FAQ about UPS batteries | WeissCO Solutions

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SLA are Sealed Lead Acid batteries with basically the same chemistry as a wet (flooded cell) battery. The batteries' electrolyte is in a gelatin form and is absorbed into the plates and the battery is sealed with epoxies. These batteries may be used in any position and the batteries are exceptionally leak resistant. Battery uses are UPS, emergency lights, Telecommunications, and camcorders. These batteries are 2 volt per cell so the common batteries are 4, 6, and 12 volt.

The most important consideration in buying a deep cycle battery is the Ampere-Hour (AH) or Reserve Capacity (or Reserve Minutes) rating that will meet or exceed your requirements. Most deep cycle batteries are rated in discharge rates of 100, 20, and 8 hours. The higher the discharge, the lower the capacity due to the Peukert Effect and the internal resistance of the battery. Reserve Capacity (RC) is the number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80°F (26.7°C) is discharged at 25 amps before the voltage falls below 10.5 volts. To convert Reserve Capacity (RC) to Ampere-Hours at the 25 amp rate, multiply RC by .4167. Within a BCI group size, the battery with higher ampere-hours (or RC) will tend to have longer lives and weigh more due to thicker plates and additional lead.

A cycle of a battery is a discharge plus a charge. For example, if your battery is fully charged, and a load is applied discharging the battery, and then the battery is again re-charged; that is considered one cycle. Cycle life is the total number of cycles a battery yields. The cycle life is very important in battery applications such as, UPS systems, DC Power Plants, Emergency Lighting, Laptop Computers, and Camcorders. A typical Ni-Cad battery has a cycle life of 500 to 1000 or more.

Deep-cycle batteries typically feature thick plates with a high-density active material. The thick battery plates allow for reserve energy to be stored deep within the battery plate and released during slow discharge such as trolling or electronic instrument use. The high-density active material remains within the batteries' plate/grid structure longer, resisting the normal degradation found in cycling conditions. They are typically used where the battery is discharged to great extent and then recharged. Examples of this can be found in Telecommunications Switches, and even in trolling motors on a fishing boat.

Sulfation is the formation or deposit of lead sulfate on the surface and in the pores of the active material of the batteries' lead plates. If the sulfation becomes excessive and forms large crystals on the plates, the battery will not operate efficiently and may not work at all. Common causes of battery sulfation are standing a long time in a discharged condition, operating at excessive temperatures, and prolonged under or over charging.

A few types of batteries are: Sealed Lead Acid, Valve Regulated Lead Acid, Flooded (or Wet Cell) Lead Acid, Ni-Cad, Alkaline, Silver Oxide, Lithium, Manganese-Dioxide, Zinc-Air and Ni-MH.

A UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply, is a device that contains batteries to provide back-up power to critical power equipment in the event of a loss of power. It connects between a power source (Alternating Current, AC, or "street power") and an electronic device (computer, telecommunications equipment, server, etc.) to prevent power losses and disturbances that would adversely affect equipment performance and data loss.

This is determined by the quality, efficiency, amount of batteries, and the features of the UPS system; as well as the amount of equipment (load) connected to the UPS.

Some Battery Myths

1. Storing a battery on a concrete floor will discharge them.

Years ago when battery cases were made of porous materials, such as wood, storing batteries on concrete floors would accelerate their discharge. Modern battery cases, made of polypropylene or hard rubber, which are better sealed, so external leakage, causing discharge, is no longer a problem. However; temperature stratification within large batteries could accelerate the internal "leakage" or self-discharge if the battery is sitting on a cold floor in a warm room or is installed in a submarine.

2. A battery will not lose its charge sitting in storage.

Depending on the type of battery, it has a natural self-discharge or internal electrochemical "leakage" at a 1% to 20% rate per month that will cause it to become sulfated and fully discharged over time. Higher temperatures accelerate this process. A battery stored at 95°F (35°C) will self discharge twice as fast than one stored at 75°F (23.9°C).

3. Batteries last longer in hot climates than in cold ones.

Although the battery capacitance is increased in hotter environments than in colder ones, heat kills batteries. Batteries last approximately two thirds as long in hot environments as cold ones.

4. Deep cycle batteries have a memory effect.

Lead acid deep cycle batteries do not have the so called "memory effect" that first generation Ni-Cad batteries have.

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The following are some commonly asked questions about UPS Batteries and UPS Systems. If you have a question, you do not see here, please contact us and we will gladly assist you. Some Questions and Answers may appear here as one of our FAQ's.