9 Things You need to know for Lead-Acid Battery

Since you’re reading this, you obviously have some questions about lead-acid batteries. For instance, how does a lead-acid battery work? For that matter, what exactly is a lead-acid battery?

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Are these batteries still efficient enough for certain uses or are they obsolete? How do they compare to other batteries?

Fortunately, we have all the answers you’ve been looking for right here in this guide. To start with, we can assure you that these batteries are not obsolete. There are, in fact, many applications in which it’s ideal to use lead-acid batteries.

We’ll explain this in more detail below. We also provide a comprehensive explanation about what a lead-acid battery is and how it works. Read on to learn all there is to know about lead-acid batteries.

What Exactly Is the Lead-Acid Battery?

A lead-acid battery is a rechargeable battery that uses lead and sulphuric acid to function. The lead is submerged into the sulphuric acid to allow a controlled chemical reaction.

This chemical reaction is what causes the battery to produce electricity. Then, this reaction is reversed to recharge the battery.

Believe it or not, this technology is over 100 years old. However, it has been improved upon since its invention in  and it now works more efficiently.

How Does the Lead-Acid Battery Work?

To put it simply, the battery’s electrical charge is generated when the sulphate in the sulphuric acid becomes bonded to the lead. The electrical charge is replenished by reversing this reaction. That is, the sulphate goes back into the sulphuric acid and, thus, the battery is recharged.

Now, obviously, there’s a finite amount of sulphate ions in the acid. And the available surface area of the lead it bonds to is limited, too. So, as the sulphate is depleted, the charge becomes weaker.

For this reason, lead-acid batteries are not ideal for powering devices for a long period of time. Instead, they’re best for applications that need a short, powerful burst of energy.

What Is the Amp Hour Rating?

12V Lead Acid Batteries are commonly used in a variety of applications. This ranges from automotive batteries to home energy storage solutions.

However, when selecting the right battery for any particular purpose, one of the most important considerations is the capacity rating.

This is also known as the amp-hour (AH) or milliampere-hour (mAh) rating and provides an idea of how much power this battery can deliver over a period of one hour without dropping below its minimum voltage level.

For example, a higher AH or mAh rating means that more energy can be drawn from the battery in a given period before it needs to be recharged.

Consumers should make sure they choose a battery with a high enough capacity to suit their needs.

The Self-Discharge of the Lead-Acid Battery

One unfortunate disadvantage of lead-acid batteries is that the chemical reaction described above can never be halted completely. In other words, these batteries will continue to discharge even when they’re not in use.

Normally, this self-discharge happens somewhat slowly, around 1% lost per day. But certain factors will increase this rate. For instance, the warmer the battery is, the faster it self-discharges.

Also, some devices use a little of the battery’s charge even when they’re turned off. The audio settings in your car are a good example of this. Your car radio uses battery power to “remember” these settings.

In any case, you’ll have to make sure you recharge your lead-acid batteries every once in a while or they will die.

Capacity of the Battery

A 12V Lead Acid battery has many uses, both in small and large applications. With this type of battery, it is critical to understand its capacity – which is measured in Amp-hours (Ah) or Milliamp-hours (mAh).

This is the amount of energy output from the battery before requiring a recharge.

This means that when you look at a 12V Lead Acid Battery, the higher the AH rating, the more power it will have. This will last for a longer time before it needs recharging.

Knowing and understanding your battery’s capacity is key to ensuring you get quality performance out of your purchase.

The Death of the Lead-Acid Battery

So, what causes a lead-acid battery to die? Certain factors can damage or change the materials that are needed to cause the necessary chemical reaction. One such factor is allowing the battery to remain in a partially discharged state for too long.

Partial Discharge

As the battery discharges, it lowers the amount of electrolyte solution (the sulphuric acid mixed with water). This leaves the lead plates partially exposed.

If they remain exposed, the sulphate that is already bonded to the lead can harden. Then, it remains on the lead permanently, which decreases the battery’s ability to recharge.

This partial discharge is a common problem with car batteries. You see, the battery recharges when you drive. But if you don’t drive often, or you always make very short trips, your battery might never get fully recharged.

Deep Discharge

Another common cause of battery death is deep discharge. This is when your lead-acid battery is discharged below 50%.

When this happens, small pieces of the lead plates can actually break off and sink into the electrolyte solution. Then, there is less material available to cause the chemical reaction. If too much is broken off, the reaction won’t happen at all.

This is why your car battery becomes unusable if you accidentally leave the headlights on overnight. Even if you’re able to jump-start the dead battery, the damage has already been done. The battery is permanently ruined and will have to be replaced.

Overcharging

Overcharging happens when you keep charging a battery that’s already full. Doing this can break down the material of the electrolyte. Once this happens, there is no sulphate left to bond with the lead.

This is why you don’t want to keep a lead-acid battery plugged into a charger all the time. It’s better to only plug it in once in a while.

Pros and Cons of the Lead-Acid Batteries

Lead-acid batteries have powerful voltage for their size. Thus, they can power heavy-duty tools and equipment.

They can even power electric vehicles, like golf carts. However, in this case, you’d need to be careful to charge the battery often enough (and without overcharging it). If you don’t, the vehicle will die before reaching its destination, which will also damage the battery.

Additionally, lead-acid batteries are great for starting motor vehicles. They provide an intense jolt of energy to start the vehicle and then they recharge as the vehicle drives.

On the other hand, they are not good for devices you wish to use for long periods of time, like cell-phones. Also, they self-discharge when not in use, which will eventually kill the battery.

In other words, you can’t just leave them sitting around. Thus, they are a bad option for any application that will not be used frequently.

Regular Maintenance Is Essential

12V lead acid batteries are reliable power sources but require careful management to perform at their best. Charging and discharging should be closely monitored.

The batteries should never run out of power completely as this can make them not work as well.

Keep the batteries clean, and don’t forget to replace the electrolyte yearly. With these steps, you will ensure maximum capacity out of your 12V lead acid battery for years to come.

The Best Way to Maintain Lead-Acid Battery

One of the most important factors to consider when buying and using a 12V lead acid battery is its capacity. In general, these batteries have a much longer lifespan than other types.

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But must still be regularly maintained in order to truly benefit from their longevity.

While charge levels should be monitored on a regular basis, and plates should also be cleaned with a cleaning agent suggested specifically for lead acid batteries.

One of the most important things a user can do to maintain their battery is to change the electrolyte annually on average.

Doing so will help ensure that your battery lasts as long as possible and continues to provide reliable power for years to come.

What Will You Use Lead-Acid Batteries For?

You know replacing car batteries is a critical part of your vehicle's maintenance, but do you know what to look for in buying a car battery? There are many factors to consider, and your choice of battery could affect your vehicle's performance for years to come. 

Read on to learn what types of car batteries there are, the most important car battery features to consider, and which battery we recommend to meet your high-performance needs.

What Types of Car Batteries Are There?

Are all car batteries the same? If you're not used to changing your own car battery, you might be surprised to learn that there are a lot of varieties to choose from! Fundamentally, most batteries work the same way: by turning chemical energy into electrical current. But the main differences in battery types and sizes come from how they're constructed.

Flooded Lead Acid Batteries

The most common battery type — flooded lead-acid batteries — have been used for decades. Also known as wet cell batteries, these conventional batteries consist of six cells, each containing lead plates submerged in a sulfuric acid/water solution called electrolyte. 

Each cell produces about two volts of electricity so that the whole battery provides approximately 12 volts. Unless you drive a vintage car (pre-s), almost all cars use 12-volt batteries.

There are two common types of flooded lead-acid batteries:

Starting, Lighting, Ignition (SLI) Battery: These batteries are the most basic, and are what most cars come installed with from the factory. SLI batteries are reliable for starting your engine and powering basic accessories like headlights and wipers. 

With older SLI batteries, you may find that you have to occasionally top off the electrolyte solution with distilled water to keep it running properly. These batteries must also be installed vertically to prevent spillage.

Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB): EFBs are essentially a higher-performing type of SLI battery and are often used in vehicles with start-stop technology. They function the same as SLI batteries, but are sealed to improve battery endurance. Enhanced flooded batteries usually last twice as long as conventional SLI batteries and are a good entry-level battery for cars with start-stop technology.

Sealed batteries, like EFBs, are less susceptible to the effects of heat and evaporation and are referred to as "maintenance-free" because they typically don't need topping off with water.

Valve-Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) Batteries

Like flooded batteries, valve-regulated lead-acid batteries generate electricity using lead submerged in an electrolyte solution. The difference with VRLA batteries, however, is that they are completely sealed. 

They don't vent gases and are less likely to spill, no matter how they are placed inside a car. For this reason, VRLA batteries are generally considered low maintenance, safer options for many vehicles.

The two most common types of VRLA batteries include:

Gel Cell Battery: Gel cell batteries — also known as dry cell batteries — have silica inside the electrolyte solution, turning it from a liquid into a gel. Not only does this prevent them from spilling, but it also makes gel cell batteries more resistant to high temperatures and evaporation. This means they have a longer cycle life than conventional batteries and greater resistance to vibrations and shock. 

While some gel cell batteries are available for automotive use, most people opt for the higher-performing AGM battery as their go-to choice for VRLA batteries.

Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) Battery: AGMs represent the latest and greatest in lead-acid battery technology. Rather than a free-floating electrolyte solution like in SLI and EFB batteries, AGM batteries use fiberglass separators to absorb the electrolyte solution and hold it in place.

AGMs are designed to have a very long life and can withstand repeat draining and recharging cycles much better than conventional batteries. They are also better at holding a charge through long periods of disuse and are more likely to recover from a deep discharge. 

These qualities make AGM batteries ideal for modern cars with high power demand. But this enhanced performance comes at a price. According to Consumer Reports, you can expect to pay 40-100% more for AGM batteries than conventional batteries.

Other Car Battery Types

While the above battery types cover what most people will have to choose from, there are a few other types of car batteries worth mentioning, such as:

Deep Cycle Battery: Deep cycle batteries — also called marine batteries — are best for delivering sustained, low current power over extended periods of time. They get their name from their ability to repeatedly recover from cycles of deep discharging and recharging without suffering damage as conventional batteries would.

Deep cycle batteries are not suited for cars, trucks, or SUVs, but rather vehicles like RVs, boats, and golf carts that need to power electronics without an engine running.

Lithium-Ion Battery: Lithium-ion batteries are the standard batteries for most modern hybrid and electric vehicle high voltage battery packs. Lithium-ion batteries store more energy, charge faster, are lighter, and last longer than their conventional counterparts. Some newer vehicles come equipped with a 12-volt lithium-ion battery from the factory.

What to Look For in a Car Battery

When searching for a new car battery, there isn't a singular "best" car battery to buy. Instead, it's a question of which battery is best for your vehicle's specific make and model? Here are a few considerations when choosing the best battery for your car:

Battery Size & Terminal Position

The BCI number is the first and most important thing you should look for when choosing a new battery. BCI stands for Battery Council International, an organization that standardized how battery sizes and terminal positions are labeled.

The BCI number indicates the fit of your battery — its dimensions (length x width x height) and the location of its terminals. Terminals can either be placed on the side (side-post batteries) or on top of the battery as either standard or recessed top-post terminals. 

A BCI number of 35, for example, indicates that the battery has top terminals and fits most Japanese brands, including Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. BCI numbers are essential to get right as the wrong number may result in a battery that does not secure properly in the battery tray or whose terminals are unreachable by the battery cables.

Since there are many different BCI numbers, your best bet is to look at the number listed on your current battery. You'll also want to double-check the manufacturer-recommended BCI number in your owner's manual before committing to a new battery.

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)

Cold-cranking amps measure the number of amps available for 30 seconds at 0°F. That's it! CCAs are a general gauge for how well a battery performs in extremely cold weather.

So, is a higher CCA battery better? Not necessarily. A higher CCA rating simply means the battery can provide more juice when it's really cold outside. Just because a battery has a CCA of 850 doesn't mean it will use all that amperage. Rather, it will use the minimum amount of energy required to get your engine going. A super high CCA rating doesn't hurt, but going further than the car manufacturer’s CCA specification will only have limited value.

Warranty

One sign of a quality car battery is the offered warranty. Most warranties typically include a free replacement period and a limited performance warranty. Batteries with longer warranties tend to be more reliable. 

An extended warranty not only protects you for longer, but it also indicates that the manufacturer is confident in their product. DieHard® Platinum batteries, for example, offer an impressive 4-year free replacement warranty.

Getting your battery installed by an expert technician at your local Firestone Complete Auto Care can help you avoid mistakes that might void your battery's warranty down the road.

Battery Type

Whether you've been using a standard SLI battery or a heavy-duty AGM battery, the safest choice is to stick with the same type for your new battery. However, if you're looking to get a battery with a longer life and more CCAs that can handle extended disuse better than a conventional SLI, consider the DieHard Platinum AGM. Just make sure you've got the correct BCI number for your vehicle.

What you shouldn't do is downgrade battery types. If your newer car model came with an AGM battery, for example, replace the old battery with another AGM. Downgrading to a cheaper battery may result in inadequate power supply to key vehicle functions like the start-stop system or certain safety features.

Battery Freshness

Since batteries start decaying the moment they're manufactured, you want your new battery to be as fresh as possible. Look for the manufacture date, indicated by a sticker on the case. The date will typically be in month/year format, such as 08/21, meaning the battery was produced in August of . Try to buy a battery that is no more than six months old.

So, Who Makes a Good Car Battery You Can Buy?

While there are plenty of battery brands out there, we recommend DieHard® batteries for your car, truck, or SUV. Their Stamped Grid Technology offers nearly 3X more corrosion resistance, greater durability, and 60% more electrical flow than standard flooded batteries. 

DieHard® batteries are reliable even in the most extreme weather conditions and are built to meet the needs of today's power-hungry vehicles. They're America's most trusted auto battery for a reason!

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Commercial Energy Storage.