Operational characteristics of a sealed gas-recombinant lead-acid battery

The authors review the operational characteristics of the ABSOLYTE sealed gas-recombinant lead-acid battery system, providing laboratory and field data as appropriate. Specifically, the areas discussed include: gas evolution under float charge conditions, balance among parallel strings, recovery from abusive overdischarge, long-term stability on float charge, and life projections based on positive grid life. Cells and batteries have been subjected to deep discharge and to abusive `flat´ discharges, in which individual cells have been driven into reversal without catastrophic or immediate destruction. Real-time and temperature and float voltage accelerated-life tests indicate that the lifetime projections made on positive grid corrosion are conservative. Finally, long-term float tests indicate stable charging currents over time and negligible (less than 0.1%) water loss over the battery´s life