THEY AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE1

TRIED-AND-TESTED

LOW PRICE POINT

$

SAFE TO OPERATE

The lead-acid battery market is gradually turning away from the pursuit of technology development, to focus on the competition of price and the stability of the battery.

“ ”- Lu Xue-Long2

PROPER MAINTENANCE FOR LEAD-ACID BATTERIES3

Tips to keep batteries healthy:

3 Match the selected charge profile to your battery pack2 Plug the machine in after

significant discharges to prevent sulphation1 Water the battery at the

end of a charge cycle

GEL

Requires gentle charging with a well-controlled voltage. Often used in

personal mobility applications.

AGM(absorbed glass mat)

Can withstand a high current discharge and a high charge rate. Often

used in floor care applications.

TYPES OF DEEP-CYCLE LEAD-ACID BATTERIES

Reliable, long-term energy delivery

Can survive many discharge cycles

FLA(flooded lead acid)

More forgiving of overcharge - typical

overcharge is 100-115% of the rated capacity.

Often used in golf and lift truck applications.

DEEP-CYCLE LEAD ACID BATTERIES

LEAD-ACID MARKET CATEGORIES2

MACHINES DESIGNED FOR PACK SIZE/WEIGHT

32% Electric applications (forklifts, electric bikes, etc.) 58% Starter battery for automobiles and motorcycles

THE FUTURE OF LEAD-ACID BATTERIES: NEW MARKET TRENDS

Fill to the line when fully charged

MOST COMMON MAINTENANCE MISTAKES BY LEAD-ACID BATTERY OWNERS

Select the correct charge profile

OVERCHARGE

UNDERWATER

OVERWATER

UNDERCHARGE

Solution Solution

Global Lead-Acid Market10

IMPROVING PERFORMANCE OF LEAD-ACID2

battery safety

stability in high-vibration conditions

battery charging performance

www.delta-q.com

Delta-Q Technologies makes innovative industrial battery charging solutions for all types of battery chemistries.

DEPTH OF DISCHARGE (DOD) C-RATINGS5 WHAT: measurement of time it takes a battery to fully discharge(to 1.75 volts per cell)

C-5 5 hrs to completely discharge

C-10 10 hrs to completely discharge

The greater the state of discharge, the more the battery is weakened1

TEMPERATURE VS. DISCHARGE CAPACITY

SYSTEMATIC UNDERCHARGING

Regular undercharging will reduce the battery pack’s storage capacity with each recharge cycle. Making a charge profile specific to the battery brand and manufacturer ensures that the battery receives a precise overcharge.

EXAMPLES OF LOW DISCHARGE VS. HIGH DISCHARGE USAGE PATTERNS3

LOW DISCHARGEAn electric pallet truck is used a couple of times each day to move pallets over a short distance

A floor machine is used for a few minutes to scrub the floor of a small room

HIGH DISCHARGE

A golf car is sent out for 2 rounds on a hot day

An electric scooter is used to commute 35 kilometres (the edge of its range)

The optimum charging temperature for lead-acid batteries is 25.C (77.F)7

RULE OF THUMBTemperature decreases, battery capacity decreases8

Temperature rises, battery capacity rises8

DID YOU KNOW?Every 8.C (15.F) rise in temperature cuts the battery life in half7

To get the bestvalue for your money, DOD should not

exceed6

50%

80%of all battery

failure is related to sulfation build-up4

1.

2.

3.

THREE STAGE CHARGE PROFILE FOR LEAD-ACID BATTERIES3

Most 3-step or “IUI” charge profiles contain the following phases:

Bulk stage: using constant current (I), about 75% of the charge is returned to the battery as quickly as possible

Absorption: As the battery gets full, it cannot accept energy as quickly. Applying constant voltage (U) allows the battery to control the rate at which it accepts charge

Finish: Provides the battery with the constant current (I) overcharge it requires to achieve a full state of charge, at a rate that is appropriate for the size and type of battery being charged

References:1 RenewableEnergyWorld.com. “Lead-Acid Batteries: Merely a Launch Pad for Something Better?” 2 Invest in Taiwan. “Global Lead-Acid Battery Market Development Status”3 Delta-Q Technologies. “Achieving ‘Charge Quality’ for Lead-Acid Batteries in Industrial...”4 BatteryStuff.com. “Battery Basics: A Layman’s Guide to Batteries”5 SolarHomeStead.com. “Battery AH Ratings. C5, C20, and C100. What Does This Mean?”6 Energy Matters. “Deep Cycle Battery Voltage & State of Charge”7 Sandia Report. “Temperature Effects on Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries and Charging Techniques...” 8 Solar-electric.com. “Deep Cycle Battery Frequently Asked Questions”9 Trojan Battery. “Battery Specifications: 6V T-105 Deep-Cycle Flooded” 10 Future Market Insights. “Lead Acid Battery Market: Global Industry Analysis...”

Further Reading• Your Lift Truck Could Use a Drink: A Crash Course in Battery Watering• A Guide to Understanding Battery Specifications• Lead-Acid Batteries Here to Stay• Lead-Acid Rules as Forklift Battery, But Alternatives Pursued

HOW DO WE KNOW?

Delta-Q operates a 30+ channel battery lab to conduct short, medium, and long term, lead-acid battery tests. Delta-Q services OEMs that have the most stringent warranty commitments.

*not necesarily linear

5-Hr Rate

185

C-Rating Amp-Hour

10-Hr Rate

20-Hr Rate

100-Hr Rate

207

225

250

An example of C-rates for a Trojan T-105 lead-acid battery9

Charger DC Output Current Battery pack voltage per cell

2.7

2.6

2.5

2.4

2.3

2.2

2.1

0 6 8 10 12 14 16

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Time

Curr

ent (

A)

Volta

ge p

er c

ell (

V)

2 4

Maintenance Phase

MAINTENANCE PHASE

Once the Finish Phase is complete, the battery charger goes into a Maintenance Phase. This phase is necessary because batteries self-discharge at up to 10% per month3.

In maintenance phase, the battery charger monitors the battery’s level of charge over long periods of rest. When the charger detects the battery’s level of charge is too low, it will charge the battery back to its full state of charge to prolong the battery’s service life.

EXAMPLE OF MAINTENANCE PHASETo guard against battery discharge during the winter months, stored golf carts are left connected to a battery charger. The battery charger consistently monitors the

battery pack’s state of charge. When the charger detects a low state of charge, it recharges the pack, returning it to its optimal state of charge.

Projected to reach

US$58.5 billion by 2020 at an estimated compound annual growth rate of 4.6%

Sealed (valve-regulated lead-acid) batteries and are considered “maintenance-free”

The electrolyte can be replenished and measured

Battery specification sheets that show low C-rates, such as C-5, are indicative of batteries for applications that have intensive deep-cycle energy needs.

Battery specification sheets that focus on higher C-rates, such as C-20, are indicative of batteries specified for a “float” or less energy intensive application.