We’ve explained Lithium batteries to you, now it’s time to get into lead-acid batteries.
Lead Acid Batteries are one of the oldest rechargeable battery types on the market, being first invented in 1859.
The main types of Lead Acid Battery include:
- Wet Cell (flooded)
- Gel Cell
- Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)
- VRLA
Lead Acid Batteries consist of flat lead plates submerged in an electrolyte pool.
Some types require regular maintenance and the user must add water, but there are plenty of maintenance-free lead-acid batteries on the market.
Lead-acid batteries can be used in many applications including:
- Automotive starting, lighting and ignition (SLI)
- Deep Discharge
- Backup power
- Energy storage (for solar systems and off-grid electronic power systems)
- Golf carts and wheelchairs
- Marine applications
This is just a small fraction of what lead-acid batteries can be used to power.
Lead-acid batteries come as sealed and unsealed. What this means is that if you own a sealed battery, you don’t have to fill it with water and require minimal maintenance. There is also no risk of them spilling or leaking. Unsealed batteries, on the other hand, require more maintenance and need their water re-filled.
A noticeable difference between lead-acid and lithium batteries is the size and weight. Lead-acid batteries are packed with lead for storage, and Lead is heavier than the chemistry of a lithium battery. Lithium batteries are also designed in a way that allows them to be thinner.
Lead-acid is somewhat less durable than nickel-based and lithium batteries when used in deep cycling. With each charge/discharge cycle, a full discharge causes more strain and ultimately causing the battery to lose capacity. Over time, this wears the battery down and lowers its performance.
A big plus for lead-acid batteries is that they do not suffer from the memory effect the way lithium batteries do. The memory effect is where batteries develop a cyclic memory that allows the battery to “remember” how much energy has previously been drawn.
