Lead-Acid Batteries

Lead Acid Battery For Sale

Selecting the right battery determines whether your vehicle starts on winter mornings or your backup system fails during outages. Lead-acid batteries power over 320 million vehicles annually while delivering cost-effective storage for solar installations, UPS systems, and marine applications. Understanding voltage characteristics, maintenance requirements, and type differences prevents premature failure and maximizes return on investment.

What Makes Lead-Acid Batteries Work?

Lead-acid batteries convert chemical energy into electrical power through reactions between lead plates and sulfuric acid electrolyte. Each cell produces 2.1 volts nominally through controlled oxidation-reduction reactions. Six cells connected in series create standard 12-volt configurations used in automotive and backup power applications.

Which Battery Type Matches Your Application?

Flooded batteries contain liquid electrolyte requiring periodic distilled water additions but offer lowest initial costs and best sulfation recovery through equalization charging. AGM batteries suspend electrolyte in fiberglass separators, eliminating spillage risks while enabling any-orientation installation. Gel batteries immobilize electrolyte with silica compounds, providing superior performance in temperature extremes from -20°C to 50°C.

How Do Deep-Cycle Batteries Differ from Starting Batteries?

Starting batteries deliver intense 5-15 second bursts for engine cranking, then recharge from alternators. Their thin plates maximize surface area but fail rapidly when discharged below 80% state of charge. Deep-cycle batteries employ thicker plates withstanding repeated 50% discharge cycles, making them essential for RV house power, solar storage, and marine trolling motors.

What Voltage Readings Indicate Battery Health?

Voltage measurements reveal state of charge and cell health when taken at rest (no load, 30 minutes after disconnecting). Temperature significantly affects readings—cold reduces voltage and capacity by 50% at 0°C compared to 25°C operation. Voltage below 11.5V during operation indicates deep discharge requiring immediate recharge to prevent sulfation damage.

What Maintenance Extends Battery Life?

Flooded Battery Care

Check electrolyte levels monthly during summer, quarterly in cooler months. Add only distilled water to maintain levels 6mm above plate tops but 6mm below fill well bottoms. Overfilling causes acid spillage during charging. Remove terminal corrosion using baking soda solution, then apply dielectric grease. Verify tight connections quarterly—loose terminals create resistance mimicking weak batteries.

Sealed Battery Care

AGM and gel batteries eliminate water additions but require voltage monitoring. Check terminals quarterly and monitor voltage monthly with digital multimeter. Float charge at 13.2-13.8V during storage. Replace when capacity drops below 80% of rated specifications or cell voltage imbalance exceeds 0.2V.

How Should You Charge Lead-Acid Batteries?

Charge at C/10 rate (10% of amp-hour capacity) for safe charging—a 100Ah battery charges at 10 amperes maximum during bulk phase, reducing to 2-4 amperes during absorption when voltage reaches target. Fast charging exceeding C/5 generates excessive heat warping plates and accelerating water loss. Monitor temperature to remain below 50°C.

Why Does Temperature Impact Performance?

Heat accelerates all chemical reactions including degradation. Operating at 40°C reduces lifespan to 50% of rated expectations—a five-year battery lasts 2.5 years. Grid corrosion accelerates, water evaporates faster, and self-discharge doubles every 10°C increase. Cold reduces available capacity without necessarily affecting overall lifespan if batteries remain charged.

When Should Batteries Be Replaced?

What Storage Practices Preserve Capacity?

Fully charge batteries before storage, then disconnect all electrical connections preventing parasitic drain. Store in cool, dry locations between 10-20°C if possible. Recharge every 60-90 days to prevent voltage dropping below 12.4V (75% state of charge). Alternatively, connect maintenance chargers applying appropriate float voltage without overcharging.

Freezing temperatures will not damage fully charged batteries—electrolyte freezing point drops to -60°C at 1.265 specific gravity. However, discharged batteries freeze and crack at -10°C. Before returning stored batteries to service, inspect for damage, charge fully, then load-test to verify capacity recovery.