Marine Batteries Direct FAQ’s

The maintenance free product termed “sealed for life” uses Flooded Lead Acid technology, therefore it has to be vented, its box cannot be totally sealed. Extra chemicals are added to stop water useage within the battery, therefore eliminating the need to top up or maintain.

An AGM battery uses a separator consisting of fiberglass between the plate and wrappers to hold the electrolyte in its place with capillary action. Combining the lead plates, electrolyte, and fiber glass separation fibers in a confined space, AGM batteries create a “physical bond” by way of capillary action. Similar to how water creeps up a towel when it is put in a bathtub. This capillary action holds the liquid inside the glass matting, making the AGM Battery “spill proof” if it is ever exposed. Due to the tight packing of an AGM battery, it is also the most impact resistant, and boasts the least internal resistance.

AGM batteries eliminate acid spilling in accidents because they are sealed and they can also be installed at odd angles. These batteries pack a lot of power for their size and weight, meaning they are generally lighter.

AGM batteries enable longer life, are sealed and maintenance-free are are the battery to choose if a medium-duty deep cycle power source is needed.

Can I use my regular battery charger on AGM or gel cell batteries?

No, these batteries like to be charged slow and low. Many AGM/gel cell battery chargers have microprocessors that collect information from the battery and adjust the current and voltage accordingly. Some have different settings for charging flooded, gel and AGM batteries.

AGMs and gel cells can be tested the same way as conventional batteries.

False. These types of batteries have lower internal resistance than flooded batteries. Older capacitance battery testers may not be able to ­accurately read these batteries. Most new battery chargers have a special mode for AGM/gel cell ­batteries.

The Flooded Flat Plate (FFP) battery is a flooded serviceable heavy-duty Monobloc battery.

Flooded batteries are the most commonly used batteries on the market today. Flooded batteries come in the widest variety of shapes and sizes due to their widespread usage in a multitude of industries and applications. Flooded batteries again use lead plates, a sulfuric acid electrolyte, and plate separators but that is where it stops.

Usually flooded batteries are not sealed, and do not recombine the gases to liquids internally. Instead, these gases are vented externally. Internal gases produced are released directly to the environment. Through these same vents can flow acid, steam, and condensation, leading to maintenance.

Flooded serviceable batteries are unsealed and therefore require occasional maintenance to replace lost water & ensure maximum performance and longevity.

Lead plates start to deteriorate when they touch the atmosphere, so if you fail to maintain your batteries, they will corrode and fail. Flooded batteries hold very good rates of charge for the price, but require more work. Unfortunately due to the internal construction, flooded batteries have the weakest internal construction, and some very high internal resistance statistics.

GEL cell batteries are also sealed just like the AGM battery. That is where the similarities end. A GEL battery uses a silica (sand) to turn the sulfuric acid into a jelly like substance. This jelly is then used as the electrolyte. Great care must be taken with GEL batteries not to expose them to high amperage situations. High amperage situations can literally ‘SCAR’ the jelly inside of a GEL battery, creating a pocket. These pockets allow the plates to begin corroding, leading to premature failure.

GEL batteries should not be used for fast charging/discharging, or high amperage charging/discharging situations. Use the other types listed above for these high amperage situations. GEL Batteries are slightly stronger in regards to internal construction than a flooded battery, but pale in comparison to the physical strength of an AGM battery.

FTP (Flooded Tubular Plate) deep-cycle Monobloc battery, ideal for marine applications.

Features

• Flooded Tubular Plate technology

• Serviceable

• True deep-cycle and deep-discharge capabilities

• Robust outer shell + handle for easy transportation  

The FTP series utilises tubular plates -– in comparison to a flat plate, a tubular plate is a more rigid structure which is more resistant to the continued stress of deep cycling.

Flooded serviceable batteries are unsealed and therefore require occasional maintenance to replace lost water & ensure maximum performance and longevity.

BATTERY IN BRIEF

Gel Tubular is a market-leader in lead-acid technology, fusing a premium electrolyte composition with robust tubular plates.

12V Gel Tubular Plate deep-cycle Monobloc battery, ideal for use in forklifts, Industrial floor cleaners and much more. Due to being of a Group 31 box size, this battery is also highly recommended for leisure applications, particularly live-on-board canal boat, caravan, motorhome & marine.

The GTP-12110 is NCC class A approved

 Features

• Capacity ratings: 110Ah (100hr), 90Ah (20hr), 86Ah (10hr), 75Ah (5hr)
• Premium lead-acid technology – Gel Tubular Plate
• True deep-cycle and deep-discharge capabilities
• Sealed & maintenance-free
• Robust outer shell + handle for easy transportation
• Typical max. cycle life of 1500 cycles @ 80% DoD

Range Information

The GTP series is a collection of heavy-duty 2, 6 & 12 volt Gel Monobloc batteries manufactured by Leoch, one of the largest multi-range battery manufacturers in the world.

The Powabloc GTPs are part of a wider Powabloc series, which features flooded, AGM & Gel batteries to suit a variety of applications & usage patterns.

Technology Low-Down

The Powabloc GTP series features a range of Gel Tubular lead-acid batteries, designed specifically for traction and cyclic applications. The batteries within this range are Monoblocs, so-called due to their internal construction of 2V ‘blocs’ which are wired in a series. Monoblocs are ideally suited for deep cycling, and the batteries in the GTP series are more resilient to greater depths of discharge than their regular Gel counterparts.

In comparison to a flat plate, a tubular plate is a more rigid structure which is more resistant to the continued stress of deep cycling. Electrolyte is piped into the tubes and is protected and utilised more thoroughly than in flat plate batteries where the electrolyte is exposed and more prone to shedding.

Inside a battery of Gel technology, the electrolyte is suspended in a thick silica-type paste that allows electrons to flow between plates. This design brings many advantages such as being entirely maintenance-free, having an exceptionally low rate of self-discharge and being more resistant to accidental abuse or misuse than a traditional flooded battery.

Like AGMs, Gel batteries can be mounted in any orientation without the risk of leakage. They also don’t require maintenance – particularly useful for machines that are utilised by a number of different people. An important point to note is that due to the sensitivity of the technology, Gel batteries require either close attention to charging settings or their own specialised charger.

SLCA (Superior AGM Lead Carbon) battery, from Leoch’s new SLCA range of batteries.

• A Longer Service life at 1500 cycles at 50% DoD (Depth of Discharge)

• Designed for Deep Cycle Performance

• A unique mixture of carbon and other key additives found in the negative plate allows for fast charging and reduces sulphation

• It can be used in a range of applications, such as Solar, Marine, Leisure, Material handling, Aerial Work platforms, etc.

What Makes Superior Lead Carbon AGM (SLCA)
Superior to other AGMs?

Positive Plate
This paste formula used is designed to minimise water consumption providing a longer service life at 1500 cycles at 50%

DoD. Designed for deep cycle performance.

Negative Plate
A unique mixture of carbon and other key additives found in negative material allow the SLCA range to perform in partial state of Charge (PSoC). This increases charge acceptance, optimises fast charging capability and reduces sulphation (a key reason for premature failure).

Separator
This range also features a bespoke separator, designed to lower internal resistance, which keeps plates wet, maintains cell compression and prevents acid stratification. Other features include double wrapping which prevents short circuiting.

A Lead Carbon battery is an evolution of the traditional, tried & tested, VRLA AGM lead acid technology.

In a Lead Carbon battery, carbon is added to the negative plate which results in a much longer life. In fact, the added carbon gives the battery electrode many of the properties of a super-capacitor, which improves charge and discharge performance.

Partial state of charge (PSoC) performance is also much improved, with almost no sulphation between 30 and 70% SoC. Sulphation is one of the primary causes of failure of traditional lead acid batteries and is generally caused by partial charging and ageing.

Sulphation is when sulphate crystals grow on the negative plate.  In normal use, most of these crystals get re-absorbed when the battery is charged – however when the battery is left in a PSoC, some of these crystals attach permanently to the negative plate. This in turn reduces the surface area on the negative plate, which in turn reduces the capacity of the batteries.

Lead Carbon Battery Benefits

• Very high cyclic life.

• High charging efficiency (95%).

• Excellent charge acceptance.

• Reduced sulphation.

• Hugely improved PSoC performance.

• Low maintenance and no watering.

• Sealed VRLA construction – almost zero gassing.

• Lead acid batteries are >96% recyclable.

• High reliability & predictable performance.

• Wide temperature tolerance (-30 to +60°C).

RELiON’s InSight batteries are based on proven BMS technology, with hundreds of thousands of systems already in the field in demanding applications, such as aviation and robotics. That means InSight batteries are proven to deliver leading-edge performance and reliability. Since they’re based on stable LiFePO4 chemistry, they’re also safe and have a long life.

RELiON’s new InSight Series is the first LiFePO4 drop-in replacement battery, that comes in industry-standard sizes. They’re both modular and scalable and come in 12-Volt, 24-Volt, 36-Volt and 48-Volt configurations. Easily connect multiple batteries in parallel to get the power and capacity you need. Connect two 48-Volt InSight Series batteries in parallel for moderate duty applications or connect up to eight 48-Volt batteries in parallel to increase the available capacity for longer runtime. No additional
hardware needed, just connect and go!

APPLICATIONS

• AWP
• Backup Power
• Floor Machines
• Marine
• Recreational Vehicles
• Solar

Game Changing Technology
• The innovative design makes InSight batteries easy to install. Plus,
they use the connections you’re already accustomed to when
connecting in parallel.
• InSight Series eliminates worrying about cell imbalance between
batteries because the SuperSmart BMS provides Bullseye Balancing,
ensuring you get maximum capacity throughout the life of your battery.
• High demand applications often require high currents. With InSight’s
strategically placed heatsink you can run at high currents without
compromising the life of your battery or BMS.

SUPERSMART BMS :RELiON InSight Series SuperSmart BMS, the most critical component in the battery, maximizes performance, even when connected in parallel,
eliminating the need for an external master BMS, or any additional hardware.

BULLSEYE BALANCING The innovative algorithms in the SuperSmart BMS ensures precise balancing. This optimizes performance in each battery when multiple batteries are connected in parallel, providing maximum capacity and life.

INTELLIGENT COOLING Unlike other lithium batteries that can trap heat, the InSight Series uses a carefully engineered passive heat management system to quickly remove heat from inside the battery during conditions of high discharge and recharge currents. This prevents over-heating of critical components, which also extends the life of the battery.

WORKS WITH ANY BATTERY CHARGER No need to replace or upgrade your current chargers! Thanks to the SuperSmart BMS, RELiON’s InSight Series batteries are compatible with nearly all lead-acid chargers. Simply connect the batteries to the charger and the SuperSmart BMS takes care of the rest.

VISUAL LED INDICATOR InSight Series batteries include LED indicators to show the state of charge and battery status. Ideal for assessing battery status at a glance.

ADVANCED COMMUNICATIONS AND DIAGNOSTICS Each RELiON InSight Series battery includes built-in CANbus communication that provides manufacturing, application, and historical data. In OEM applications, the battery can communicate with the motor controller.

STATE OF THE ART MANUFACTURING Assembled in an advanced manufacturing facility, InSight Series batteries are tested at each stage of assembly to ensure a reliable, consistent, and high-quality product.

RELiON Battery provides our customers with the highest quality and safest lithium products, in compliance with all regulatory standards.