1. What’s A Flooded Lead Acid Battery?
The flooded lead acid battery (FLA) is a subset of lead acid batteries.
It’s also known as a wet cell battery.
In FLAs, lead plates are suspended in an electrolyte solution of sulfuric acid and water. The FLA battery needs a regular top-up of distilled water to replenish its electrolyte levels (which drops with the chemical reaction), so it’s not a maintenance-free battery.
2. How Long Do SLA Batteries Last?
In general, the sealed lead acid battery can last anywhere between 300-1200 cycles, depending on the type. A well-maintained gel or AGM battery can average 7 years of use.
In practice, it depends on what the battery is used for, its operating temperatures, discharge cycle count and charging method.
3. What’s The Shelf Life Of An SLA Battery?
The sealed lead acid battery has a low self-discharge rate, typically about 3.3% per month. You can store it for up to 6 months without charging, but that’s not advisable.
Periodic recharging is necessary to ensure its remaining capacity isn’t wholly drained and to prevent sulfation. An unused SLA battery should be recharged every 3 months and stored in a cool, dry place at 75oF (23oC) or less.
Note: Sulfation is when lead sulfate crystals harden on the battery plates, reducing its recharging ability.
4. How Do I Charge An SLA Battery?
In a car, the alternator charges the SLA battery.
If you’re storing your SLA battery for some time, make sure to use a charger that provides the correct charge voltage.
Here are some other things to note:
If you’re using an unregulated transformer based charger, you’ll have to check when the battery is full and disconnect it. Don’t allow it to trickle charge, which could lead to overcharging and damage the battery.
A regulated battery charger that can float charge is a much better option. This type of charger will turn off when the battery is full and starts charging again when the battery is low.
5. Where Else Is The SLA Battery Used?
SLA batteries come in all shapes, sizes, battery voltage and amperage.
They aren’t confined to the automotive space, and you’ll find them in:
- All types of vehicles — motorcycles, boats, ATVs, motorized wheelchairs
- Household appliances — home security systems, toys, emergency lighting
- Backup technology — UPS for medical equipment, data centers
- Heavy industry applications — water pumping, wind generation
6. What Are The Signs Of A Bad SLA Battery?
Here are a couple of symptoms accompanying a bad SLA battery:
A. A Swollen Battery
A swollen, deformed battery means it has crossed its gassing voltage and is overcharged. The overheating causes the production of excess gas that the battery can’t expel in time, expanding the battery casing.
B. Full Charge Voltage Is Under 12.6V
The resting voltage for a 12 Volt SLA battery should be around 12.6V at full charge. If it’s lower than this, a battery cell could be failing.
If you’re using a battery charger, check for hot spots on the battery’s side after a full charge cycle. Hot spots can indicate a failing cell.
C. Battery Sweating
When the battery is overheated, it vents excess gas. The gas is condensed as it hits the atmosphere, forming droplets on the battery surface (that makes it look like sweat).
Continuous overheating can drop the electrolyte level and damage the battery. Not only that, the droplets formed are acidic and can corrode the battery terminals.
7. Does An SLA Battery Experience The Memory Effect?
No, the sealed lead acid battery doesn’t have a memory.
This condition occurs in Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries.
But what is the “memory effect”?
The “memory effect” happens when certain batteries are repeatedly charged before all the energy is depleted. This causes the battery to ‘memorize’ that shortened life cycle and develop shorter operating times.
8. What Is A Car Battery Amp Hour?
The “amp hour” (Ampere Hour or Ah) indicates how many amperes (current) a battery can produce for a specific time. It tells how long a battery lasts, depending on the current draw, without a recharge.
The 12V battery for a car averages around 50Ah.
50 Amp Hours indicates that it can push a 12V battery voltage at the rate of 50 amps for 1 hour.
But this doesn’t mean it’ll only last an hour.
If 25 amps are drawn, it’ll last 2 hours (50/25 = 2).
If 10 amps are drawn, it’ll last 5 hours (50/10 = 5), and so on.
The larger the load, the faster it drains.
9. Can A Lithium Battery Substitute An SLA Car Battery?
Mostly no.
The lead acid car battery (SLA or otherwise) is meant to deliver a high charge to start an internal combustion engine (ICE).
The lithium ion (Li ion) battery that powers electric vehicles functions differently.
Li ion batteries can’t be adequately recharged by the regular alternator fitted with an ICE.
However, lithium starter batteries (like the more recent Lithium Iron Phosphate battery) are used for their lighter weight and smaller size in motorsports. These can be 50-60% lighter than a conventional lead acid battery.
Lithium batteries also offer constant voltage compared to a lead acid battery, which means the amount of power delivered is the same while the battery discharges.
So why haven’t lithium batteries replaced the lead acid battery?
They’re very expensive. An SLA battery (for example) will range around $200, but a lithium ion battery can cost thousands of dollars.
10. What’s The Best Way To Get My SLA Battery Fixed?
Battery problems can stem from different sources, so the simplest solution is to call a mechanic. They’ll be able to tell if you need a battery change or if the issue is something else entirely.
Post time: Mar-24-2023
