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Automotive Battery Technologies
Starting versus Cycling Batteries There are two general classes of battery usage — starting and cycling. Starting batteries are designed to give short bursts of high power to start an engine. These batteries have many thin plates for low internal resistance to maximize power. They are designed for shallow cycling where the battery is not drained by very much before the alternator recharges it again. They have not been designed for and will not hold up under deep discharge/recharge cycles. Deep cycling will literally tear the battery apart on the inside as the active material sheds from the plates. Cycling batteries have been specially engineered to withstand the effects of deep discharging and recharging cycles. The plates are thicker and the higher density paste is slightly different. East Penn uses fibreglass sheets between the separators and positive plates. The glass fibre sheets hold the active materials in place to reduce shedding and slow performance decay. Preventing direct positive plate to separator contact prevents separator oxidation, which also helps maximize battery life. Combination "dual purpose" starting/cycling batteries provide both starting and cycling power and are best for heavier starting and moderate cycling applications. The plates are thicker and the paste is dense like the cycling batteries. Typical applications for cycling batteries include Class 8 commercial trucks with fully loaded sleepers, marine vehicles that involve heavy duty trolling, RV applications with appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves, TVs, etc., as well as wheelchair, electric vehicle and solar applications, to name a few. 
Flooded (Wet) batteries
Flooded batteries are lead-acid batteries where the electrolyte (battery acid mixed with water) flows freely within the battery cell, circulating through highly porous envelope separators (usually made of polyethylene), which separate positive and negative plates. This liquid can spill and cause corrosion if tipped or punctured. Therefore, they are not air-transportable without special containers and can’t be shipped UPS or Parcel Post or used near sensitive electronic equipment. They can only be installed "upright". Flooded batteries lose capacity and become permanently damaged if left in a discharged condition for an extended length of time (due to sulfation) and/or are continually over discharged (due to active material shedding – particularly so for automotive starting types).
Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries
With absorbed glass mat batteries, the battery acid is "absorbed" into fibreglass separators (a sponge-like mat of fine glass fibres) so that the battery has no free-flowing electrolyte. Therefore an AGM battery can be operated in virtually any position. (However, upside down installation is not recommended. Some AGM batteries are considered “non-spillable” and are therefore exempt from certain air, land and sea hazardous materials shipping regulations when properly labeled and packaged. This requires that the manufacturer certify that the battery meets the requirements of the exemption. Completely maintenance-free, this type of battery is sealed under special pressure valves and should never be opened. It uses a “recombination” reaction to prevent the escape of hydrogen and oxygen gases normally lost in a flooded lead-acid battery (particularly in deep cycle applications). In "recombination" technology the oxygen normally produced on the positive plates of all lead-acid batteries is absorbed by the negative plate. This suppresses the production of hydrogen at the negative plate and water is produced instead, retaining the moisture within the battery. Thus it never needs watering and should never be opened, since additional oxygen from the air would “poison” the battery. In fact, opening an AGM battery will void its warranty. The spillproof and leakproof design provides added protection against expensive vehicle and equipment damage, as well as greater rider and environmental safety. The tight pack construction provides greater resistance to shock and vibration, making this type of battery excellent for off-road applications. East Penn offers a premium power sports battery in AGM format for motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile and water sport applications, all of which are subject to severe shock and vibration, as well as rider and environmental safety hazards. While most automotive batteries are conventional flooded, there are a few vehicles (i.e. Mazda Miata) where the original equipment battery installed by the manufacturer is AGM format. East Penn also offers an AGM replacement battery (Intimidator brand) as a higher end battery for heavy accessory vehicles and/or vehicles where batteries are located outside the engine compartment (i.e. underneath seats and inside trunks) or close to sensitive electronic equipment. AGM batteries have lower internal resistance than similar flooded batteries, which means they will provide both faster high performance starts and faster recharge times. The “acid-starved” condition of AGM batteries protects the plates during deep discharges. AGM batteries typically last significantly longer than flooded starting batteries and excel for high current, high power applications and in extremely cold environments. They self-discharge at a lower rate than conventional batteries, making them ideal for seasonal applications where the battery is stored for part of the year.
Gelled Electrolyte batteries
A gelled electrolyte or "gel" battery is also sealed using special pressure valves and should never be opened. It is thus completely maintenance-free, much like an AGM battery and can be operated in any position (although upside down is not recommended). But where an AGM battery uses glass mat fibres to trap the electrolyte, gel batteries use a thixotropic gel. Like the AGM battery, a recombination reaction prevents the escape of hydrogen and oxygen gasses, making the battery safe to use around expensive or sensitive electronic equipment. Like the AGM battery, the battery may be declared “non-spillable” and be exempted from certain air, land and sea shipping regulations when properly packaged and labeled. Like the AGM battery, this requires that the manufacturer to certify that the design meets certain test requirements. The gel inside a gelled electrolyte battery has the appearance and consistency of petroleum jelly. The "acid-starved" condition of gel batteries protects the plates during heavy deep discharges.
VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead-Acid) Battery Applications
Both AGM and Gel battery types are also known as VRLA batteries, due to their special pressure valves and sealed designs. VRLA batteries can be substituted in virtually any flooded lead-acid battery application, as well as applications where traditional flooded batteries can’t be used. Because of their unique features and benefits, VRLA batteries are particularly well suited for:
The "acid-starved" condition of both AGM and gel batteries protects the plates during heavy deep discharges. The gel battery is especially suited for super-deep discharge applications. AGM batteries excel for high current, high power applications in extremely cold environments. VRLA batteries will work in SLI (starting, lighting, ignition) applications as long as the vehicle’s charging voltage is regulated appropriately. Many vehicle systems are set too high for gel batteries and therefore may require adjustment to properly recharge a gel battery for best performance and life. AGM batteries excel in low temperature, high current applications such as cold weather starting. |