Standby batteries for back-up power, designed for improved cycling performance

Traditional designs for standby lead acid batteries are optimized for endurance in float service with minimal cycling. They provide backup power when outages occur, which used to be pretty rare. However, changes to the business climate for utilities and the demand for improved power quality will increasingly subject these batteries to a more demanding cycle service environment. C&D has developed improved designs for this more rigorous duty cycle by focusing on the active material retention system. For the flooded types, adopting retention methods commonly used in forklift truck batteries significantly improves the cycle life. For valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, which have inherently better endurance in cycling applications but are susceptible to overheating and dry-out, a proprietary AGM/gel hybrid technology is used to achieve improved life in standby applications.