Find common questions and answers regarding batteries.

A: The typical car battery is a lead acid type battery. The primary function of a battery is to start the car and also provide power for all the electronic components in the vehicle. The battery is charged by the alternator, therefore the battery is rechargeable.

Q: What is the difference between a Lead Acid Battery and a Calcium Battery?

A: Both of these types of batteries are Lead Acid. When Calcium is added to the battery plates it improves the performance of the battery and there is less internal gassing of the battery, therefore the battery terminals require little or no maintenance.

A: AMPERE-HOUR (Amp.-Hr.) A unit of measure for battery capacity, obtained by multiplying the current flow in amperes by the time in hours of discharge. (Example: A battery which delivers 5 amperes for 20 hours delivers 5 amperes times 20 hours, or 100 ampere-hours).

A: The term Cold Cranking Amps is defined as How Many Amps do I get out of the Battery at Zero degrees for 30 seconds.

A: There are a variety of battery testers on the market today. One type of tester is a Battery Load tester which applies a Load on the battery to determine the condition of the battery. Another type of tester is a Resistance Tester. This tester calculates the Cold Cranking rating of the battery to determine the condition of the battery.

A: The motor vehicles today consist of high charge and discharge rates on the battery. It is very important to check the water levels of the battery and to make sure the battery terminals are cleaned on a regular basis. It is essential that the charging system is checked to insure the proper charging of the battery.

A: A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association estimated that in the year 1994, there were more than 2000 people injured in the United States while working with automobile batteries. There is one important rule to follow; When changing an automotive battery, all manufacturers recommend that the ground connection be disconnected first and connected last, this will prevent accidental short-circuits between the battery terminal and the vehicle frame.

A: Yes. Any lead-acid battery system when overcharged will produce hydrogen gas. Should the rate of overcharge be small, the vents of each cell are designed to allow the dissipation of this hydrogen gas.

On severe overcharge and should ventilation be inadequate or the battery happens to be defective, a flammable concentration of hydrogen can remain in the cell or within the battery enclosure.

Any spark whatsoever, can cause a hydrogen and oxygen explosion, should this occur, it will damage the battery and its surroundings and will disperse acid into the surroundings. Anyone close to the battery could be severely injured. A swollen, hot battery is very dangerous, and should not be handled and will remain dangerous until it has sufficient time to cool and any hydrogen gas which may be present has dissipated.

"Do Not be Careless, Do Not Take a Chance", when in doubt call us at Broding's or call someone with the knowledge and experience to handle the situation.

Q: Can you explain the different types of Lead Acid Battery Technologies in a simple and understandable manner.

A: Ok, let's try: But first let's explore the Lead Acid Technology itself in a manner of explaining the different types.

The typical lead acid battery in our Automobiles has been in use since around 1915. We refer to his type of battery as a "Flooded" battery with the plates of the battery immersed in a mixture of water and sulfuric acid.

Over the years the technology of the lead acid battery has been improved significantly and permits the battery to last longer, provides a lot more Cold Cranking Amps (CCA'S), and gasses less internally reducing the dangers of hydrogen concentration mishaps.

Presently, a lot of batteries contain a calcium metal, which is added to the paste design of the grid to decrease the tendency of producing hydrogen gas during charging cycles. Some batteries contain enough calcium to where the gassing of the battery is so well controlled that the demand for water replacement is greatly reduced. We call these batteries "Maintenance Free Batteries".

A true Maintenance Free Battery will not require the customer to add water to the battery during its life since the Battery Vent Caps are not removable. The battery terminals of the Maintenance Free Battery will also stay a lot cleaner, less corrosion, because of the significant decrease of gassing internally within the battery.

Absorbed Glass Mat Technology:

One of the technologies developed over the years has been Absorbed Glass Mat technology. This technology has been referred to as AGM. This battery is a lead acid battery but it is not a flooded battery. An AGM battery has a Fiberglass Mat placed between the plates. The mat is then saturated with the battery acid. The plates and mats are compressed and packed fairly tightly. This process allows the battery to be "Non-Spill able", and is virtually immune to vibration. The battery will have very low internal resistance, which enables the battery to produce High Cold Cranking Amps (CCA'S). There is virtually "No Gassing" of the battery so the terminals will remain clean and corrosion free.

You will typically see an AGM battery in off road vehicles, electric wheelchairs, medical equipment, house alarms, and scooters. Other applications include Emergency Lighting Cabinets and UPS Cabinets (Uninterrupted Power Supplies). AGM batteries do not like to be charged at high voltages or high rates of charge. Overcharging of the AGM batteries will heat up the battery internally and dry out the glass mat.

Keep in mind the cost of an AGM battery will be considerably higher than a flooded lead acid battery.

Gel Cell Technology:

The Gel Cell Battery is a lead acid battery but is not a flooded battery. In a gel cell battery, a component, Silica, is added to the electrolyte. As a result, the electrolyte will thicken or Gel. The battery then becomes Non-Spill able at this time. If the battery is tipped over or cracked nothing will flow out of the battery.

The gel cell battery is a very good deep cycle battery. Typically, you will find these batteries in electric wheelchairs, boats, and RV'S.

The gel cell battery is not rated high as it relates to Cold Cranking Amps (CCA'S). Consequently the gel cell product is not recommended for starting applications.

Should you have any further questions, give us a call today or if desired utilize our Contact Us page and e-mail us. We will promptly reply to answer any and all of your questions or concerns.