Simple Tips To Prolong Lead-Acid Battery Life

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Lead-acid batteries are still being used in most of the applications such as starter batteries for vehicles, storage for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) and for emergency backups etc. Life of lead-acid batteries depends on a number of factors such as total load, operating temperature, number of charge/discharge cycles, whether the battery is fully charged or not etc. Typically lifespan of a lead-acid battery can be anywhere between 2.5-5 years. However, it can be less than this if a battery is not chosen according to the required application. By lifespan I mean the duration for which the battery can provide at least 70% of its full capacity. The "lifespan" is also very subjective. For some applications, it would be considered that a battery at 50% of its full capacity is still usable and does not need replacement. While for other applications, a battery having 70% of its full capacity would be considered for replacement.

In this article, some simple tips will be given to prolong the lifespan of your lead-acid battery.

1. Maintain Low Depth Of Discharge
First of all, what is depth of discharge? Depth of discharge refers to the percentage of a battery that is usually discharged before charging it again. A battery with 0% depth of discharge means it is fully charged and 100% means its is fully discharged. Consider a simple scenario where 50 Ah is consumed in a typical application before the battery is allowed to fully charge again. In this scenario, 135 Ah battery would have a longer lifespan compared with a 100 Ah battery keeping all other factors constant. So always choose the battery capacity carefully as a battery which is deeply discharged more often will have a shorter lifespan.

2. Always Maintain Water Level of Battery
The cell of lead-acid batteries are immersed in a solution of acid and water. Always lookout for the water content of each cell and do not let it go below the recommended marked level on batteries. If the water level drops then it exposes the cells to air and this can greatly reduce the battery life and permanently damage it.

3. Battery Charging Current
This particularly applies to batteries installed in UPS systems. Battery charging current should be kept between 15-20% of its total capacity. If the battery is being charged more rapidly at higher current then it will produce more heat which consequently damages battery and reduces its life.

4. Fully Charge The Battery
Allow the battery to fully charge at least once a week. If the battery is employed in an application where it is not possible to fully charge it on everyday basis, then at least arrange to charge it to the full capacity at least once a week. Otherwise your battery's capacity will start to decline after some time and will impact the lifespan as well.

5. Temperature
Batteries lifespan are greatly affected by the operating temperatures. Most batteries are designed to work best around room temperature (25℃). If the temperature increases then battery life is greatly impacted. However, this is a factor that can hardly be controlled in most cases but if you do have control over it then try to locate the battery to different place with recommended temperature.

These were some simple factors to consider that can increase a lead-acid battery lifespan. Actually lifespan varies depending upon applications. Be careful while working with batteries as an error can result in injuries, damage or explosion. Seeking professional help is always advised.

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