Ultima SLM Ni-Cd battery

Technical manual

July 2004
Contents

1. Introduction 3 7. Battery charging 15

7.1 Charging methods 15
2. Battery applications 4 7.2 Charge acceptance 16
7.3 Temperature effects 17
3. Principles of the oxygen recombination cycle 5
8. Special operating factors 18
4. Construction features of the Ultima battery 7 8.1 Electrical abuse 18
4.1 Plate assembly 7 8.2 Mechanical abuse 18
4.2 Separation 8
4.3 Electrolyte 8 9. Battery sizing principles 19
4.4 Terminal pillars 8
4.5 Venting system 9 10. Installation and operating instructions 20
4.6 Cell container 9 10.1 Receiving the shipment 20
10.2 Storage 20
5. Benefits of the Ultima battery 10 10.3 Installation 20
10.4 Commissioning 22
6. Operating features 11 10.5 Charging in service 22
6.1 Capacity 11 10.6 Periodic maintenance 22
6.2 Cell voltage 11
6.3 Internal resistance 11 11. Refurbishment of Ultima batteries 23
6.4 Effect of temperature on performance 12
6.5 Short-circuit values 12 12. Disposal and recycling 24
6.6 Open circuit loss 13
6.7 Cycling 13
6.8 Water consumption 13
6.9 Gas evolution 14

2
 1. Introduction

The nickel-cadmium battery is This publication details the

the most reliable battery system design and operating
available in the market today. Its characteristics of the Saft brand
unique features enable it to be Ultima battery to enable a
used in applications and successful battery system to be
environments untenable for achieved. A battery which in
other widely available battery normal applications requires no
systems. With the advent of the topping-up but has all the well-
valve-regulated lead acid battery proven advantages of the nickel-
a new concept was available to cadmium pocket plate battery.
the customer, a battery that did
not require water replenishment.
However, this was obtained at
the cost of reliability. To give the
customer a highly reliable
battery of zero or ultra-low
maintenance Saft have
developed the Ultima
recombination pocket plate
battery.
3
2. Battery applications

Ultima batteries are designed to ● Offshore oil and gas

meet the needs of applications ● Fire and security systems
requiring the traditional high ● Process control
reliability of nickel-cadmium ● Telecommunications
pocket plate cells without the ● Mass transit
need to top-up with water. They ● Emergency lighting
are indeed the best solution for ● Railway signaling
installations, whether they are ● Switchgear
UPS systems, emergency ● UPS
lighting systems,
telecommunications, where the
risk of failure of the system is
unacceptable. Ultima batteries
are also eminently suitable for
“remote” applications such as
offshore applications and
switching substations, where the
system must have total reliability
without the need for battery
maintenance.

4
 3. Principles of the oxygen
recombination cycle
In a conventional flooded
electrolyte pocket plate nickel-
cadmium battery water is lost
from the battery on overcharge
due to the following reactions:
At the positive plate
40H- 2H20 + 02 + 4e-
(Oxygen evolution)
At the negative plate
4H20 + 4e- 2H2 + 40H-
(Hydrogen evolution)
This corresponds to a theoretical
loss of 36 g of water for 107 Ah
of overcharge i.e. 0.335 cm3
per Ah. Hence a conventional
cell requires periodic addition of
water. The frequency of this
operation depends upon the
cumulative amount of charge
received and the operating
temperature.
5
During the charging process
evolution of oxygen begins to
occur a little before the positive
plate reaches its fully charged
state and then becomes the
main reaction when the fully
charged condition is reached.
However, the cadmium negative
plate has a better charge
acceptance than the positive
plate and hydrogen is not evolved
until this plate is virtually fully
charged.
The Ultima battery has been
designed with an excess of
cadmium negative material to
enhance this effect and ensure
that oxygen evolution commences
prior to hydrogen evolution.
The oxygen which is produced at
the positive plate surface is
collected by the special porous
separator and thus not allowed
to escape from the region
between the plates. Some
displacement of electrolyte within
the separator occurs, thus
generating extra unfilled pores
for the diffusion of oxygen
directly to the adjacent cadmium
negative plate.
As soon as the oxygen reaches
the negative plate it reacts either
chemically:
2Cd + 02 + 2H20 2Cd(OH)2 (A)
or electrochemically:
02 + 2H20 + 4e- 40H- (B)
Reaction (A) has the effect of
chemically discharging some of
the cadmium to cadmium
hydroxide. The current passing
through the battery is used to
recharge this material.
Reaction (B) consumes the
current directly. Thus hydrogen
evolution at the negative plate is
suppressed because the
preferred reaction is oxygen
recombination. Hence the total
process of oxygen generation and
consumption is referred to as an
oxygen recombination cycle.
The efficiency of this oxygen
recombination process depends
upon the relationship between
the rate at which oxygen is
produced and the rate at which
it can be collected and
transferred to the negative plate
surface. The rate of collection
and transfer of oxygen is
controlled by the separator type
and the cell design.
The rate at which oxygen is The Ultima battery is fitted with
produced on overcharge is a low pressure vent on each cell.
directly related to the charge On overcharge the cells have an
current once the positive plate internal pressure above
has reached a full state of atmospheric pressure. The vent
charge. The charge current in provides an outlet for the release
turn is controlled by the charging of small quantities of hydrogen
voltage level set on the charging and non-recombined oxygen and
equipment and the ambient thus controls the internal
temperature. By controlling the pressure. When the pressure
charge voltage high efficiencies falls below the release pressure
can be obtained and in this way either on open circuit or on
the rate of water loss can be discharge the vent reseals to
reduced to a fraction of that prevent ingress of air and
from conventional batteries. minimize self-discharge
reactions.
Though the efficiency of this
oxygen recombination is high it
will never achieve 100% as small
quantities of oxygen will escape
from the separator before
reaching and reacting at the
negative plate. Thus a small
quantity of hydrogen will
ultimately be generated and
hence a low rate of water loss
will occur. The battery is
designed to accommodate this
by provision of a generous
electrolyte reserve both above
and around each cell pack within
the battery. This ensures a long
service life without the need to
replenish with water too often.
6
 4. Construction features of
the Ultima battery
The active materials of the Saft These plates are then welded to
The construction of the
Ultima pocket plate are retained a current carrying busbar which
Saft brand Ultima cell is
in pockets formed from nickel- further ensures the mechanical
based upon the proven Saft
plated steel strips double- and electrical stability of the
pocket plate technology but
perforated by a patented product.
with special features to
process. These pockets are
enhance the low water usage
mechanically linked together, cut The alkaline electrolyte does not
by means of the
to the size corresponding to the react with steel, which means
recombination cycle.
plate width and compressed to that the supporting structure of
the final plate dimension. This the Ultima battery stays intact
process leads to a component and unchanged for the life of the
4.1 Plate assembly which is not only mechanically battery. There is no corrosion
The nickel-cadmium cell consists robust but also retains its active and no risk of “sudden death”.
of two groups of plates, one material within a steel boundary
containing nickel hydroxide (the which promotes conductivity and
positive plate) and the other minimizes electrode swelling.
containing cadmium hydroxide
(the negative plate).

Clip on cover

Low pressure
flame-arresting vent
Terminal
pillars

Plate group
Plate group busbar
busbar

Polypropylene
cell container

Pocket plate Polypropylene

fibrous
separator
7
4.2 Separation
As described in section 3, the
separator is a key feature of the
Ultima battery. It is polypropylene
fibrous material which, after
exhaustive analysis of available
separator material, was specially
developed for this product to
give the features required.
Using this separator and plastic
spacing ribs, the distance
between the plates is carefully
controlled to give the necessary
gas retention to provide the level
of recombination required.
By providing a large spacing
between the positive and
negative plates and a generous
quantity of electrolyte between
plates, the possibility of thermal
runaway is eliminated.
4.3 Electrolyte
The electrolyte used in Ultima,
which is a solution of potassium
hydroxide and lithium hydroxide,
is optimized to give the best
combination of performance, life
and energy efficiency over a wide
temperature range.
The concentration is such as to
allow the cell to be operated
down to –20°C (–4°F) (for
operating temperature, see
section 5) and it is not necessary
to change the electrolyte during
the life of the cell.
The electrode material is less 4.4 Terminal pillars
reactive with the alkaline Short terminal pillars are welded
electrolyte (nickel-cadmium to the plate busbars using a well-
secondary batteries) than with proven battery construction
acid electrolytes (lead acid method. These posts are
secondary batteries). manufactured from steel bar,
Furthermore, during charging internally threaded for bolting on
and discharging in alkaline connectors and are nickel-
batteries the electrolyte works plated.
mainly as a carrier of oxygen or
hydroxyl ions from one electrode The terminal pillar to lid seal is
to the other; hence the provided by a compressed visco-
composition or the elastic sealing surface held in
concentration of the electrolyte place by compression lock
does not change noticeably. washers. This assembly is
In the charge/discharge designed to provide satisfactory
reaction of the nickel-cadmium sealing throughout the life of the
battery, the potassium hydroxide product.
is not mentioned in the reaction
formula. A small amount of
water is produced during the
charging procedure (and
consumed during the discharge).
The amount is not enough to
make it possible to detect if the
battery is charged or discharged
by measuring the density of the
electrolyte.
Once the battery has been filled
with the correct electrolyte at
the battery factory, there is no
need to check the electrolyte
density periodically.
8
 4.5 Venting system
Ultima is fitted with a low
pressure flame-arresting vent for
each cell of the battery. This vent
operates as a one way valve
which will allow the release of
small quantities of hydrogen and
non-recombined oxygen if the
internal pressure exceeds a fixed
safety value. The nominal
operating pressure of the vent is
0.2 bar.
When the pressure falls below
the release pressure the vent
reseals to prevent ingress of air.
The sealing vent has an integral
flame-arresting porous disk to
prevent any possibility of any
external ignition from spreading
into the Ultima cell.
9
4.6 Cell container
Ultima is built up using the well-
proven Saft block battery
construction. The tough
polypropylene containers are
welded together by heat sealing.
Additional end walls are welded
on to constrain the small internal
pressure changes created by the
recombination process and the
low pressure vent.
The assembly of the blocks is
completed by a clip on cover
enclosing the top of the Ultima
block, giving a non-conducting,
easy to clean, top surface.
5. Benefits of the
Ultima battery
The benefits of the Saft valve-
regulated Ultima battery are:
Complete reliability
Does not suffer from the sudden
death failure due to internal
corrosion associated with lead
acid batteries.
Exceptional long life
Has all the design features
associated with the conventional
Saft twenty plus years’ life
battery products.
Ultra-low maintenance
Ultima can operate for up to
twenty years without topping-up
in normal applications. It can be
engineered for severe
applications to give prolonged
ultra-low maintenance with the
option of water replenishment as
and when required.
Wide operating temperature
range
The normal Ultima maximum
operating temperature range is
0°C to +40°C (+32°F to +104°F).
However, Ultima can survive
extremes of temperature from as
low as –50°C to up to +70°C
(–58°F to up to +158°F).
Resistance to mechanical
abuse
Ultima is designed to have the
mechanical strength for use in
both stationary and mobile
applications.
High resistance to electrical
abuse
Ultima will survive abuses which
will destroy the valve-regulated
lead acid battery. In particular, it
has a resistance to overcharging,
deep discharging, short-circuits,
and accepts ripple currents up
to 0.2 C5 A I eff.
Low installation costs
Ultima can be used with existing
charging systems, has minimal
gas evolution without any
corrosive vapors, uses
corrosion-free polypropylene
containers and has an easy
bolted assembly system.
Well proven pocket plate
construction
Saft has over 80 years of
manufacturing and application
experience with the nickel-
cadmium pocket plate product
and this expertise has been built
into the twenty plus years’ design
life of the Ultima product.
10
 6. Operating features
6.1 Capacity
The Ultima battery capacity is
rated in ampere-hours (Ah) and
is the quantity of electricity at
+20°C (+68°F) which it can
supply for a 5 hour discharge to
1.0 V/cell after being fully
charged. This figure is in
agreement with the IEC 60623
standard.
According to the IEC 60623
(Edition 4), 0.2 C5A is also
expressed as 0.2 I t A.
The reference test current (I t) is
expressed as:
C Ah
I t A= n
1h
where:
Cn is the rated capacity
declared by the
manufacturer in
ampere-hours (Ah),
and
n is the time base in hours (h)
for which the rated capacity
is declared.
In practice, Ultima is used in
floating conditions and so the
tabular data is based upon cell
performance after several
months of floating. This
eliminates certain correction
factors which need to be used
when sizing batteries with
conventional fully charged open
cell data (see section 9 Battery
sizing principles).
11
6.2 Cell voltage 20% higher and when 90%
The cell voltage of nickel- discharged it is about 80%
cadmium cells results from the higher. The internal resistance of
electrochemical potentials of the a fully discharged cell has very
nickel and the cadmium active little relevance.
materials in the presence of the
potassium hydroxide electrolyte. Reducing the temperature also
The nominal voltage is 1.2 V. increases the internal resistance
and, at 0°C (+32°F), the internal
resistance is about 40% higher
6.3 Internal resistance than at room temperature.
The internal resistance of a cell
varies with the type of service
and the state of charge and is,
therefore, difficult to define and
measure accurately.
The most practical value for
normal applications is the
discharge voltage response to a
change in discharge current.
The internal resistance per
1/C of an Ultima cell at room
5
temperature when measured
after float charging at normal
temperature is 80 mΩ for
SLM 8 to SLM 48 cells and
100 mΩ for SLM 71 to SLM
476 cells; e.g. for an Ultima cell
type SLM 8 (8 Ah) the internal
resistance is 80 x1/8 = 10 mΩ.
The above figures are for fully
charged cells. For lower states
of charge the values increase.
For cells 50% discharged the
internal resistance is about
6.4 Effect of temperature 6.5 Short-circuit values
on performance The typical short-circuit value in
Variations in ambient amperes for an Ultima cell is
temperature affect the approximately 15 times the
performance of Ultima and this ampere-hour capacity.
needs to be taken into account
when sizing the battery. The Ultima battery is designed to
withstand a short-circuit current
Low temperature operation has of this magnitude for many
the effect of reducing the minutes without damage.
performance but the higher
temperature characteristics are
similar to those at normal
temperatures. The effect of
temperature is more marked at
higher rates of discharge.
The factors which are required
in sizing a battery to
compensate for temperature
variations are given in a
graphical form in Figure 1 for
the normal recommended
operating temperature range of
0°C to +40°C (+32°F to +104°F).

For use at temperatures outside

this range contact Saft for
advice.

Figure 1: Typical cell performance variation with temperature

12
 6.6 Open circuit loss
The state of charge of Ultima on
open circuit slowly decreases
with time due to self-discharge.
In practice this decrease is
relatively rapid during the first
two weeks but then stabilizes to
about 2% per month at +20°C
(+68°F).
The self-discharge
characteristics of a nickel-
cadmium cell are affected by the
temperature. At low
temperatures the charge
retention is better than at
normal temperature and so the
open circuit loss is reduced.
However, the self-discharge is
significantly increased at higher
temperatures.
The open circuit loss for Ultima
for the standard temperature
and the extremes of the normal
operating range is shown in
Figure 2 for a one year period.
Figure 2: Typical open circuit loss variation with time
13
6.7 Cycling
Ultima is an ultra-low
maintenance product and
therefore is used generally in
standby and not continuous
cycling applications.
Nevertheless, it is designed
using conventional pocket plate
electrode technology and has
therefore an equivalent cycling
capability to the standard
product.
If Ultima is used in a deep cycling
application which requires a fast
recharge, there will be significant
gas evolved and the ultra-low
maintenance properties of the
product will be severely reduced.
However, there are cycling
applications where Ultima can be
beneficial. This will depend on
the frequency and depth of
discharge involved.
6.8 Water consumption
The Ultima battery works on the
oxygen recombination principle
and therefore has a much
reduced water consumption. In
practice, for the recommended
charging voltages, Ultima has a
level of recombination of 85% to
95%. This compares to the level
of recombination found in
equivalent vented pocket plate
cells of 30% to 35%. Thus
Ultima has a water usage
reduced by a factor of up to 10
times of that of an open flooded
cell. This means that at suitable
charging voltages and
temperatures, Ultima will not
need water replenishment for
about 20 years.
However, not all needs are the
same and Ultima is designed to
allow water replenishment under
different and more difficult
charging conditions. Figure 3
gives a comparison of different
water replenishment times under
different float voltages at +20°C
(+68°F).
6.9 Gas evolution
The gas evolution is a function of
the amount of water electrolyzed
into hydrogen and oxygen which
is not involved in the
recombination cycle. The
electrolysis of 1 cm3 of water
produces about 1865 cm3 of
gas mixture and this gas mixture
is in the proportion of
2/3 hydrogen and 1/3 oxygen.
Figure 3: Effect of charging voltage on water consumption
Thus the electrolysis of 1 cm3 of
water produces about 1243 cm3
of hydrogen.
As stated in the previous
paragraph, under normal
recommended float conditions
Ultima has a recombination level
of 85% to 95% and so the
amount of water which is
electrolyzed into gas is small.
Typically an Ultima cell will
electrolyze about 0.002 cm3 of
water per Ah of cell capacity per
day. This value will be smaller or
larger depending on the float
voltage value. Thus a typical
value of gas emission would be
3.5 cm3 per Ah of cell capacity
per day, or 2.5 cm3 of hydrogen
per Ah of cell capacity per day.
14
 7. Battery charging

In order to ensure that the ultra-
low maintenance properties of
the Ultima battery are achieved,
it is necessary to control the
charge input to the battery to
minimize the rate of water loss
during the life of the product.
It is important therefore that the
recommended charge conditions
are complied with.
However, Ultima is unique in
recombination valve-regulated
systems in allowing the possibility
of replenishment of water in
severe applications where
excessive water loss is
unavoidable.
7.1 Charging methods
Ultima batteries may be charged
by the following methods:
a) Two level constant potential
charging:
The initial stage of two-rate
constant potential charging
consists of a first charging stage
to a maximum voltage of 1.45 ±
0.01 V/cell.
Alternatively, if a faster rate of
recharge is required, a voltage
limit of 1.55 V/cell with a
current limit of 0.1 C5A can be
used. However, if frequent
recharges are required this will
increase the rate of water loss
and gas generation.
b) Single level float charging
Ultima batteries are float
charged at 1.42 ± 0.01 V/cell
from a fully discharged condition
to a high state of charge. This is
detailed in section 7.2 and about
80% of the capacity will be
available after 16 hours of
charge.
Temperature compensation may
be required as described in
section 7.3.

After this first stage the charger

should be switched to a second
maintenance stage at a float
voltage of 1.42 ± 0.01 V/cell.
After a prolonged mains failure
the first stage should be
reapplied manually or
automatically.
15
7.2 Charge acceptance
The performance data sheets
for Ultima are based upon
several months’ floating and so
are for fully float charged cells.
A discharged cell will take a
certain time to achieve this and
Figure 4 gives the capacity
available for the two principal
charging voltages recommended
for Ultima, 1.42 V/cell and
Figure 4: Available capacity on float charge from a fully discharged cell at +200 C to +250 C (+680 F to +770 F)
1.45 V/cell, during the first
30 hours of charge from a fully
discharged state.
If the application has a particular
recharge time requirement then
this must be taken into account
when calculating the battery (see
section 9 Battery sizing
principles).
16
 7.3 Temperature effects
The recombination efficiency of
the Ultima cell is dependent on
the floating current and this, in
itself, is a function of the floating
voltage. Thus the floating
voltages chosen for Ultima are
carefully optimized at an ambient
temperature of +20°C (+68°F)
between the current required to
charge the cell and the level of
current required to give the
ultra-low maintenance features.
As the temperature increases
then the electrochemical
behavior becomes more active
and so, for the same floating
voltage, the current increases.
As the temperature is reduced
then the reverse occurs.
Figure 5: Charging voltage adjustment for sustained temperatures
17
Increasing the current increases
the water loss and reducing the
current creates the risk that the
cell will not be sufficiently
charged. Thus as it is clearly
important to maintain the same
current through the cell, it is
necessary to modify the floating
voltage as the temperature
changes.
The change in voltage required,
or “temperature compensation”,
is given in Figure 5. If these values
cannot be exactly met with a
particular system then
temperature compensation value is
–3 mV/°C/cell (–1.7mV/°F/cell).
8. Special operating factors
8.1 Electrical abuse
8.1.1 Ripple effects
The nickel-cadmium battery is
tolerant to high ripple from
standard charging systems.
Ultima accepts ripple currents
up to 0.2 C5 A I eff.
8.1.2 Over-discharge
If more than the designed
capacity is taken out of a battery
then it becomes over-discharged.
This is considered to be an
abuse situation for a battery and
should be avoided.
In the case of lead acid batteries
this will lead to failure of the
battery and is unacceptable.
The Ultima battery is designed to
make recovery from this
situation possible.
8.1.3 Overcharge
Overcharge of a recombination
battery leads to an excessive use
of water.
In a restricted electrolyte
battery, such as valve-regulated
lead acid, this loss of electrolyte
is irreversible and will lead to
premature failure of the battery.
In the case of Ultima, with its
generous electrolyte reserve, a
small degree of overcharge will
not significantly alter the
maintenance period. In the case
of excessive overcharge, a
situation which will immediately
destroy a valve-regulated lead
acid battery, Ultima can be
refurbished as described in
Section 11.
8.2 Mechanical abuse
8.2.1 Shock loads
The Ultima block battery concept
has been tested to IEC 68-2-29
(bump tests at 5 g, 10 g and
25 g) and IEC 77 (shock test
3 g), where g = acceleration.
8.2.2 Vibration resistance
The Ultima block battery concept
has been tested to IEC 77 for
2 hours at 1 g, where
g = acceleration.
8.2.3 External corrosion
Ultima nickel-cadmium cells are
manufactured in durable
polypropylene, all external metal
components are nickel-plated
and these components are
protected by an anti-corrosion oil
and a rigid plastic cover.
18
 9. Battery sizing principles
Ultima is designed to be easy to
use and specify and so the
published data is based on cells
which have been on float for
several months, i.e. the data
reflects the practical situation.
Thus in a situation at normal
ambient temperature without any
specific requirement with regard
to recharge time the published
data can be used directly to size
the battery. However, if there are
requirements with regard to
recharge time or temperature
then this will modify the result.
Examples
A standby system is to be sited
in a building with an ambient
temperature of +20°C (+68°F)
and the temperature will always
lie between +15°C and +25°C
(+59°F and +77°F). It has a
maximum voltage of 130 V and a
minimum voltage of 95 V and
requires a back-up of 105 A for
2 hours.
In this case a simple 1.42 V/cell
single level charger without
temperature compensation can
be used.
Number of cells = 130/1.42 = 91
and the final voltage will be
95/91 = 1.04 V/cell.
19
The Ultima data shows that the
SLM 238 gives 109 A for
2 hours to 1.05 V/cell and so
the battery would be 91 cells of
SLM 238.
However, if for this example
there was a restriction that the
battery must give 80% of its
performance after 10 hours
from a totally discharged state
then certain modifications need
to be made to the calculation.
If the single level 1.42 V/cell
charger is retained, then from
Figure 4 it can be seen that after
10 hours about 74% of the
capacity is available and so the
battery size will have to be
increased by the factor 80/74
or, in other words, 8%. Thus for
a current of 113 A (105 A + 8 %)
to 1.05 V/cell the battery
required is 91 cells of SLM 285
as this gives 131 A to 1.05 V/cell.
From Figure 4, it can be seen
that a voltage of 1.45 V/cell
gives 80% of the capacity after
10 hours and so there is no
need to increase the cell
capacity to compensate for the
charge. However, the battery
has to be recalculated as, with
the same voltage window, the
higher charge voltage will modify
the end of discharge voltage.
Thus, the number of cells =
130/1.45 = 89 and so the end
of discharge voltage becomes
95/89 = 1.07 V. The Ultima
performance table gives for
2 hours discharge at 117 A to
1.10 V/cell the SLM 285, and
so in this case the battery is 89
cells of SLM 285.
In such case, it is advisable to
use a dual rate charger.
In principle it is always better to
go to the lowest charge voltage
as this gives the lowest end of
discharge voltage, and generally
a smaller cell capacity for the
same duty, and gives the best
maintenance interval.
Temperatures outside the
standard range are treated in
precisely the same way using
Figure 1 for the de-rating
factors.
When treating temperatures it is
important to note that low
temperatures reduce the
performance (Figure 1) and so
the battery size must be
increased to accommodate this.
This section is intended to give
general guidelines in battery
sizing. For advice on special
battery applications contact Saft.
10. Installation and
operating instructions
Important
recommendations
■ Never allow an exposed flame
or spark near the batteries,
particularly while charging.
■ Never smoke while performing
any operation on the battery.
■ For protection, wear rubber
gloves, long sleeves, and
appropriate splash goggles or
face shield.
■ The electrolyte is harmful to
skin and eyes. In the event of
contact with skin or eyes,
wash immediately with plenty
of water. If eyes are affected,
flush with water, and obtain
immediate medical attention.
■ Remove all rings, watches
and other items with metal
parts before working on the
battery.
■ Use insulated tools.
■ Avoid static electricity and
take measures for protection
against electric shocks.
■ Discharge any possible static
electricity from clothing
and/or tools by touching an
earth-connected part
“ground” before working on
the battery.
10.1 Receiving the
shipment
Unpack the battery immediately
upon arrival. Do not overturn the
package. Check the packages and
cells for transport damage.
The battery is shipped filled and
charged, and is ready for
immediate use.
10.2 Storage
Store the battery indoors in a dry,
clean, cool location (+0°C to
+30°C/+32°F to +86°F)) and
well-ventilated space on open
shelves.
Storage of a filled battery at
temperatures above +30°C
(+86°F) can result in loss of
capacity. This can be as much as
5% per 10°C (18°F) above +30°C
(+86°F) per year.
Do not store in direct sunlight or
expose to excessive heat.
Ultima batteries are supplied filled
with electrolyte and charged.
They can be stored in this
condition for a maximum of
12 months.
Never drain the electrolyte from
the cells.
• When deliveries are made in
cardboard boxes, store without
opening the boxes.
• When deliveries are made in
plywood boxes, open the boxes
before storage. The lid and the
packing material on top of the
cells must be removed.
10.3 Installation
10.3.1 Location
Install the battery in a dry and
clean room. Avoid direct sunlight
and heat.
The battery will give the best
performance and maximum
service life when the ambient
temperature is between 0°C to
+30°C (+32°F to +86°F).
The Ultima valve-regulated
recombination battery can be fitted
onto stands, can be floor-mounted
or can be fitted into cabinets.
Allow sufficient space over the
battery to ensure easy access
during assembly.
Saft offers a wide selection of
stands to suit most applications.
It is desirable to have easy
access to all blocks on a stand-
mounted battery and they should
be situated in a readily available
position. Distances between
stands, and between stands and
walls, should be sufficient to give
good access to the battery.
The overall weight of the battery
must be considered and the load
bearing on the flooring taken into
account in the selection of the
battery accommodation. In case
of doubt, contact Saft for advice.
20
 When installing Ultima batteries
in a cabinet or on a stand the
following simple procedures
should be adopted.
■ First, place the blocks in the
correct position according to
the electrical layout ensuring
that they are correctly series
connected i.e. red positive
terminal to negative terminal.
■ Start with the lowest shelf to
ensure stability.
■ Fit the inter-block connectors
and, on tiered arrangements,
the inter-tier connector.
■ Connect positive and negative
terminals of each battery to
the correct polarity main
battery leads making sure that
these are well-secured.
■ Tighten all bolts firmly with the
spanner supplied to the
recommended torques given in
10.3.3. Do not use excessive
force.
■ Fit the lid covers.
10.3.2 Ventilation
During the last part of charging,
the battery is emitting gases
(oxygen and hydrogen mixture).
At normal float charge, the gas
evolution is very small but some
ventilation is necessary.
Note that special regulations
for ventilation may be valid in
your area depending on the
application.
21
Under normal floating conditions
the Saft Ultima battery gives off
up to 10 times less gas than a
conventional open cell. Thus the
need for ventilation is much
reduced and in many cases no
special ventilation requirements
other than normal room
ventilation are required. The
quantity of hydrogen given off is
given in section 6.9 Gas
evolution. However, if the Ultima
battery is commissioned in the
final location or if the maximum
recommended charge current of
0.1 C5 is used then the quantity
of gas given off will be increased.
A typical figure for room
ventilation is about 2.5 air
changes per hour and under
such conditions it is satisfactory
to install 700 watt hours of
battery capacity per cubic meter
if the final charge current is at
0.1 C5A.
Care should also be taken with
cubicle installations to ensure
sufficient ventilation and battery
spacing to prevent overloading
and, hence, excess water usage.
10.3.3 Mounting
Verify that cells are correctly
interconnected with the
appropriate polarity. The battery
connection to load should be with
nickel-plated cable lugs.
Recommended torques for
terminal bolts are:
• M 6 = 11 ± 1.1 N.m
• M 8 = 20 ± 2 N.m
• M10 = 30 ± 3 N.m
The connectors and terminals
should be corrosion-protected by
coating with a thin layer of anti-
corrosion oil.
10.3.4 Electrolyte
When checking the electrolyte
levels, a fluctuation in level
between cells is not abnormal
and is due to the different
amounts of gas held in the
separators of each cell. The level
should be at least 15 mm above
the minimum level mark and
there is normally no need to
adjust it.
Do not open or remove the low
pressure vents.
10.4 Commissioning
Verify that the ventilation is
adequate during this operation.
10.4.1 Cells stored up to 6
months:
A commissioning charge is
normally not required and the
cells are ready for immediate
use. If full performances are
necessary immediately, a
commissioning charge is
recommended as mentioned in
section 10.4.2.
10.4.2 Cells stored more than
6 months and up to 1 year:
A commissioning charge is
necessary:
• Constant current charge:
16 h at 0.1 C5A maximum.
• Constant potential charge:
1.65 V/cell for a maximum of
30 h with current limited to
0.1 C5A.
If these methods are not
available, then charging may be
carried out at lower voltages,
1.50 V/cell for 72 hours
minimum.
10.5 Charging in service
The recommended charging
voltages for continuous parallel
operation, with occasional
battery discharges are:
■ for two level charge:
• float level:
1.42 ± 0.01 V/cell
• high level:
1.45 ± 0.01 V/cell
■ for single level charge:
1.42 ± 0.01 V/cell
For use at temperatures outside
the range of +15°C to +25°C
(+59°F to +77°F), the correcting
factor for charge voltage is
–3 mV/°C/cell (–1.7mV/°F/cell).
10.6 Periodic maintenance
Ultima is an ultra-low
maintenance battery and
requires the minimum of
maintenance. As a periodic
maintenance, the following is
recommended:
■ Keep the battery clean using
only water. Do not use a wire
brush or solvents of any kind.
■ Check visually the electrolyte
level. The topping-up is
recommended when the
electrolyte level reaches the
minimum level mark but
must be carried out before it
reaches the warning level.
Use only distilled or deionized
water to top-up. Experience
will tell the time interval
between topping-up.
Note:
Once the battery has been filled
with the correct electrolyte at
the battery factory, there is no
need to check the electrolyte
density periodically.
Interpretation of density
measurements is difficult and
could be misleading.
■ Check every two years that
all connectors are tight. The
connectors and terminal
bolts should be corrosion-
protected by coating with a
thin layer of anti-corrosion oil
agreed by Saft.
■ Check the charging voltage.
In parallel operation, it is of
great importance that the
recommended charging
voltage remains unchanged.
The charging voltage should
be checked at least once
yearly. High water
consumption of the battery is
usually caused by improper
voltage setting of the
charger.
22
 11. Refurbishment of
Ultima batteries
Refurbishment of the Ultima
battery is recommended when
the electrolyte level reaches the
minimum level mark on the cell
but must be carried out before it
reaches the warning level on the
cell.
Refurbishing of the Ultima
battery in fully charged
conditions is carried out as
follows:
■ Isolate the battery from the
power supply and the load.
Remove the orange terminal
cover.
■ With the terminal cover
removed, the tops of the
individual cells of the Ultima
battery will be in view.
■ Confirm that an adequate
protective finish (recommended
anti-corrosion oil) remains on
terminal bolts and
connectors. Replenish if
necessary.
■ Carefully loosen the flame-
arresting low pressure vents
by using a specific tool to
release any gas pressure and
then remove each vent
completely and retain for
refitting.
23
■ Top-up each cell with distilled
or de-ionized water to the
specified maximum level. Saft
can supply special topping-up
equipment on request.
■ Wipe up any small spillage on
cells using a clean cloth.
Replace the vents taking care
to tighten them correctly
i.e. until resistance against a
stop is experienced, and
ensure that the seating
rubber has not been
disturbed out of position. If
there is any doubt about the
quality of the sealing ring
replace with a new vent
assembly.
■ Replace the orange terminal
cover.
The refurbished Ultima cell is
now ready for recommissioning:
- discharge the battery at C5A
down to 1.00 V/cell
- recharge the battery according
to section 10.4 ‘Commissioning’.
Note: Before proceeding with any
battery refurbishment please
ensure that the Safety
Precautions given in the Ultima
Operating Instruction Sheet are
complied with.
12. Disposal and recycling

In a world where autonomous Ni-Cd batteries must not be

sources of electric power are
ever more in demand, Saft
batteries provide an
environmentally responsible
answer to these needs.
Environmental management lies
at the core of Saft’s business and
we take care to control every
stage of a battery's life cycle in
terms of potential impact.
Environmental protection is our
top priority, from design and
production through end-of-life
collection, disposal and recycling,
where more than 99% of battery
metals are recycled.
Our respect for the environment
is complemented by an equal
respect for our customers. We
aim to generate confidence in our
products, not only from a
discarded as harmless waste
and should be treated carefully in
accordance with local and
national regulations. Your Saft
representative can assist with
further information on these
regulations and with the overall
recycling procedure.
NEW
BATTERIES
PURE
CADMIUM
BATTERY
USE
DISTILLATION

functional standpoint, but also in SPENT

BATTERIES
terms of the environmental
safeguards that are built into
CADMIUM
their life cycle. The simple and STEEL
PLATES
SCRAP
unique nature of the battery DISMANTLING

components make them readily

recyclable and this process
safeguards valuable natural STEEL
WORKS NICKEL
resources for future generations. PLATES

In partnership with collection

agencies worldwide, Saft organizes
retrieval from pre-collection points
and the recycling of spent Saft
batteries. Information about Saft’s
collection network can be found on
our web site :

www.saftbatteries.com
24
Committed to a clean environment
Saft takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard the environment.
At several sites worldwide, more than 99% of metals contained in the
battery are recycled. This process safeguards valuable natural
resources and is a service to customers that Saft will continue
to offer for future generations.
To locate the nearest collection site, visit www.saftbatteries.com
Africa Finland Netherlands
Export sales dpt, HansaBattery Oy, Saft Batteries B.V.,
France Espoo Haarlem
Tel: +33 1 49 93 19 18 Tel: +358 9 260 65 292 Tel: +31 23 750 5720
Fax: +33 1 49 93 19 56 Fax: +358 9 260 65 299 Fax: +31 23 750 5725

Argentina France Norway

Energia Alcalina, Division France, Saft AS, Osteraas
Buenos Aires Bagnolet Tel: +47 6716 4160
Tel: +54 11 4334 9034/35 Tel: +33 1 49 93 19 18 Fax: +47 6716 4170
Fax: +54 11 4342 5024 Fax: +33 1 49 93 19 64
Russia
Australia Germany ZAO Alcatel, Moscow
Saft Australia Pty Ltd, Saft Batterien GmbH, Tel: +7 095 937 0967
Seven Hills Nürnberg Fax: +7 095 937 0906
Tel: +61 2 9674 0700 Tel: +49 911 94 174-0
Fax: +61 2 9620 9990 Fax: +49 911 426 144 Singapore
Saft Batteries Pte Ltd,
Austria Hong Kong Singapore
Statron GmbH, Wien Saft Ltd, Tel: +65 6512 1500
Tel: +43 1 617 40 60 Kowloon Fax: +65 6749 7282
Fax: +43 1 617 40 60/40 Tel: +852 2796 99 32
Fax: +852 2798 06 19 Spain
Belgium Saft Baterias S.L.
AEG Belgium SA, Brussels India sub continent San Sebastian de los Reyes
Tel: +32 2 529 6543 Export sales dpt, Tel: +34 916 59 34 80
Fax: +32 2 529 6449 Sweden Fax: +34 916 59 34 90
Tel: +46 491 680 00
Brazil Fax: +46 491 681 80 Sweden
FSE (Fábrica de Sistemas de Energia) Ltda., Saft AB,
Sao Paulo Italy Oskarshamn
Tel: +55 11 6100 6304 Saft Batterie Italia S.r.l., Tel: +46 491 680 00
Fax: +55 11 6100 6338 Segrate (Milano) Fax: +46 491 681 80
Tel: +39 02 89 28 07 47
Canada Please contact USA office Fax: +39 02 89 28 07 62 Switzerland
Statron AG,
Chile Japan Mägenwil
Techno Parts Ltda., Sumitomo Corp., Tel: +41 62 887 4 887
Santiago Tokyo Fax: +41 62 887 4 888
Tel: +56 (2) 249 6060 Tel: +81 3 5144 9082
Fax: +81 3 5144 9267 United Kingdom
China Saft Ltd,
Saft Trading Korea Harlow
Tel: +86 21 5866 7935 Enersys Korea Co. Ltd, Tel: +44 1279 772 550
Fax: +86 21 5866 6403 Kyunggi-Do Fax: +44 1279 420 909
Tel: +82 2501 0033
Czech Republic Fax: +82 2501 0034 USA
Saft Ferak a.s., Saft America Inc.,
Prague Mexico North Haven (CT)
Tel: +420 281 080 120 Troop y Compania, SA de CV, Tel: +1 203 239 4718
Fax: +420 281 080 119 Mexico Fax: +1 203 234 7598
Tel: +52 55 50 82 10 30
Denmark Fax: +52 55 50 82 10 39 Venezuela
Scansupply A/S, Corporación INTELEC C.A.,
Birkeroed Middle East Caracas
Tel: +45 45 82 50 90 Saft Nife ME Ltd, Tel: +58 212 9631122
Fax: +45 45 82 54 40 Limassol, Cyprus
Tel: +357 25 820040
Fax: +357 25 748492

Saft Doc N˚ 21036-2-0704

Industrial Battery Group Edition: July 2004
12, rue Sadi Carnot Data in this document is subject to change without
93170 Bagnolet – France notice and becomes contractual only after written
confirmation.
Tel: +33 1 49 93 19 18
Fax: +33 1 49 93 19 64 Photo credit: Photodisc, Saft.

Société anonyme au capital de 31 944 000

www.saftbatteries.com RCS Bobigny B 383 703 873

Produced by Arthur Associates Limited.