GLOSSARY
12
Absorption (Regulation) Charge – The
charger will attempt to hold its output volt-
age constant while the battery continues to
absorb charge (draw charging current) from
the charger. The rate at which the battery
continues to absorb charge in this mode
gradually slows down. The amplitude of
the charger current is gradually decreasing.
The charge current is falling and the battery
voltage is flat (constant).
Acid In the lead acid storage battery indus-
try, “acid” implies “sulfuric acid”.
Ambient Temperature The temperature of
the surrounding cooling medium, such as
gas or liquid, which comes into contact with
the heated parts of the apparatus, usually
refers to room or air temp.
Ampacity Current carrying capacity in
amperes.
Ampere (Amp) The practical unit of
electric current that is equivalent to the
steady state current produced by one volt
applied across a resistance of one ohm. It is
one tenth of an ampere.
Ampere-Hour A measure of the volume of
electricity, being one ampere for one hour,
or 3600 coulombs. It is used to express
battery capacity, and is registered by an
ampere hour meter, or is obtained by multi-
plying the current in amperes by the length
of time that the current is maintained.
Ampere-Hour Capacity The number of
ampere-hours which can be delivered under
specified conditions as to temperature, rate
of discharge, and final voltage.
Battery (Storage) A storage battery is
a connected group of two or more stor-
age cells (common usage permits this
term to be applied to a single cell used
independently). Batteries are sometimes
referred to as “Accumulators” since elec-
tric energy is accumulated by chemical
reaction.
Bulk Charge – Current is applied to the
batteries at the maximum safe rate they
will accept until voltage rises to near (80-
90%) full charge level.
Capacity See AMPERE HOUR CAPACITY
Capacity Test A test wherein the battery
is discharged at constant current at room
temperature to a cutoff voltage of usually
1.70 volts/cell.
Cell (Storage) A storage (secondary) cell
is an electrolytic cell for the generation of
electric energy in which the cell after being
discharged may be restored to a charged
condition by an electric current flowing in
a direction opposite to the flow of current
when the cell discharges.
Charged The condition of a storage cell
when at its maximum ability to deliver
current. The positive plate contains a max-
imum of lead peroxide and a minimum of
sulfate, while the negative plates contain a
maximum of sponge lead and a minimum
of sulfate, and the electrolyte will be at
maximum specific gravity.
Charging The process of converting electri-
cal energy to stored chemical
energy. In the lead-acid system, charging
converts Lead Sulfate (PbSO4) in the plates
to Lead Peroxide (PbO2) (positive) or Lead
(Pb) (negative plate).
Charging Rate The current expressed in
amperes at which the battery is charged.
Circuit A system of electrical components
through which an electric current is in-
tended to flow. The continuous path of an
electric current.
Constant-Current Charge A charge in
which the current is maintained at a
constant value. (For some types of lead-acid
batteries this may involve two rates called a
starting and a finishing rate.)
Constant Voltage Charge A charge in
which the voltage at the terminals of the
battery is held at a constant value.
Cut-Off Voltage See FINAL VOLTAGE
Cycle A discharge and its subsequent re-
charge.
Cycle Service A type of battery operation
in which a battery is continuously sub-
jected to successive cycles of charge and
discharge, e.g., motive power service.
Deep Discharge Removal of up to 80% of
the rated capacity of a cell or battery.
Direct Current (DC) A direct current is a
unidirectional current in which the changes
in value are either zero or so small that they
may be neglected.
Discharge The conversion of the
chemical energy of the battery into elec-
trical energy.
Discharged The condition of a storage
cell when as the result of delivering cur-
rent, the plates are sulfated, the electro-
lyte is exhausted, and there is
little or no potential difference between
the terminals.
Discharge Rate Batteries discharged to
meet any time rate between 3 hours and 8
hours are considered as having been nor-
mally discharged.
Efficiency The ratio of the output of the cell
or battery to the input required to restore
the initial state of charge under specified
conditions of temperature,
current rate and final voltage.
Electrolyte Any substance which disasso-
ciates into two or more ions when dissolved
in water. Solution of electrolyte conduct
electricity and are decomposed by it. In the
battery industry the word “electrolyte” im-
plies a dilute solution of sulfuric acid.
Equalizing Charge An extended charge
which is given to a storage battery to insure
the complete restoration of active materials
in all the plates of all the cells.
Final Voltage The cut-off voltage
of a battery; The prescribed voltage
reached when the discharge is considered
complete.
Float Charging Application of a recharge at
a very low rate and accomplished by con-
nection to a buss whose voltage is slightly
higher than the open circuit voltage of the
battery.
Full Charge Gravity The specific gravity of
the electrolyte with the cells fully charged
and properly leveled.
Gassing The evolution of gases from one
or more of the electrodes during electrol-
ysis.
Gravity Refers to specific gravity.
Hydrometer Device used to indicate
density or specific gravity of electrolyte
solutions.
Lead (Pb) Chemical element used in lead-
acid batteries (with sulfuric acid and other
materials).
Lead Sulphate (PbS0
4
) A compound re-
sulting from the chemical action of sulfuric
acid on oxides of lead or lead metal itself.
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