3. N ote. This is the preferred m ethod of checking batteries as

it does not take any charge out of the battery. It is also

easier, quicker and safer.

2. DIGITAL CONDUCTANCE TESTERS EXPLAINED.

As reported by m ost battery m anufacturers, som e confusion

has been created w ithin the battery industry regarding the

apparent perform ance of batteries after tests conducted w ith

digital conductance testers (e.g. M idtronics, B osch B AT121

being the m ost com m on types currently on the m arket).

It is im portant that the purpose of these tester is clearlyunderstood.

D igital conductance battery testers are not designed to check

the cold cranking perform ance of a new battery. They are

purely designed for testing and evaluation of suspect or used

batteries. Any C C A or state of health reading from the test

C AN N O T be a reliable guide as to the specification of the

battery.

The B C I and European E N standard as a testing benchm ark for

m anufacturing process.

G S B atteries (part of the G S Yuasa C orporation) is one of the

largest m anufacturers w orldw ide of Lead acid Autom otive

batteries and its batteries are designed to confirm to theinternationally recognised standards.

For exam ple, the initial perform ance testing procedure

according to the EN 50342:2006 requires a m inim um of 12

w orking days of testing and significant resources in equipm ent

to validate batteries. All G S branded batteries sold into the

m arket and regularly audit tested to ensure conform ance to the

relevant standard.

The EN 50342 standard has created further confusion in the

m arket by listed tw o conform ance level standard for high rate

cold cranking perform ance w hich are not clear to the end user

w ithout full access to the ETN part num ber listing.


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EN 1 Test @ -18C 10s to 7.5V, 10 seconds rest than 60% of

current to 6V w here tim e should be greater than 73s.

EN 2 Test @ -18C 10s to 7.5V, 10 seconds rest than 60% of

current to 6V w here tim e should be greater than 133s.

The rating of the battery obviously varies subject to battery

design, but for exam ple a battery rated at 1000A according to

EN 1, could only be rated at 920A according to E N 2. The

inform ation of w hich standard the battery is rated is currentlyheld w ithin the ETN num ber e.g. 550 034 050

550 = > 12 Volt 50A h battery

034 = > Is a specific num ber to that battery w hich

gives details of lid type, life, vibration resistance

and also w hether the battery conform s to E N 1

or EN 2 high rate

050 = > H igh rate current in this case 500A

There are currently nearly 2000 individual battery num bers

listed on the ETN data base by different battery m anufacturers

and users. This currently m akes it unclear to the custom er to

w hat rating the battery is capable of m eeting EN 1 or EN 2

w ithout access to the listing.

In order to m inim ise confusion, G S currently use the longerestablished A m erican B C I SAE rating for cold cranking am ps

w hich is the current to deliver 30 seconds to 7.2V at a

tem perature of -18C. This is seen as a fairer com parison to

give a balanced view of the batteries durability and starting

perform ance.

The evolution of the Conductance tester into the market

In the last ten years, com paratively inexpensive conductance

m eters have entered the m arket w hich are able to determ ine

the specific internal resistance of an autom otive battery using

the principles of the AC W heatstone bridge (w hich you m ay

rem em ber from school days). The clear advantage of these

devices is that they are portable, easily operated, no sparking

risks from carrying out traditional high rate load droptest anddeliver results in just a few seconds.

Disadvantages

The disadvantage of the conductance tester is that they all use

a standard algorithm (program ) to estim ate the C C A reading

from the m easured internal resistance reading. The values

given by these m eters are not com parable w ith those

determ ined using the laboratory test equipm ent w here

batteries are physical discharged under real high discharge

load, at a tem perature of -18C. D ue to differences in battery

designs it is not possible to give a perfect relationship betw een

internal resistance and actual perform ance in the laboratory.

Laboratory testing show s that the algorithm used in

conductance testers penalises batteries w here the batterydesign has been optim ised (w ith heavier high density, fine

porosity plates) for durability/cyclic endurance than those

designs optim ised for high rate perform ance.

For the evaluation of new factory fresh batteries different

readings can be seen depending on the m anufacturers plate

design and acid density. Even significantly different readings

can be obtained betw een different brands of tester. Expanded

plates give a higher reading than a cast plate, as the cast plate

has a full fram e construction for im proved conductivity. The grid

size can be reduced and m ade thicker to access the active

m aterials tow ard the bottom of the plate. This design difference

for exam ple has a difference on the conductance readings

w here the tester correlates to the C C A reading based on a

standard form ula. The testing of new batteries is m ore com plex

as testing under the EN 50342 standard requires the battery to

be conditioned after a num ber of cycles w hich alter the

conductance of the paste and hence causes m ore variation in

tester data produced.

For this reason, G S and other m ajor battery m anufacturers

recom m end that the confirm ation of the com pliance of unused

batteries to the EN or B C I can only be determ ined using

lab oratory testing and that digital conductance tester are not

suitable to evaluate the perform ance of new unused b atteries.

3. OPEN-CIRCUIT VOLTAGE AND HIGH-RATE

DISCHARGE TESTERS.

1. M easure the open-circuit voltage of the battery using a

digital voltm eter or a m ultim eter. To obtain a stable voltage,

the battery should not have been used or charged for a

m inim um of 3 hours before checking the voltage.

2. If the voltage is below 12.40V, charge the battery inaccordance w ith Section G .

N ote. This type of tester w ill only give an accurate result on

a fully-charged battery. A com m on m istake is to use this

type of tester on a discharged battery, and to judge that the

battery is faulty if a cell is seen to boil. A boilingcell on a

flat battery does not m ean that the battery is faulty.

3. Apply a current-load equal to half the SAE C C A cold

cranking Am ps for 15 seconds. For exam ple, discharge a

600A battery at 300A. O bserve the voltage during this tim e

and record the voltage after 15 seconds. You w ill find the

C C A in the B attery Specifications section of the C atalogue

or on the lab el. U se an ap proved, calibrated tester.

4. If the voltage after 15 seconds is stable and above 9.60V,

the battery is in a satisfactory condition w ith no faults.

5. If the voltage is below 9.60V after 15 seconds and it is

unstable, norm ally falling quickly, the battery should be

replaced.

4. DROP TESTERS.

1. Drop testershave 2 spikes that are pressed into the tops

of the battery term inals and a sim ple voltm eter to check the

discharge voltage.

2. W e do not recom m end the use of these testers as:

They are potentially unsafe to use as m ost types produce aspark w hen the spikes are first pressed into the term inals.

The discharge rate is sim ilar for all sizes of battery, and so

they do not give a good ind ication of battery-condition.

They give m isleading results on discharged batteries.

Information


7/998

I - Maintenance inService

General

1. Alw ays refer to the inform ation contained in the handbook

or brochure supplied w ith the vehicle or equipm ent.

Definition of Maintenance-Free1. O ur starter batteries for cars and com m ercial vehicles

conform to the relevant sections of B S EN 50342-1: 2006

for m aintenance-free characteristics.

This m eans that in norm al vehicle applications in tem perate

clim ate operation, it is not necessary to add w ater.

2. O ur batteries are designed to be topped up w ith w ater if

w ater should be lost ow ing to, for exam ple, a charging

system fault, prolonged operation in hot clim ates,

excessive off-vehicle charging etc.

3. N ote. The term m aintenance-free applies only w hen the

battery is used in an approved autom otive or com m ercial

vehicle application.

Definition of Low Maintenance

1. Low m aintenance batteries in norm al vehicle applications in

tem perate clim ate operation need w ater-addition only at

yearly intervals.

2. O ur batteries are designed to be topped up w ith w ater if

w ater should be lost ow ing to, for exam ple, a charging

system fault, prolonged operation in hot clim ates,

excessive off-vehicle charging etc.

3. N ote. The term low m aintenance applies only w hen the

battery is used in an approved com m ercial vehicle

application.

Battery Maintenance in Automotive Applications

1. C arry out the checks below at the recom m ended vehicle

service intervals.

2. C heck the electrolyte-level and top up w ith w ater if

necessary. See Section D for details about how to do this.

(As explained above, it should not be necessary to add w ater

unless the battery has encountered exceptional conditions).

3. C heck that the battery is clean and dry and that the vents

are not obstructed.

4. C heck that the term inal-connectors and the hold-dow n

clam ps are securely-connected and corrosion-free.5. If the battery is on a vehicle that is not to be used for an

extended period (m ore than 1 m onth), disconnect it from

the vehicle. R efer to Section F for inform ation ab out

rem oving the battery from the vehicle. M odern cars have

electrical accessories that slow ly discharge the battery

even w hen the ignition key has been rem oved .

Som e accessories such as alarm s, trackers, and phones

can cause a battery to becom e discharged in a few w eeks.

6. Fully charge the battery before storage and give it a

refreshing charge every 3 m onths. See Section G .

Battery Maintenance in Non-Automotive Traction

and Deep Discharge Applications

1. Typical applications are law nm ow ers, electric w heelchairs,

caravans etc. The Leisure B attery range is recom m ended

for these applications; standard vehicle batteries are not

suitable.

2. Ensure that the battery is alw ays kept in as high a state-of-charge as possible. Alw ays recharge im m ediately after use.

3. C heck the electrolyte-levels on a regular basis dependent

upon use. Charging batteries regularly on a non-vehicle

charging system m ay result in a higher rate of w ater-loss.


are not obstructed.

5. If the battery is not to be used for an extended period (m ore

than 1 m onth), fully charge it before storage, and give it a

refreshing charge every 3 m onths. See S ection G .

Battery Maintenance in Non-Automotive Float

Applications

1. Typical applications are m otor-generators, stand-by

applications etc. The Leisure B attery range is

recom m ended for these applications; standard vehicle

batteries are not suitable.

2. B atteries used in these applications should be changed

every 2 years or m ore frequently. (C ontinuous charging,

even from a w ell-controlled charging system , w ill result in

internal degradation of the battery. This could result in the

battery not giving its predicted output w hen required even

though the battery appears to be fully-charged).

3. Ensure that the battery is alw ays kept in as high a state-of-

charge as possible w ithout causing excessive overcharge.Alw ays recharge im m ediately after use.

4. C heck the electrolyte-level on a regular basis dependent

upon use, but not less frequently than m onthly. C harging

batteries continuously on a non-vehicle charging system

m ay result in a higher rate of w ater-loss.


are not obstructed.

6. If the battery is not to be used for an extended period

(m ore than 1 m onth), fully charge it before storage, and

give it a refreshing charge every 3 m onths. See Section G .

7. B est practice is to define a regular m aintenance-routine,

and to record the results.This should include such variables as the am ount of w ater

added to each cell, specific gravities in each cell, battery

voltage etc.

Use of Battery Addit ives

1. W e do not recom m end the use of battery additives.

2. The use of these invalidates the guarantee.


Information


8/9199


GSTitan AGM

Improved active mass efficiency, through better

absorption of the acid Increased lifespan due to minimal active material

shedding due to battery design

Higher cold start values

Totally Maintenance Free zero waterconsumption

Spill proof/leak proof Designed to meet latest OEM vehicle demands Compatible with sensitive electronic equipment

AGM technology now factory fitted to numerousluxury cars and Stop Start vehicle whereincreased AGM battery features are required

G Ss w orld leading m otorcycle and industrial AG M (absorbent

glass m at) technology com es to the autom otive m arket. The

G S autom otive AG M battery has been engineered to m eet the

grow ing extrem e pow er dem ands of recently introduced

vehicles now starting to enter the European afterm arket. G Ss

autom otive AG M experience com es from vehicles such as theM azda M X5 and the fam ous Toyota Prius and has now been

launched for European vehicle battery designs.

The new G S AG M European 096 and 019 sized batteries

provide reliable starting w hilst coping w ith the extrem e pow er

needs of the m odern vehicle. Laboratory evaluation is boasting

4-5 tim es the cyclic durability of standard conventional flooded

product and typically 16% higher starting pow er, even at low er

tem peratures. Increased reaction surface area ensures

increased energy densities for faster engine rotation during

starting and therefore m axim ising fuel efficiency.

The A G M batteries utilises the sam e absorbent glass m at

technology as used in G S M otorcycle and Industrial batteries

w hich have been on the m arket for over 44 years (1965). Thisabsorbent glass m at ab sorbs the batterys acid, enabling a

m ore efficient use of the cells volum e w ithout the need for

electrolyte reservoirs, as needed w ith conventional flooded

batteries. The absorbent glass m at gives a num ber of key

benefits to the design of the lead acid battery:

W ithin norm al operating cond itions, the use of the

individual cell valve design and glass m at plate

separation ensures gas recom bination occurs and

ensures that no w ater is lost therefore negating the need

for electrolyte reservoirs and freeing the user from

m aintenance.

O ne w ay venting system providing partial pressure in

each cell ensuring 100% leak proof and safe handling.

The acid absorption of the glass m at m eans that the

battery packs can be operated under higher pressures

than conventional flooded batteries this has benefits

including significantly prolonging battery cycle durability

by m inim ising paste shedding.

The increased pack pressures of the AG M battery

increase the batteries resistance to vibration.

M ore reaction surface area ensuring higher starting

capacity w ithin the sam e footprint as conventional

flooded batteries.

AGM Explained

Frequently Asked questions

Q. What are the differences between flooded and AGM

Lead Acid batteries?A. See above, AG M batteries are built using a glass m at

separator w hich enable all the electrolyte required by the

battery to be stored w ithin the glass m at, also allow ing any

gasses given off during charging to be recom bined into

w ater m eaning that the batteries are totally m aintenance

free. The design benefits of the glass m at over

conventional flooded batteries enable the battery pack to

operate under higher pressure w ithout the fear of

insufficient electrolyte betw een the plates, leading to the

step change in durability offered by AG M batteries over

flooded. The quality of the glass m at is a critical item in

ensuring the optim um life of the battery versus its

application. This experience has been gained by G S from

over 44 years experience in the field using this technology.

The autom otive application battery designs are balanced

w ith greater high rate starting perform ance and cycle life

for the increased service/technological requirem ents ofm odern vehicle designs.

Q. What are the differences betweenGEL and AGM(starved) batteries?

A. B oth are recom binant batteries (i.e. under norm al

operating conditions they recom bine the gases given off

during charging to form w ater) and both are classified as

sealed valve regulated.

The m ajor difference is that in the AG M , the electrolyte is

fully soaked into a special absorbed glass m at separator

w hich im m ob ilises the acid, w hereas in the G EL batteries

the acid is m ixed w ith Silica to form a G EL alsoim m ob ilising the acid. The benefits of AG M over G EL are

that w ith the use of absorbed glass m at, the battery pack

can be operated under a greater operating pressure so

im proving cyclic durability. W ith G EL, sim ilar pack pressure

can not be used so durability is usually provided by

increased paste density w hich is good for life but not as

good for high rate startability perform ance as req uired for

autom otive applications.

Q. Why is charging voltage so critical to bothGEL andAGM batteries?

A. C harge voltage is critical w ith these types of batteries as

both are recom binant batteries. This m eans that theoxygen that is norm ally produced on the positive plate in all

lead acid batteries recom bines w ith hydrogen given off by

the negative plate. The recom bination of the hydrogen and

oxygen produces w ater, w hich recycles back to the battery

acid, therefore the battery is m aintenance free and does

not need topping up.

The sealing vent used in the design ensures that a positive

internal pressure is m aintained to ensure the

recom bination of the gasses occur and not allow the cell

to dry out and fail.

Information


9/900

AGM Explained continued SilverStatement

In addition, the valve m ust safely release any excess

pressure that m ay be produced during overcharging

(e.g. alternator rectifier fault), otherw ise the cell w ould be

irreversibly dam aged. The excessive pressure that the

valve is releasing is both hydrogen and oxygen w hich can

not recom bined w ithin the battery so breaks the cycle,

net result is that battery w ould eventually dry out.

It m ust be noted that an AG M battery m ust never be

opened once it leaves the factory, as sulphation could

occur on the plates leading to an irreversible loss in

perform ance.

G el batteries are m ore critical to correct charging as

overcharge can lead to the gel being irreversibly dam aged,

AG M are not subject to this failure m ode and hence are

m ore suitable for autom otive use.

Q. Can I store my AGM battery in my garage during thewinter or will it freeze?

A.As w ith flooded batteries, providing the batteries are kept

in a charged state, batteries can be stored w ithout any

fears of freezing.

Q. Can I store my AGM battery on the garage floor?

A. M any people have the im pression that w hen batteries sit

on concrete the energy leaks out, the truth is that you can

let any m odern battery sit on concrete w ithout fear of harm

or accelerated self discharge.

This m yth stem s from the days of the old w ooden/glass

case batteries, w here dam p floors led to w ater soaking up

into outer w ooden cases causing sw elling of the w ood. In

fact w ith m odern batteries in hard plastic cases, concrete

is generally an excellent surface on w hich to store a battery.

The key issue is that the floor should not have any sharp

objects w hich m ay dam age the battery casing; there are

no electrochem ical reasons.

Q. Do AGM batteries have a memory?A. N o, this is only a function of N ickel Alkaine B attery system

such as N ickel cadm ium .

Information regarding the use ofSilverCalcium Batteries

Ford introduced silver calcium batteries w orldw ide for their

vehicles in 1997 together w ith a sm art charging system . They

told their dealers that these batteries m ust be replaced only

w ith other silver-calcium batteries as the life of norm al lead

antim ony batteries w ould be drastically reduced if these w ereused for replacem ent. This of course, im plies that G S batteries

m ust not be used.

G S calcium and calcium /calcium batteries can be used

on all Ford vehicles giving a life that is at least as good as

recom m ended Ford replacem ent batteries in the U K

m arket.

G S autom otive batteries are equally suitable for Ford

vehicles m ade before 1997 and in addition use the

original design of battery term ination as originally fitted,

w ithout using term inal adapters.

C alcium and C alcium /C alcium batteries are used by all

m ajor vehicle m anufacturers as they are m aintenance

free under norm al operating conditions. In addition

w ithin the U K, no extrem es of clim atic tem perature are

experienced and w ater loss is not an issue for any G S

battery. G S has had m any years of supplying these

batteries to the afterm arket since the introduction of

Ford silver calcium batteries back in 1997.

G rids are still m ade of Lead. Typically less than 0.1% of

calcium is needed to give strength (note calcium is

added to the grid alloy in both calcium and hybrid

batteries). Som e custom ers think that calcium batteries

are com pletely different to lead acid batteries, but they

just rep resent another generation of the lead acid

battery.

Ford gave the follow ing reasons for using only silver calciumbatteries in their recent cars, but G S autom otive batteries w ith

their m odern technology m ore than m eet the specification.

C harge Voltage tolerance increased from 14.4V to 14.8V

G S calcium and calcium /calcium offer the sam e

tolerance to this increase in charging voltage

w ithin the U K m arket

C old cranking pow er increased by approxim ately 10%

G S batteries generally give better starting

perform ance than the batteries fitted by the vehicle

m anufacturers

Average battery life has increased to about 6 years

in the U K M arket due to a com bination of battery technology

and im proved car electrical system s.

In summary, you can fit a GS battery to any Ford car (i.e.

recommended catalogue model fitment) with the

complete assurance that it will give first time starting and

trouble free motoring.

This bulletin should help you to reply to custom ers w ho are

concerned about using a G S battery to replace a Ford silver-

calcium battery.

If you need any further inform ation please contact us.

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