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Appendix C Batteries
This appendix discusses the physical make-up and characteristics of chemical
storage batteries and will help you understand the factors involved in battery
selection, charging, care, and maintenance. This information is a guideline
only. The manufacturer of each battery is the best authority on its use and care.
Terminology
A description of battery charger operation requires the use of terms that you
may not be familiar with. The following terms appear throughout the manual.
Electrolyte Typically sulfuric acid. It is commonly referred to as battery acid
and is the fluid inside a typical lead-acid battery.
Plates Made of lead and connected to the battery terminals. These are the
terminals inside each cell of the battery. The essential chemical reactions of
the battery occur at the plates, and they are the source of the current/voltage
produced by the battery.
Sulfating As a battery discharges, its plates become covered with lead
sulfate. With regular recharging, the lead sulfate leaves the plates and
recombines with the electrolyte. If the lead sulfate remains on the plates for an
extended period of time (over two months), it hardens, and recharging does
not remove it. This reduces the effective plate area and the battery’s capacity.
Equalization of flooded batteries helps reduce sulfation.
Stratification Over time, electrolyte tends to separate. The electrolyte at the
top of the battery becomes watery while it becomes more acidic at the bottom.
This effect is corrosive to the plates. Equalization of flooded batteries helps
reduce stratification.
Deep Cycle A deep cycle occurs when a battery is discharged to less than
50% of its capacity (50% depth of discharge). A deep-cycle battery is one that
is intended to be repeatedly, deeply discharged and charged.
Temperature Compensation Optimal battery charging voltage is
temperature dependent. As the ambient temperature falls, the proper voltage
for each charge stage needs to be increased. The Prosine 2.0 battery
temperature sensor automatically re-scales charge-voltage settings to
compensate for ambient temperatures.
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