Recommended Battery Maintenance Practice

(Sealed Lead-Acid)

(Uses: Chloride UPS, Solar Systems, COREL/PAPI Lights)

Sealed Lead Acid Battery is a maintenance-free lead-acid battery that can operate in
any position. The liquid electrolyte is gelled into moistened separators and the enclosure
is sealed. Safety valves allow venting during charge, discharge and atmospheric
pressure changes. The optimum operating temperature for the lead-acid battery is 25*C
(77*F). Elevated temperature reduces longevity. Longer discharge times produce higher
capacity readings because of lower losses. The lead-acid performs well on high load
currents.

Following is the recommended practice for operational maintenance of this battery:

Reception and Storage:

• Batteries should be given an initial topping charge at constant 2.30-2.35 VpC at

25oC before installation or storage. For any different charging temperature use
Vnew= 2.35- [(T actual - 25oC) x (0.005 V/ oC)].
• The charging current should be less than 30% of current capacity of the battery.
• Batteries should be stored below 25oC to preserve max. service life.
• Batteries should always be stored in charged condition and cell voltage should
not be allowed to drop below 2.1 V to avoid sulfation on the negative plate.
• After every six months in storage, the batteries should be given an equalizing
charge of 2.40 VpC for 2 hrs at 25oC to restore all cells to fully charged condition.
For any different charging temperature use Vnew= 2.40- [(T actual - 25oC) x
(0.005 V/ oC)].

Operation and Maintenance:

• Every possible measure should be taken to maintain the operating temperature

as close as possible to ambient temperature (25oC).
• Batteries should be placed in a well ventilated area as flammable and toxic
gases can vent due to excessive overcharging (charger failure).
• Float voltage of 2.25-2.27 VpC should be applied during standby period of
battery after full charge cycle.
• For Faster Charging times a constant 2.40 VpC can be applied to charge the
battery in 8-12 hrs. Caution: Not suitable for charging at high temperature, a hot
battery may fail to reach the voltage limit causing severe overcharge!).
• Avoid repeated deep discharges. To prevent the battery from being stressed
through repetitive deep discharge, a larger battery is recommended.
Observations:

In the light of above guidelines, some observations were noted for sealed lead-acid
batteries installed at well head solar systems:

• Well head battery bank is placed in a closed metal container which causes the
operating temperature of batteries to rise around 45 oC in summer. For average
annual battery temperature of 35 oC, battery service life is reduced to 50%.
• Excessive accumulation of vent gases can occur in the closed metal container in
the event of overcharging.
• The charging voltage is not accurately compensated for operating temperature
as the solar regulator is placed inside the WCP away from the batteries.
• Most of SUNlyte batteries stored in warehouse were observed to be in
discharged condition below 2.1 VpC with cell voltage of some batteries as low as
1.04 VpC.

Recommendations:

• The well head battery bank should be placed in a non-metallic enclosure to

reduce battery temperature and proper ventilation should be provided to be safe
against vent gases.
• Solar regulator should be exposed to the same temperature as the battery bank
for accurate charging voltage compensation or a remote temperature probe
should be installed. Without charging voltage compensation, the battery service
life reduces on every charge cycle.
• Half-yearly PM should be formulated to provide equalizing charge for batteries in
storage and batteries should be stored in a temperature controlled environment.

By: Raheel Rizwan Baig

March 12, 2008