Maintenance and reliability of standby battery systems: flooded vs. valve regulated lead acid battery

Flooded and VRLA cells should be considered as battery types which complement each other. VRLA cells are here to stay because of their gas-free nature, low maintenance, and high energy density. They should not be considered indiscriminately as substitutes for flooded cells. The special sensitivities of VRLA should be taken care of in a system approach. In particular the system float voltage should be reviewed, and adjusted for significant temperature excursions. A system reliability should include continuous monitoring of module voltage, current and temperature, and action steps and safeguards built-in to avoid thermal problems