Page 33 - Energize Issue 1 2023

TECHNICAL

although expected lifetime is a blend
of design life and actual service life.
There is no substitute for performing
proper maintenance and keeping good
maintenance records to authenticate
battery performance over its entire
service life. It is important that all
parameters affecting cell life be
documented.

This includes but is not limited to:
• Individual cell and string voltages
• Individual cell temperatures
• Specific gravity or float current
measurements
• Internal resistance measurements Figure 4
• Connector resistance measurements
20
Finally, Figure 4 shows how many in Europe view warranty. Perhaps it’s time to take a
Accelerated life testing can be a valuable fresh and more realistic approach to warranty.
tool in understanding a battery’s
expected potential. However, it must be References
understood that accelerated life testing 1. Berndt, Dietrich: “Maintenance Free Batteries,” p. 334, John Wiley & Sons, New York,
is used to determine the rate of positive 1993.
plate corrosion and is based upon the 2. Vinal, George: “Storage Batteries,” Third Edition, pp. 45-59, John Wiley & Sons, New
assumption that positive plate corrosion York, April 1949.
is the primary cause of cell failure. Other 3. ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturer’s Association), Information Leaflet
failure mechanisms, especially with No 23e, “Definition of Different Lifetime Terms for Batteries,” p.2, August 2013.
VRLA AGM cells, may not be determined 4. Ibid, p.2.
exclusively with accelerated life testing. 5. O’Donnell, Carey: “Got Warranty? Taking Another Look at the 20-year Battery
Accurate maintenance records are Warranty,” p. 3.2, Battcon Proceedings, 2005.
fundamentally important, and every 6. The Eurobat Guide for the Specification of Valve Regulated Lead-Acid Stationary
battery user should ensure that they Batteries, p. 2, January 1992.
keep these records. It is important 7. Ibid, p.2.
to understand and follow the battery 8. Berndt, Dietrich: “Maintenance Free Batteries,” p. 323, John Wiley & Sons, New York,
manufacturer’s recommendations 1993.
consistently throughout the battery’s 9. IEEE 535: “IEEE Standard for Qualification of Class 1E Vented Lead Acid Storage Batteries
service life. for Nuclear Power Generating Stations,” p. 7, ¶8.3, IEEE Society, New Jersey, 2013.
Battery problems after installation 10. Ibid, Annex A-1, A-2, 2013.
are often blamed on manufacturing 11. Rusch, Wieland: “Flooded (VLA), Sealed (VRLA), GEL, AGM Type, Flat Plate, Tubular
defect when in fact many times Plate: The When, Where and Why; How does the End User Decide on the Best
the true reasons have nothing to Solution,” Table 2, p. 5, Battcon Proceedings, 2006.
do with manufacturing defect. The 12. Moore, Michael R: “Real-time Expected Life on VRLA Products, a Manufacturer’s
best solution to avoid difficulty with Perspective,” Yuasa-Exide, Reading PA, date unknown.
lead-acid batteries is to [i] make 13. O’Donnell, Carey: “Got Warranty? Taking Another Look at the 20-year Battery
sure the battery you are choosing Warranty,” Battcon Proceedings, 2005.
has been designed to meet your 14. Ibid, p. 3-2.
application; [ii] strive to install the 15. “Twenty Year Limited Warranty,” C&D Technologies, Inc., January 2009.
batteries in the most favourable 16. “Lead-Acid Battery Limited Warranty,” Hoppecke Batteries, Inc., May 2008.
environment with qualified installation 17. “Standard Limited Warranty,” BAE Batterien GmbH, Version 01, 2007.
technicians; [iii] maintain the battery 18. Schiemann, Michael: “Lifetime Discussion, Optimal Application Conditions,”
to the manufacturer’s published Presentation to BAE Batteries USA, February 2013.
recommendations ensuring that all 19. Ibid, 2013.
cells are kept at the proper charge 20. Ibid, 2013
level, and [iv] keep complete and
thorough records of the maintenance Contact Silicon Engineering, Phone 011 474-3423, sales@silicon-online.co.za,
activity performed on these batteries. http://www.silicon-online.co.za

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