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FAQ
QWhat is a sealed maintenance free battery ?
A What is a Sealed Maintenance Free Batter Sealed batteries are known as maintenance free batteries. They are made with vents that (usually) cannot be removed. A standard auto or marine maintenance free battery is sealed, but not fully leak proof. Sealed batteries are not totally sealed since all batteries must allow gas to vent during charging. There are sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries that are non-spillable. Please read the information on our SLA batteries, see AGM and Gel batteries below.
QWhat are major types of lead acid batteries?
A VOLTEC POWER Batteries are divided in two ways, by application (what they are used for) and construction (how they are built). The major applications are automotive, marine, and deep-cycle. Deep-cycle includes solar electric (PV), backup power, and RV and boat "house" batteries. The major construction types are flooded (wet), gelled, and AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat). AGM batteries are also sometimes called "starved electrolyte" or "dry", because the fiberglass mat is only 95% saturated with Sulfuric acid and there is no excess liquid. Flooded may be standard, with removable caps, or the so-called "maintenance free" (that means they are designed to die one week after the warranty runs out). All gelled are sealed and a few are "valve regulated", which means that a tiny valve keeps a slight positive pressure. Nearly all AGM batteries are sealed valve regulated (commonly referred to as "VRLA" - Valve Regulated Lead-Acid). Most valve regulated are under some pressure - 1 to 4 psi at sea level.
QWhat are deep cycle batteries?
A VOLTEC POWER Deep-cycle batteries typically feature thick plates with a high-density active material. The thick battery plates allow for reserve energy to be stored deep within the battery plate and released during slow discharge such as trolling or electronic instrument use. The high-density active material remains within the batteries‘ plate/grid structure longer, resisting the normal degradation found in cycling conditions. They are typically used where the battery is discharged to great extent and then recharged such as a battery powered trolling motor on a fishing boat.
QWhat are the advantages of the AGM battery?
A The advantages of AGM batteries are no maintenance, sealed against fumes, hydrogen, leakage, or non-spilling even if they are broken, and can survive most freezes. AGM batteries are "recombinant" – which means the Oxygen and Hydrogen recombine inside the battery. These use gas phase transfer of oxygen to the negative plates to recombine them back into water while charging and prevent the loss of water through electrolysis. The recombining is typically 99+% efficient, so almost no water is lost. Charging voltages for most AGM batteries are the same as for a standard type battery so there is no need for special charging adjustments or problems with incompatible chargers or charge controls. Since the internal resistance is extremely low, there is almost no heating of the battery even under heavy charge and discharge currents. AGM batteries have a very low self-discharge rate (from 1% to 3% per month). So they can sit in storage for much longer periods without charging. The plates in AGM‘s are tightly packed and rigidly mounted, and will withstand shock and vibration better than any standard battery.
QBattery Storage, Care & Maintenance
A
The Storage or shelf life of a VRLA battery is usually between 12 and 18 months at 20 degree starting From a charged condition.
Warning :
Never store in a discharged or partially discharged state.
Always store in a dry, clean, cool environment in a fully packaged condition.
If storage of 12 months or longer is required supplementary charging will be require

Battery Care
Each BSB VRLA battery is supplied I a charged condition having passed stringent quality checks.To ensure optimum battery performance and life, it helps to take care of your battery by observing the following:

Sulphation/Undercharge
Warning – Never leave a VRLA Battery in a discharged state.
If a battery has an open-circuit voltage lower than its rated value, then sulphation may well be the cause.
When a battery is left a discharged state or for prolonged periods of storage, lead sulphate crystals begin to form acting as a barrier to recharge and will prevent normal battery operation.
Depending on the degree of sulphation, battery may be recovered from this condition by constant current charging at a higher voltage with the current limited to one tenth of the battery capacity for a maximum of 12 hours.

Note: The applied voltage will exceed the normal recommendation and so the battery must be monitored (not left unattended) and removed from charge if excess heat is dissipated. The voltage required to «force» this maximum current into the battery will reduce as the battery recovers until normal charging can take place.

In extreme circumstances a battery may never fully recover from sulphation and must therefore be replaced.

Overcharge
As mentioned in Section 4 optimum charging relies mainly on voltage, current and temperature factors which are interrelated and all of which can cause overcharge.
Excessive charge voltages will force a high overcharge current into the battery, which will dissipate as heat, and may cause gas emission through the safety valve. Within a short period of time this will corrode the positive plate material and accelerate the battery towards end-of-life.

Under these conditions the heat produced inside the battery can lead to thermal runaway due to the increased electrochemical reaction within the battery. The battery may swell before failing and will be irrecoverable from this state. This situation is potentially dangerous.

Temperature
Warning – Heat Kills Batteries.
The recommended normal operating temperature is 20°C.
HIGH TEMPERATURE will reduce battery service life often quite dramatically. In extreme cases this can cause Thermal Runaway, resulting in high oxygen/hydrogen gas production and battery swelling. Batteries are irrecoverable from this condition and should be replaced.
QWhy wont my vehicle start?
A
If the battery won‘t start your vehicle, you usually refer to it as "dead," even though that‘s not technically correct. A battery that‘s merely discharged - from leaving your headlights on or from a damaged alternator - can be recharged to its full capacity. But a battery that‘s at the end of its service life can‘t be recharged enough to restore it to a useful power level. Then it truly is dead, and must be replaced.

If the battery is discharged and not dead, you can jump-start it from another fully charged battery. About 30 minutes of driving should allow the alternator to fully charge the battery. But if the alternator or another part of the electrical system in your vehicle is damaged, the battery will not recharge and a mechanic or service station also will not be able to recharge it. So if your battery keeps discharging, have your electrical system checked before you replace it. What looks like a bad battery could be an electrical system problem. If you have a bad component in the electrical system, it will keep draining a new battery, and you‘ll be stranded again and again.
QHow does a battery work?
A
A battery stores electricity for future use. It develops voltage from the chemical reaction produced when two unlike materials, such as the positive and negative plates, are immersed in the electrolyte, a solution of sulfuric acid and water. In a typical lead-acid battery, the voltage is approximately 2 volts per cell, for a total of 12 volts. Electricity flows from the battery as soon as there is a circuit between the positive and negative terminals. This happens when any load that needs electricity, such as a radio, is connected to the battery.

Most people don‘t realize that a lead-acid battery operates in a constant process of charge and discharge. When a battery is connected to a load that needs electricity, such as the starter in your vehicle, current flows from the battery. The battery begins to be discharged.

In the reverse process, a battery becomes charged when current flows back into it, restoring the chemical difference between the plates. This happens when you‘re driving without any accessories and the alternator puts current back into the battery. As a battery discharges, the lead plates become more chemically alike, the acid becomes weaker, and the voltage drops. Eventually the battery is so discharged that it can no longer deliver electricity at a useful voltage.

You can recharge a discharged battery by feeding electrical current back into it. A full charge restores the chemical difference between the plates and leaves the battery ready to deliver its full power.

This unique process of discharge and charge in the lead-acid battery means that energy can be discharged and restored over and over again. This is what‘s known as the cycling ability in a battery.

In an AGM battery, the special absorbent glass mat (AGM) soaks up all the acid in the battery, providing high cyclic stability. This enables the battery to be repeatedly charged and discharged without any loss of performance.
QWhat cause battery failure?
A
A
Battery Application and Installation
The battery is not being used in the application for which it was designed
The battery is not sized properly for the application
The vehicle has excessive electrical accessories
The battery is not properly fitted into the vehicle
The battery cables are not clean
The battery cables have not been properly adjusted to fit the battery terminals
Battery Service and Maintenance
The vehicle’s electrical system has been repaired or altered
The vehicle has been stationary for a long period of time
The vehicle has been brought in from or driven in another part of the country for a long period of time
The battery tray was washed free of corrosion or electrolyte
Visual Inspection of Battery
Terminals show signs of having been hammered, twisted or driven down into the cover
Side terminals show signs of over-torquing 
Container/cover shows signs of stress, damage or high temperature.
Ends of the battery are pushed out indicating plate growth
QDoes overcharging damage batteries?
A OVERCHARGING is the most destructive element in battery service. Usually the boater is not aware that this is occurring as he believes his alternator or battery charger is "automatic." Unfortunately, these automatic circuits are sensitive to voltage surges, heat, direct lightening strikes and indirect lightening electromagnetic influences and could fail or shift their calibration. When they fail, overcharging begins to affect the batteries. During overcharging, excessive current causes the oxides on the plates of the battery to "shed" and precipitate to the bottom of the cell and also heat the battery, thus removing water from the electrolyte. Once removed, this material (which represents capacity) is no longer active in the battery. In addition, the loss of water from the electrolyte may expose portions of the plates and cause the exposed areas to oxidize and become inactive, thus reducing additional capacity. Sealed batteries are not immune from the same internal results when overcharged. In fact, sealed recombination absorption and gel batteries are particularly sensitive to overcharging. Once moisture is removed from the battery, it cannot be replaced. Portions of the battery damaged due to overcharging are irretrievable. However, if detected early, corrective adjustments to the charging device will save the undamaged portion of the battery. Initial signs of overcharging are excessive usage of water in the battery, continuously warm batteries, or higher than normal battery voltages while under the influence of the charger. If overcharging is suspected, correct immediately.
QWhat is the difference between cycle use and standby use?
A
When a battery is being used as a power source on a regular basis and it is being discharged and subsequently recharged, the battery is said to be in cyclic use. The determining factor in the life of this battery is the number of charge/discharge cycles that can be completed. In cyclical applications up to 1,000 charge/discharge cycles can be expected depending on the average depth of discharge.

Standby batteries are meant to act as an emergency power source where the main power source has failed for some reason. Consequently standby batteries are kept fully charged so that they can “kick in” immediately. The batteries remain connected to a trickle charger that will keep the battery fully charged and ready for use. In standby use the batteries have a design life of up to five years. Please consult our technicians for more details.
QWhy Should you charge your battery once a month?
A When not in use,a battery discharges on a daily basic sometimes up to 0.5-1%. This rate of discharge increases when the climate is warm. To make up for this loss from disuse, connect your battery to GP´s 12V Automatic Charger to maintain a constant float charge during the extended time between uses.
QSometimes a battery does not hold a charge. Why?
A When a battery is in an excessively discharged state, it does not readily accept a high current charge, but charging is occurring only at the surface of the plates. In such a case, the battery must be charged at a low current flow for an extended period of time.
QWhat is the normal charge rate for a battery?
A Naturally, batteries of different capacities require different charge rates. Generally, a battery should be charged at a slow charge rate for 1/10 its rate capacity in amps.
QHow do you determine whether a conventional or AGM battery has been charged properly?
A
After the battery has undergone charging(as per battery manufacturer´s specifications), the following characteristics will tell you if a conventional or AGM battery has been charged properly:
- For conventional batteries, specific gravity for the acid must be 1.265 or higher(4 balls or more floating), or the terminal voltage must read 12.5 volts or higher.
- For AGM(Absorbed Glass Mat, also referred to as maintenance free) batteries, the terminal voltage must read 12.8 volts or higher(check with voltmeter).
QWhat is sulfaction?
A
Sulfaction is the crystal formation of lead sulfate on the battery plates or cells and one of the biggest battery killers. This happens two ways:
i) When discharging continues uninterrupted, the crystals grow and blossom into sulfaction.?
ii) When the battery plates are exposed to air due to low electrolyte level, the activity of the affected area is severely impaired, and the battery will begin to lose life.
QWhat is the purpose of the battery exhaust vent tube on conventional batteries?
A When a conventional battery is charged and discharged,water contained in the electrolyte is decomposed, generating hydrogen and oxygen gases. These gases are vented out of the battery through the exhaust vented tube to prevent potentially damaging high-pressure gas accumulation. Be sure to remove the red sealing cap before charging and installing.AGM batteries(maintenance free batteries) do not have an exhaust vent tube. They have a built-in safety valve that vents gases.
QHow should a battery be maintained?
A
Good battery maintenance should include the following:
- Always keep the acid level between LOWER and UPPER lines on conventional batteries.
- Never allow the battery to stand in a discharged condition.
- If necessary, charge battery once a month with 12V Automatic Charger.
- Keep battery clean, dry and free of dirt.Clean battery terminals to prevent corrosion.
- Inspect vent tube, ensuring that it is not bent, twisted or clogged.
- Check cables, terminals and case for obvious damage or loose connections.
QHow do I determine the right battery for my car?
A The best way is to consult the vehicle owner´s manual for the correct group size and minimum rating.If this is not available,you can look up the vehicle make,model and year in a battery application guide and note the recommended group size and rating given.You should not use a battery with a rating lower than which the vehicle manufacturer recommends.There is no problem using a higher rated battery than that specified for the vehicle.In fact,moving to a higher rating will improve starting in the case for older vehicles and,in general, provide longer battery life.
QHow do I know when I need to replace my battery?
A
Warnings that a battery may need replacing or that the electrical system needs checking include:
- Slow or interrupted turnover of the starter motor.
- The instrument panel indicates battery "discharge" for extended period after the engine is already running.
- The battery seems to lose power quickly in cold or extended starts.
- The headlights dim at idle.?Unfortunately,many times there is little if any warning. If you suspect your battery is failing, the prudent thing to do is to have it load tested to replaced.
QHow do you determine whether a battery has been charged?
A
The following characteristics will tell you if a battery has been properly charged:
- The specific gravity of the acid is over 1.275(conventional type batteries only).
- Maximum voltage output across battery terminals can be maintained at constant level for two hours.
- Open circuit voltage is stablized @ 12.7v or higher @ 6.3v or higher for 6 volt batteries.
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