7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
1/992
D ate C oding of batteries for stock rotation purposes
A -Storage
1 Alw ays rotate your stock. Practice FIFO (First In, First O ut).
B atteries slow ly lose their charge, and good stock-rotation
stops batteries going flat in storage and m akes sure that
the custom er buys a good battery.
O n the back of the battery. There is a label show ing theexpected period before the battery w ill require recharging.
This m akes it easy to identify the oldest and new est
batteries in stock. Please use the recharge date to ensure
that the oldest batteries leave your stock first. R echarge
date is only an indication of recharge period as self
discharge is subject to storage conditions.
2 Store batteries in a cool, dry, w ell-ventilated area.
3 Protect batteries from excessive heat. (H eat causes
batteries to lose charge m ore quickly, and excessive heat
can dam age batteries).
4 Store batteries in an upright position. (To stop them falling
over or leaking).
5 D o not stack batteries on top of other batteries. (To avoid
scratching, and tearing labels. To avoid dam aging term inals
that stand proud of the lid).
6 Store shrink-w rapped batteries up to 3 high. (Any higher
and there is a risk of them falling over and injuring people).
7 D o not rem ove any seals from dry-charged batteries until
you are ready to com m ission the battery by filling it w ith
acid. (The seal preserves the charge in the battery. If it is
broken, air w ill enter and cause the battery to lose charge).
8 Store batteries on racks or on pallets, not on the floor.
(Sm all stones or sharp points on a concrete floor can
dam age the base of the battery and cause leakage).
9 M ake sure handles are left in the flat (dow n) position.
U pright handles are m ore likely to be dam aged.
B Maintenance ofStock handling andrecharging of batteries
WET Charged Bat teries
1. B atteries should be installed ideally w ithin 15 m onths after
m anufacture. The voltage should be (w orse case higher
than 12.25V) ideally higher than 12.4V at the tim e ofinstallation.
2. B atteries require recharging w hen the voltage has dropped
below 12.4V due to extended w arehouse storage. All safety
precautions should be undertaken prior to recharging
batteries.
See charging instruction section in catalogue for further
details.
If a b attery has been recharged, the recharge date on the
back label should be updated by 6 m onths after second
recharge date by physically notching the label. (N ote a
m axim um of tw o recharges are allow ed prior to sale, and
product should not be sold a m axim um of 9 m onths after
the expiry of first recom m ended recharge date).2.1 A voltage check should be carried out as a m atter of
course, both to identify older stock and highlight batteries
req uiring recharge.
2.2 U se a digital voltm eter/m ultim eter w ith a m inim um of 2
figure resolution (eg 12.76V).
2.3 Scrap any batteries below 11.0V (these batteries w ill have
developed sulphation that cannot be com pleted reversed
by charging and so w ill not give the expected perform ance
and life to the custom er.
2.4 N ote D igital C onductance testers (such as M idtronics
and/or B osch B AT121) are:-
N O T designed for the testing of new batteries.
D igital battery testers are not designed to check the
fully developed cold cranking perform ance of a
new battery.
They are designed purely for the testing and
evaluation of faulty or used batteries.
Any C C A/state of health reading from the test on a
new battery C AN N O T be a reliable guide as to
specification of the battery.
See com m ents on D igital C onductance testers.
DRY Charged Batteries: Maintenance of Stock
Sales of dry charged batteries w ithin our range is very lim ited,
usually for specialist m arkets and hence not listed in this
catalogue.
1. If you keep the batteries cool and dry, and do not rem ove
the seal, dry-charged batteries do not need any other
attention.
2. The m axim um storage tim e of dry-charged batteries before
they are com m issioned by filling w ith acid is 24 m onths.
3. If the seal is dam aged, the batteries should be w etted up
im m ediately and the product then treated as W ET
C H AR G ED batteries.
All You Need To Know About Batteries
Before handling, charging or installingbatteries, please understand and complywith the precautions given in Health andSafety Information in this Catalogue.
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
2/9193
The all-powerful, high performance range from GS
All You Need To Know About Batteries continued
C : DRY Charge Batteries : Commissioning1. O nly com m ission a dry-charged battery w hen it is needed
for a custom er.
2. If fitted , rem ove and discard any sealing plugs, tape or foil.
3. If fitted, rem ove and keep norm al vent-plugs and term inal
covers (usually red and black).
4. For filling, use battery-grade dilute sulphuric acid of specific
gravity 1.270 1.280 at 25C conform ing to B S3031 or
better. (N ote: contam inated acid w ith im purities can
seriously dam age the life of the battery, in som e cases
reducing this to a few days. D o not use acid from old
batteries).
5. The tem perature of the acid and the battery should both be
at room -tem perature in the range 15 - 30C .
6. Fill each cell w ith acid to a level of 3 6m m above the top s
of the separators. Fill each cell one after the other and
com plete the filling in one operation.
7. Leave the battery for 20 30 m inutes and then m easure the
open-circuit voltage. If it is below 12.50V, charge thebattery. (See Section G ). If it is above 12.50V, adjust the
acid-levels to the correct operating levels w ith dilute
sulphuric acid of specific gravity 1.270 1.280.
See S ection D .
8. Fit the norm al vent-plugs and term inal covers.
9. W ash the battery w ith hot w ater and dry it.
10.N ote that perform ance checks on new ly-com m issioned
dry-charged batteries w ith m odern electronic digital testers
using conductance technology are not recom m ended.
Exam ples are testers supplied by M idtronics or B osch. The
results can be m isleading until the battery has undergone
som e service use.
D - Electrolyte-Levels (Acid-Levels)inService
Notes: Please read before adjusting acid-levels.
Do not top up to the m axim um levels a battery that needs
charging. (Levels rise on charging). H ow ever, if the levels
are below the tops of the sep arators, top up w ith distilled or
deionised w ater until the separators are just covered.
Adjust levels to the m axim um levels only after the battery
has stood for at least an hour after charging.
N ever overfill a battery. (The acid m ay com e out of the vent-
plugs w hen the battery is being charged).
U se only distilled or deionised w ater for topping up.
(Sulphuric acid should never be used except for the initial
filling of a battery). D o not use bottled M ineral w ater
(im purities w ithin the w ater w ill increase w ater loss and
battery self discharge).
1. W hen the battery is in service, the electrolyte levels should
be checked and adjusted to the levels given below .
2. If the battery has a m axim um level line on the side of the
container, fill to this m axim um level.
3. If there is no m axim um line, but there are filling tubes
projecting from the bottom of the lid, fill to the bottom
of the tubes.
4. If there is not a m axim um line nor filling tubes in
polypropylene batteries, fill to 7m m (0.25 inches) below
the bottom edge of the lid-skirt.
5. If there are no filling tubes in hard-rubber batteries, fill to
15m m (0.5 inches) above the tops of the separators.
E -Selecting the Correct Battery for theApplication
Car and Commercial Vehicle (CV) Batteries
1. Select the specified battery from the A pplication Section
of this C atalogue.
2. O n 24 Volt system s, or w hen 2 off 12 Volt batteries are
fitted in parallel, both batteries should be replaced at the
sam e tim e. Failure to do this w ill result in a greatly reduced
battery life for the new battery that has been fitted.
W hen batteries are joined in series, the negative term inal
of one battery is connected to the positive term inal of the
other, giving a total voltage of 24 Volts. The Am pere-hour
capacity of the system is the sam e as that of the individual
batteries.
W hen batteries are joined in parallel, the positive term inals
of the 2 batteries are connected together, and the negative
term inals of the 2 batteries are also connected together.
The voltage of the system rem ains unchanged at 12 Volts,
but the Am pere-hour capacity of the system is double thatof the individual batteries.
Neptune Leisure Batteries
1. U se the battery w ith the perform ance and size
recom m ended by the equipm ent supplier.
2. W e recom m end that a leisure battery in a m edium cyclic
application should be sized so that it is not norm ally
discharged to m ore than 50 per cent state-of-charge. This
w ill ensure that the battery gives a good life. The life of a
battery regularly discharged by 50 percent is about 5 tim es
that of a battery regularly discharged to 100 per cent. For
exam ple, a load of 4A for 10 hours w ill discharge a batteryby 30Ah. If this represents 50 per cent state-of-charge, w e
w ould recom m end a 80A h battery.
Neptune Marine Batteries
1. The M arineLine battery range has been designed w ith
greater cyclic durability than the Leisureline range and
principally designed for hotel load usages on boats.
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
3/994
F - Removing Batteries and InstallingBatteries on Vehicles
Removing Batteries
1. It is good practice to tell the custom er that, w hile you w ill do
your best to keep the m em ory settings, it is possible these
m ight be lost.2. M ake sure the hand-brake is on, and that the car is in
neutral or park. Sw itch off all electrical loads and rem ove
the ignition key from the car. N ote: O n som e cars, the doors
w ill lock w hen the battery is disconnected so this is w hy the
key should be rem oved from the car. Also sw itch off any
non-factory-fitted alarm s.
3. C heck that the cigar lighter is still w orking. If not, turn the
ignition key to the auxiliary position. Install a C om puter
M em ory Saver (C M S).
4. D isconnect the earth-connector first. (This is norm ally the
negative on m odern vehicles). This can result in the loss of
m em ory settings; please refer to the vehicle handbook.
5. D isconnect the live-connector second. If a C M S is used, the
connector w ill still rem ain live after it has been disconnected.
To prevent the connector shorting against the car, place an
insulator such as a rubber glove over the connector.
6. R em ove the hold-dow n clam ps.
Preparation of a Bat tery for Fitting
1. C heck that the battery has the correct polarity for the
vehicle.
2. C heck that the battery has the correct height for the vehicle.
(If a battery is too high, it can short out on the bonnet or the
bottom of a seat, or it can dam age the bonnet).3. It is good practice to place the old and new battery side by
side to com pare polarities, hold-dow ns and perform ance-
levels. Som e batteries have hold-dow ns at both the sides
and ends. O nly the ones used for securing the battery on
the vehicle need to be checked.
4. C heck that the battery is clean and dry.
5. C heck that the vent-plugs or m anifolds are firm ly in position.
6. C heck that the battery has a voltage above 12.40V. If not,
charge the battery or use another that has a voltage above
12.40V.
7. Ensure the 2 term inal caps are still fitted at this stage.
Preparation of the Vehicle
1. C lear aw ay any item s on the battery-tray w hich m ight
dam age the battery. (Placing a heavy battery on a piece of
sharp grit can puncture the b ottom of the battery).
2. C heck that the connectors, the hold-dow n clam ps and the
tray are clean and corrosion-free. (If there is any corrosion,
hot w ater w ill instantly rem ove this). If there is severe
corrosion w hich m ight affect the stability of the battery or
has affected other parts of the engine com partm ent, have
the vehicle checked by an authorised distributor.
3. C heck that the alternator drive-belt tension is correct.
R efer to the vehicle handbook or service m anual.
4. It is recom m ended that the electrical system , and
particularly the charging system , of the vehicle be checked
to m ake sure it is operating correctly. R efer to the vehicle
handbook or service m anual.
Installing the Battery
1. Fit and tighten the hold-dow n clam ps. These should be
tight enough to secure the battery and not allow it to m ove.
DO NO T OVERTIG HTEN.
2. C onnect the live-connector first to the correct battery-
term inal (norm ally the positive) after rem oving the term inal
cap. D O N O T O VERTIG H TEN.
3. C onnect the earth-connector to the other term inal after
rem oving the term inal cap. D O N O T O VER TIG H TEN .
4. Place the 2 term inal caps on the old battery that has been
rem oved from the vehicle to avoid the possibility of short-
circuits.5. R eplace onto the new battery any com ponents that have
been taken from the old battery such as exhaust tubes,
vent-elbow s, term inal covers, rem ovable hold-dow n strips
(w idgets) etc.
6. The use of petroleum -jelly (Vaseline) is not necessary on
m odern polypropylene batteries, but there is no
disadvantage in using it. Sm ear lightly on the term inals.
It is still recom m ended for hard-rubber batteries. D o not
use grease.
7. Rem ove the C M S.
8. Start the engine
9. For non-autom otive applications, install the battery in linew ith the equipm ent-suppliers recom m endation.
G- Charging Off-Vehicle
Note: Please read before charging batteries
Do N O T charge a battery if its tem perature is below 3C as
the electrolyte m ay have frozen.
C harging the battery on the vehicle is not recom m ended.
Refer to Section F for inform ation about rem oving the
battery from the vehicle.
Sealed and AG M vehicle batteries should be charged onlyon constant potential chargers or sm artchargers. D o not
charge on constant current chargers or boost chargers.
Sealedvehicle batteries do not allow any access to the
electrolyte, and so cannot be topped up. There are no
rem ovab le vent-plugs or m anifolds. The battery is able to
vent gases through breathing holes, and so it is not strictly
sealed.
A new , unused battery w ith a voltage below 11.00V should
be scrapped and not charged. See S ection B .
All You Need To Know About Batteries continued
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
4/9195
The all-powerful, high performance range from GS
All You Need To Know About Batteries continued
General Procedure for All Types of Chargers
This section gives com m on inform ation for all types of
chargers. The sections below give details for different types of
charger.
1. C heck the electrolyte-levels in all the cells. If these are
below the tops of the separators, top up w ith distilled ordeionised w ater to the tops of the separators. D o not fill to a
higher level before charging, but adjust the levels after
charging. See Section D .
2. If you are using a constant-current charger or a boost-
charger, rem ove the vent-plugs or m anifolds before
charging. (See below ). There is no need to rem ove the vent-
plugs or m anifolds if you are using a constant-potential or a
sm artcharger.
3. C heck that the charger is sw itched off.
4. W hen fitting the charger to the battery, connect the positive
lead to the positive term inal and the negative lead to the
negative term inal.
5. Sw itch on the charger. See below for the correct charging
conditions depending on your type of charger.
6. Stop charging if the battery begins to gas freely (som e
gassing is norm al during the last stages of charging) or if
the battery tem perature rises above 50C.
7. Sw itch off the charger.
8. It is good practice to w ait for about 20 m inutes for the
gases to clear before rem oving the leads from the battery
as som e chargers rem ain liveand can cause a spark.
9. C heck the electrolyte-levels in all the cells and top up if
necessary. See Section D .
10.R efit vent-plugs or m anifolds if these have been rem oved.11.W ash the battery w ith hot w ater and dry it.
12.N ote. M any custom ers severely underestim ate the am ount
of tim e necessary to charge a flat battery. This results in
custom ers returning batteries saying that they have
charged the battery but that it is still not holding charge.
Types of Charger and how to Use these.
There are m any types of charger available; their w orking
principles and the procedure for using these is given below .
Index
S ection C harger Type1 C onstant C urrent C hargers.
2 C onstant P otential C hargers.
3 M odified Constant Potential Chargers.
4 Sm artC hargers.
5 B oost C hargers.
1. CONSTANT CURRENT CHARGERS.
These m aintain a fixed, constant, preset current throughout the
charging period irrespective of the battery on-charge voltage.
D o not charge AG M batteries on a constant current charger.
Charging Procedure with Constant Current Chargers
A. Ideally, charge each battery on a separate charger unit. Ifthis is not possible, charge batteries in series. W e d o not
recom m end charging batteries in parallel because it is not
possible to control the am ount of current passing through
each battery.
If batteries in different states-of-charge are being charged
in series, each battery should be rem oved as soon as it is
charged. (If you w ait until the last battery is charged, som e
of the batteries w ill be overcharged).
B . M easure the open-circuit voltage of the battery. To obtain a
stable voltage, the battery should not have been used or
charged for a m inim um of 3 hours before checking the
voltage.
C . C harge the battery at the recom m ended charge rate (See
B attery Specifications section of the C atalogue). If you
cannot set the recom m ended rate, extend or reduce the
charging tim e on a pro rata basis.
For exam ple, if the recom m endation is to charge the
battery at 4.0A for 6 hours (24Ah = 4.0 x 6), charge the
battery for 12 hours if you can only set the charger at 2.0A
(24Ah = 2.0 x 12).
D . C harge the battery for the num ber of hours show n in the
table below depending on the open-circuit voltage.
For exam ple, if the battery has a voltage of 12.16V, charge
it for 10 hours at the recom m ended charge rate.
O PEN -C IR C U IT C H AR G IN G
VO LTAG E (V) TIM E (H O U R S)
Above 12.40 4
12.31 12.40 6
12.21 12.30 8
12.11 12.20 10
12.01 12.10 12
11.91 12.00 14
11.81 11.90 16
11.71 11.80 18
11.00 11.70 20
B elow 11.00 See paragraph E below
E If you are charging a battery below 11.00V (overdischarged)that has been in service, a specialised charger capable of
providing a very high charging voltage m ay be necessary,
and the recom m ended current m ay not be obtainable at
first. In this case, m onitor the current and adjust as
necessary during the charge.
If a battery has becom e overdischarged, it w ill have lost
both life and perform ance because of irreversible
sulphation. C harging m ay reduce further its potential life.
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
5/996
2. CONSTANT POTENTIAL CHARGERS.These m aintain a fixed, constant, preset voltage throughout the
charging period. The current cannot be set and w ill fall as the
battery state-of-charge increases.
Charging Procedure with Constant Potential and
Modified Constant Potential Chargers.
A These chargers are norm ally designed to charge one
battery at a tim e.
B Stop charging w hen the battery is gassing freely and the
battery-voltage show s no increase over a period of at least
2 hours.
C N ote. The m ajority of constant potential chargers are
incapable of charging a severely overdischarged (below
11.00V) battery in a realistic period of tim e. A m inim um of
24 hours is norm al.
It m ight be im possible to charge an overdischarged battery.
3. MODIFIED CONSTANT POTENTIAL CHARGERS.The m ajority of com m ercial chargers , particularly hom e-
chargers, are of this type, and allow neither the voltage nor the
current to be preset.
Charging Procedure with Modified Constant
Potential Chargers.A U se the sam e procedure as for C onstant Potential
C hargers in the paragraph above.
4. SMART CHARGERS.The latest generation of chargers is able to check the battery
condition, and to supply autom atically a controlled charge that
w ill charge the battery in the fastest tim e w ithout dam aging itand w ithout overcharging it at the end of the charge. Som e
sm artchargers have a special setting for all-calcium batteries
and w ill charge these from flat, w hich m ost other chargers are
unable to do.
Charging Procedure with Smart Chargers
A Follow the m anufacturers instructions.
B These chargers should be able to charge overdischarged
(below 11.00V) batteries. N ote that som e have a special
setting for all-calcium batteries.
5. BOOST CHARGERS.These provide a very high initial current, and are used m ainly to
put som e charge into a flat battery w hen it is needed urgently
by the custom er. The current falls as the battery state-of-
charge increases, and the battery tem perature is m onitored to
m ake sure it does not overheat.
Charging Procedure with Boost Chargers
A B oost charging is not recom m ended except in exceptional
circum stances eg a stranded custom er, as this w ill reduce
battery life, especially if a battery is boost-charged m ore
than once.
B N ever boost-charge any battery that is below 11.00 Volts
as it w ill be too sulphated to accept a charge; scrap the
battery or charge norm ally.
C O nly use a boost-charger that lim its the charging voltage to
a m axim um of 14.2 Volts and that has a tem perature
m onitor.
D Follow carefully the charger-m anufacturers instructions.
H - Checking Battery-Performance
1. ELECTRONIC TESTERS USING CONDUCTANCE
TECHNOLOGY.
1. The latest generation of testers is digital. Exam ples are
M idtronics and B osch testers. These w ill give an im m ediate
decision on about 80 per cent of batteries in service,
including flat ones. In the rem aining 20 per cent of cases,
the batteries need recharging before testing.
2. These testers show w hether the battery is in a good,
charged condition, w hether it is discharged or w hether itneeds replacing.
3. N ote. This is the preferred m ethod of checking batteries as
it does not take any charge out of the battery. It is also
easier, quicker and safer.
2. DIGITAL CONDUCTANCE TESTERS EXPLAINED.
As reported by m ost battery m anufacturers, som e confusion
has been created w ithin the battery industry regarding the
apparent perform ance of batteries after tests conducted w ith
digital conductance testers (e.g. M idtronics, B osch B AT121
being the m ost com m on types currently on the m arket).
It is im portant that the purpose of these tester is clearlyunderstood.
D igital conductance battery testers are not designed to check
the cold cranking perform ance of a new battery. They are
purely designed for testing and evaluation of suspect or used
batteries. Any C C A or state of health reading from the test
C AN N O T be a reliable guide as to the specification of the
battery.
The B C I and European E N standard as a testing benchm ark for
m anufacturing process.
G S B atteries (part of the G S Yuasa C orporation) is one of the
largest m anufacturers w orldw ide of Lead acid Autom otive
batteries and its batteries are designed to confirm to theinternationally recognised standards.
For exam ple, the initial perform ance testing procedure
according to the EN 50342:2006 requires a m inim um of 12
w orking days of testing and significant resources in equipm ent
to validate batteries. All G S branded batteries sold into the
m arket and regularly audit tested to ensure conform ance to the
relevant standard.
The EN 50342 standard has created further confusion in the
m arket by listed tw o conform ance level standard for high rate
cold cranking perform ance w hich are not clear to the end user
w ithout full access to the ETN part num ber listing.
All You Need To Know About Batteries continued
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
6/9197
The all-powerful, high performance range from GS
All You Need To Know About Batteries continued
EN 1 Test @ -18C 10s to 7.5V, 10 seconds rest than 60% of
current to 6V w here tim e should be greater than 73s.
EN 2 Test @ -18C 10s to 7.5V, 10 seconds rest than 60% of
current to 6V w here tim e should be greater than 133s.
The rating of the battery obviously varies subject to battery
design, but for exam ple a battery rated at 1000A according to
EN 1, could only be rated at 920A according to E N 2. The
inform ation of w hich standard the battery is rated is currentlyheld w ithin the ETN num ber e.g. 550 034 050
550 = > 12 Volt 50A h battery
034 = > Is a specific num ber to that battery w hich
gives details of lid type, life, vibration resistance
and also w hether the battery conform s to E N 1
or EN 2 high rate
050 = > H igh rate current in this case 500A
There are currently nearly 2000 individual battery num bers
listed on the ETN data base by different battery m anufacturers
and users. This currently m akes it unclear to the custom er to
w hat rating the battery is capable of m eeting EN 1 or EN 2
w ithout access to the listing.
In order to m inim ise confusion, G S currently use the longerestablished A m erican B C I SAE rating for cold cranking am ps
w hich is the current to deliver 30 seconds to 7.2V at a
tem perature of -18C. This is seen as a fairer com parison to
give a balanced view of the batteries durability and starting
perform ance.
The evolution of the Conductance tester into the market
In the last ten years, com paratively inexpensive conductance
m eters have entered the m arket w hich are able to determ ine
the specific internal resistance of an autom otive battery using
the principles of the AC W heatstone bridge (w hich you m ay
rem em ber from school days). The clear advantage of these
devices is that they are portable, easily operated, no sparking
risks from carrying out traditional high rate load droptest anddeliver results in just a few seconds.
Disadvantages
The disadvantage of the conductance tester is that they all use
a standard algorithm (program ) to estim ate the C C A reading
from the m easured internal resistance reading. The values
given by these m eters are not com parable w ith those
determ ined using the laboratory test equipm ent w here
batteries are physical discharged under real high discharge
load, at a tem perature of -18C. D ue to differences in battery
designs it is not possible to give a perfect relationship betw een
internal resistance and actual perform ance in the laboratory.
Laboratory testing show s that the algorithm used in
conductance testers penalises batteries w here the batterydesign has been optim ised (w ith heavier high density, fine
porosity plates) for durability/cyclic endurance than those
designs optim ised for high rate perform ance.
For the evaluation of new factory fresh batteries different
readings can be seen depending on the m anufacturers plate
design and acid density. Even significantly different readings
can be obtained betw een different brands of tester. Expanded
plates give a higher reading than a cast plate, as the cast plate
has a full fram e construction for im proved conductivity. The grid
size can be reduced and m ade thicker to access the active
m aterials tow ard the bottom of the plate. This design difference
for exam ple has a difference on the conductance readings
w here the tester correlates to the C C A reading based on a
standard form ula. The testing of new batteries is m ore com plex
as testing under the EN 50342 standard requires the battery to
be conditioned after a num ber of cycles w hich alter the
conductance of the paste and hence causes m ore variation in
tester data produced.
For this reason, G S and other m ajor battery m anufacturers
recom m end that the confirm ation of the com pliance of unused
batteries to the EN or B C I can only be determ ined using
lab oratory testing and that digital conductance tester are not
suitable to evaluate the perform ance of new unused b atteries.
3. OPEN-CIRCUIT VOLTAGE AND HIGH-RATE
DISCHARGE TESTERS.
1. M easure the open-circuit voltage of the battery using a
digital voltm eter or a m ultim eter. To obtain a stable voltage,
the battery should not have been used or charged for a
m inim um of 3 hours before checking the voltage.
2. If the voltage is below 12.40V, charge the battery inaccordance w ith Section G .
N ote. This type of tester w ill only give an accurate result on
a fully-charged battery. A com m on m istake is to use this
type of tester on a discharged battery, and to judge that the
battery is faulty if a cell is seen to boil. A boilingcell on a
flat battery does not m ean that the battery is faulty.
3. Apply a current-load equal to half the SAE C C A cold
cranking Am ps for 15 seconds. For exam ple, discharge a
600A battery at 300A. O bserve the voltage during this tim e
and record the voltage after 15 seconds. You w ill find the
C C A in the B attery Specifications section of the C atalogue
or on the lab el. U se an ap proved, calibrated tester.
4. If the voltage after 15 seconds is stable and above 9.60V,
the battery is in a satisfactory condition w ith no faults.
5. If the voltage is below 9.60V after 15 seconds and it is
unstable, norm ally falling quickly, the battery should be
replaced.
4. DROP TESTERS.
1. Drop testershave 2 spikes that are pressed into the tops
of the battery term inals and a sim ple voltm eter to check the
discharge voltage.
2. W e do not recom m end the use of these testers as:
They are potentially unsafe to use as m ost types produce aspark w hen the spikes are first pressed into the term inals.
The discharge rate is sim ilar for all sizes of battery, and so
they do not give a good ind ication of battery-condition.
They give m isleading results on discharged batteries.
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
7/998
I - Maintenance inService
General
1. Alw ays refer to the inform ation contained in the handbook
or brochure supplied w ith the vehicle or equipm ent.
Definition of Maintenance-Free1. O ur starter batteries for cars and com m ercial vehicles
conform to the relevant sections of B S EN 50342-1: 2006
for m aintenance-free characteristics.
This m eans that in norm al vehicle applications in tem perate
clim ate operation, it is not necessary to add w ater.
2. O ur batteries are designed to be topped up w ith w ater if
w ater should be lost ow ing to, for exam ple, a charging
system fault, prolonged operation in hot clim ates,
excessive off-vehicle charging etc.
3. N ote. The term m aintenance-free applies only w hen the
battery is used in an approved autom otive or com m ercial
vehicle application.
Definition of Low Maintenance
1. Low m aintenance batteries in norm al vehicle applications in
tem perate clim ate operation need w ater-addition only at
yearly intervals.
2. O ur batteries are designed to be topped up w ith w ater if
w ater should be lost ow ing to, for exam ple, a charging
system fault, prolonged operation in hot clim ates,
excessive off-vehicle charging etc.
3. N ote. The term low m aintenance applies only w hen the
battery is used in an approved com m ercial vehicle
application.
Battery Maintenance in Automotive Applications
1. C arry out the checks below at the recom m ended vehicle
service intervals.
2. C heck the electrolyte-level and top up w ith w ater if
necessary. See Section D for details about how to do this.
(As explained above, it should not be necessary to add w ater
unless the battery has encountered exceptional conditions).
3. C heck that the battery is clean and dry and that the vents
are not obstructed.
4. C heck that the term inal-connectors and the hold-dow n
clam ps are securely-connected and corrosion-free.5. If the battery is on a vehicle that is not to be used for an
extended period (m ore than 1 m onth), disconnect it from
the vehicle. R efer to Section F for inform ation ab out
rem oving the battery from the vehicle. M odern cars have
electrical accessories that slow ly discharge the battery
even w hen the ignition key has been rem oved .
Som e accessories such as alarm s, trackers, and phones
can cause a battery to becom e discharged in a few w eeks.
6. Fully charge the battery before storage and give it a
refreshing charge every 3 m onths. See Section G .
Battery Maintenance in Non-Automotive Traction
and Deep Discharge Applications
1. Typical applications are law nm ow ers, electric w heelchairs,
caravans etc. The Leisure B attery range is recom m ended
for these applications; standard vehicle batteries are not
suitable.
2. Ensure that the battery is alw ays kept in as high a state-of-charge as possible. Alw ays recharge im m ediately after use.
3. C heck the electrolyte-levels on a regular basis dependent
upon use. Charging batteries regularly on a non-vehicle
charging system m ay result in a higher rate of w ater-loss.
4. C heck that the battery is clean and dry and that the vents
are not obstructed.
5. If the battery is not to be used for an extended period (m ore
than 1 m onth), fully charge it before storage, and give it a
refreshing charge every 3 m onths. See S ection G .
Battery Maintenance in Non-Automotive Float
Applications
1. Typical applications are m otor-generators, stand-by
applications etc. The Leisure B attery range is
recom m ended for these applications; standard vehicle
batteries are not suitable.
2. B atteries used in these applications should be changed
every 2 years or m ore frequently. (C ontinuous charging,
even from a w ell-controlled charging system , w ill result in
internal degradation of the battery. This could result in the
battery not giving its predicted output w hen required even
though the battery appears to be fully-charged).
3. Ensure that the battery is alw ays kept in as high a state-of-
charge as possible w ithout causing excessive overcharge.Alw ays recharge im m ediately after use.
4. C heck the electrolyte-level on a regular basis dependent
upon use, but not less frequently than m onthly. C harging
batteries continuously on a non-vehicle charging system
m ay result in a higher rate of w ater-loss.
5. C heck that the battery is clean and dry and that the vents
are not obstructed.
6. If the battery is not to be used for an extended period
(m ore than 1 m onth), fully charge it before storage, and
give it a refreshing charge every 3 m onths. See Section G .
7. B est practice is to define a regular m aintenance-routine,
and to record the results.This should include such variables as the am ount of w ater
added to each cell, specific gravities in each cell, battery
voltage etc.
Use of Battery Addit ives
1. W e do not recom m end the use of battery additives.
2. The use of these invalidates the guarantee.
All You Need To Know About Batteries continued
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
8/9199
The all-powerful, high performance range from GS
GSTitan AGM
Improved active mass efficiency, through better
absorption of the acid Increased lifespan due to minimal active material
shedding due to battery design
Higher cold start values
Totally Maintenance Free zero waterconsumption
Spill proof/leak proof Designed to meet latest OEM vehicle demands Compatible with sensitive electronic equipment
AGM technology now factory fitted to numerousluxury cars and Stop Start vehicle whereincreased AGM battery features are required
G Ss w orld leading m otorcycle and industrial AG M (absorbent
glass m at) technology com es to the autom otive m arket. The
G S autom otive AG M battery has been engineered to m eet the
grow ing extrem e pow er dem ands of recently introduced
vehicles now starting to enter the European afterm arket. G Ss
autom otive AG M experience com es from vehicles such as theM azda M X5 and the fam ous Toyota Prius and has now been
launched for European vehicle battery designs.
The new G S AG M European 096 and 019 sized batteries
provide reliable starting w hilst coping w ith the extrem e pow er
needs of the m odern vehicle. Laboratory evaluation is boasting
4-5 tim es the cyclic durability of standard conventional flooded
product and typically 16% higher starting pow er, even at low er
tem peratures. Increased reaction surface area ensures
increased energy densities for faster engine rotation during
starting and therefore m axim ising fuel efficiency.
The A G M batteries utilises the sam e absorbent glass m at
technology as used in G S M otorcycle and Industrial batteries
w hich have been on the m arket for over 44 years (1965). Thisabsorbent glass m at ab sorbs the batterys acid, enabling a
m ore efficient use of the cells volum e w ithout the need for
electrolyte reservoirs, as needed w ith conventional flooded
batteries. The absorbent glass m at gives a num ber of key
benefits to the design of the lead acid battery:
W ithin norm al operating cond itions, the use of the
individual cell valve design and glass m at plate
separation ensures gas recom bination occurs and
ensures that no w ater is lost therefore negating the need
for electrolyte reservoirs and freeing the user from
m aintenance.
O ne w ay venting system providing partial pressure in
each cell ensuring 100% leak proof and safe handling.
The acid absorption of the glass m at m eans that the
battery packs can be operated under higher pressures
than conventional flooded batteries this has benefits
including significantly prolonging battery cycle durability
by m inim ising paste shedding.
The increased pack pressures of the AG M battery
increase the batteries resistance to vibration.
M ore reaction surface area ensuring higher starting
capacity w ithin the sam e footprint as conventional
flooded batteries.
AGM Explained
Frequently Asked questions
Q. What are the differences between flooded and AGM
Lead Acid batteries?A. See above, AG M batteries are built using a glass m at
separator w hich enable all the electrolyte required by the
battery to be stored w ithin the glass m at, also allow ing any
gasses given off during charging to be recom bined into
w ater m eaning that the batteries are totally m aintenance
free. The design benefits of the glass m at over
conventional flooded batteries enable the battery pack to
operate under higher pressure w ithout the fear of
insufficient electrolyte betw een the plates, leading to the
step change in durability offered by AG M batteries over
flooded. The quality of the glass m at is a critical item in
ensuring the optim um life of the battery versus its
application. This experience has been gained by G S from
over 44 years experience in the field using this technology.
The autom otive application battery designs are balanced
w ith greater high rate starting perform ance and cycle life
for the increased service/technological requirem ents ofm odern vehicle designs.
Q. What are the differences betweenGEL and AGM(starved) batteries?
A. B oth are recom binant batteries (i.e. under norm al
operating conditions they recom bine the gases given off
during charging to form w ater) and both are classified as
sealed valve regulated.
The m ajor difference is that in the AG M , the electrolyte is
fully soaked into a special absorbed glass m at separator
w hich im m ob ilises the acid, w hereas in the G EL batteries
the acid is m ixed w ith Silica to form a G EL alsoim m ob ilising the acid. The benefits of AG M over G EL are
that w ith the use of absorbed glass m at, the battery pack
can be operated under a greater operating pressure so
im proving cyclic durability. W ith G EL, sim ilar pack pressure
can not be used so durability is usually provided by
increased paste density w hich is good for life but not as
good for high rate startability perform ance as req uired for
autom otive applications.
Q. Why is charging voltage so critical to bothGEL andAGM batteries?
A. C harge voltage is critical w ith these types of batteries as
both are recom binant batteries. This m eans that theoxygen that is norm ally produced on the positive plate in all
lead acid batteries recom bines w ith hydrogen given off by
the negative plate. The recom bination of the hydrogen and
oxygen produces w ater, w hich recycles back to the battery
acid, therefore the battery is m aintenance free and does
not need topping up.
The sealing vent used in the design ensures that a positive
internal pressure is m aintained to ensure the
recom bination of the gasses occur and not allow the cell
to dry out and fail.
Information
7/21/2019 All You All You Need To Know About BatteriesNeed to Know About Batteries
9/900
AGM Explained continued SilverStatement
In addition, the valve m ust safely release any excess
pressure that m ay be produced during overcharging
(e.g. alternator rectifier fault), otherw ise the cell w ould be
irreversibly dam aged. The excessive pressure that the
valve is releasing is both hydrogen and oxygen w hich can
not recom bined w ithin the battery so breaks the cycle,
net result is that battery w ould eventually dry out.
It m ust be noted that an AG M battery m ust never be
opened once it leaves the factory, as sulphation could
occur on the plates leading to an irreversible loss in
perform ance.
G el batteries are m ore critical to correct charging as
overcharge can lead to the gel being irreversibly dam aged,
AG M are not subject to this failure m ode and hence are
m ore suitable for autom otive use.
Q. Can I store my AGM battery in my garage during thewinter or will it freeze?
A.As w ith flooded batteries, providing the batteries are kept
in a charged state, batteries can be stored w ithout any
fears of freezing.
Q. Can I store my AGM battery on the garage floor?
A. M any people have the im pression that w hen batteries sit
on concrete the energy leaks out, the truth is that you can
let any m odern battery sit on concrete w ithout fear of harm
or accelerated self discharge.
This m yth stem s from the days of the old w ooden/glass
case batteries, w here dam p floors led to w ater soaking up
into outer w ooden cases causing sw elling of the w ood. In
fact w ith m odern batteries in hard plastic cases, concrete
is generally an excellent surface on w hich to store a battery.
The key issue is that the floor should not have any sharp
objects w hich m ay dam age the battery casing; there are
no electrochem ical reasons.
Q. Do AGM batteries have a memory?A. N o, this is only a function of N ickel Alkaine B attery system
such as N ickel cadm ium .
Information regarding the use ofSilverCalcium Batteries
Ford introduced silver calcium batteries w orldw ide for their
vehicles in 1997 together w ith a sm art charging system . They
told their dealers that these batteries m ust be replaced only
w ith other silver-calcium batteries as the life of norm al lead
antim ony batteries w ould be drastically reduced if these w ereused for replacem ent. This of course, im plies that G S batteries
m ust not be used.
G S calcium and calcium /calcium batteries can be used
on all Ford vehicles giving a life that is at least as good as
recom m ended Ford replacem ent batteries in the U K
m arket.
G S autom otive batteries are equally suitable for Ford
vehicles m ade before 1997 and in addition use the
original design of battery term ination as originally fitted,
w ithout using term inal adapters.
C alcium and C alcium /C alcium batteries are used by all
m ajor vehicle m anufacturers as they are m aintenance
free under norm al operating conditions. In addition
w ithin the U K, no extrem es of clim atic tem perature are
experienced and w ater loss is not an issue for any G S
battery. G S has had m any years of supplying these
batteries to the afterm arket since the introduction of
Ford silver calcium batteries back in 1997.
G rids are still m ade of Lead. Typically less than 0.1% of
calcium is needed to give strength (note calcium is
added to the grid alloy in both calcium and hybrid
batteries). Som e custom ers think that calcium batteries
are com pletely different to lead acid batteries, but they
just rep resent another generation of the lead acid
battery.
Ford gave the follow ing reasons for using only silver calciumbatteries in their recent cars, but G S autom otive batteries w ith
their m odern technology m ore than m eet the specification.
C harge Voltage tolerance increased from 14.4V to 14.8V
G S calcium and calcium /calcium offer the sam e
tolerance to this increase in charging voltage
w ithin the U K m arket
C old cranking pow er increased by approxim ately 10%
G S batteries generally give better starting
perform ance than the batteries fitted by the vehicle
m anufacturers
Average battery life has increased to about 6 years
in the U K M arket due to a com bination of battery technology
and im proved car electrical system s.
In summary, you can fit a GS battery to any Ford car (i.e.
recommended catalogue model fitment) with the
complete assurance that it will give first time starting and
trouble free motoring.
This bulletin should help you to reply to custom ers w ho are
concerned about using a G S battery to replace a Ford silver-
calcium battery.
If you need any further inform ation please contact us.
Information