Consumers have relied on lead acid batteries for many years to start cars, power scooters, and store power. While many small electronics manufacturers have turned to lithium ion batteries, lead acid batteries continue to play a major role in our lives. More importantly, the technology surrounding lead acid batteries has continued to evolve and improve over time to make these batteries more functional and easier to maintain. Here is an overview of the different types of lead acid batteries available today and how they can be used.
Wet Cell Batteries
Traditionally, lead acid batteries contained a number of small cells, each with its own positive and negative lead plates suspended in a bath of sulfuric acid. These batteries are relatively inexpensive compared to other battery types on the market, but they do have limitations. For instance, they must be mounted correctly to avoid risk of the acid leaking out of the cells. They are also likely to purge liquid when they get too hot or the pressure inside the battery gets too high. In extreme cases they are susceptible to bursting, although this is very uncommon. This means that users occasionally have to open up the battery to refill the fluid. This can be a time consuming process and most consumers do not feel comfortable attempting this on their own. For the most part, we can expect wet cell batteries to stay in use in our vehicles and other stable applications where they have served faithfully for decades.
Gel Type Batteries
In recent years, increasing demands have given birth to a new type of lead acid battery. Valve Regulated Lead acid batteries, or gel type batteries, have come into their own. Instead of using liquid sulfuric acid in the cells, the manufacturer adds a combination of silica and other absorbent media to the acid to form a gel. The gel is stable and does not slosh around inside the cells. As the battery is discharged and recharged, the chemicals within the gel separate and re-combine. These batteries are much less susceptible to leaking or purging the acid electrolyte solution, so they do not require refilling or opening the battery at all. Instead, maintenance is limited to keeping the battery and posts clean. In addition, special valves inside the battery help release pressure if the battery were to ever encounter extreme temperatures or conditions.
AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) Type Batteries
Another type of lead acid battery that is changing things up is the AGM type battery. While these batteries do rely on liquid electrolyte to function, they use a mesh of fiberglass to suspend the liquid. Each cell is filled with the mesh to hold the liquid in place. Again, these batteries are unlikely to leak and require very little maintenance. In addition, they can be mounted in virtually any orientation without worry of liquid spilling out.
An advanced lead acid battery offers more convenience with less cost, so you can find a solution for your boat, RV,
power scooter, and more. To learn more,
visit MK Battery online and check out our
full selection of batteries today.
