Storage-Installation-Operation-Maintenance

Maintenance
4) Battery is usually first tested at site to be okay before installation.
After years of operation, many possible External Factors may affect the battery
performance and life. Hence, Preventive Maintenance on VRLA battery is
important as the 1st line of defense to identify any problem before it escalates.
Please have scheduled regular maintenance:
➢ Physical checks & clean the battery
➢ Checks on the battery charging voltage & current and charging settings
➢ Checks on the temperature of the room & battery, or any other abnormalities
- in case there is any malfunctioning equipments

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 Two major problems VRLA battery faced are:

Two major problems VRLA battery faced are: Under-capacity & Bulging
➢ (1) Under-capacity - with the main cause being Sulfation
(Lead sulphate crystals grew at both electrodes , so much higher inner
electrical resistance, lower electrical conductivity, worse charge
acceptance & reduced available capacity)
- depend on the sulfation extent.
Occur when battery is not be properly charged for prolonged period
(ie. frequent & long duration of power failures without adequate
recharging)

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 Please protect the batteries

➢ (2) Bulging
a) According to IEC Standard, Thermal Runaway means: "Critical condition
arising during constant voltage charge in which the current & temperature of the
battery produce a cumulative mutually reinforcing effect which further increases
them”
b) According to Eurobat Guide, at temp > 40C, it can produce ever-increasing
float current values, which can create a thermal runaway conditions.

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 Two major problems VRLA battery faced are:

➢ (2) Bulging
To prevent Thermal runaway, you need to
• have Temperature Compensation (which needs to be enabled too),

• keep sufficient gaps between batteries to ensure natural ventilation, &

room must have sufficient ventilation too.
• disconnect the charging to batteries if temp >50C and
• have regular maintenance to check on charger & Air-con to ensure there no
over-charging or malfunction.

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 VRLA battery cannot Last Forever

• VRLA battery cannot Last Forever because of

internal components deterioration (plate and connection straps)
&/or loss of water.

(As mentioned in Eurobat, life is Halved for every 10C increase in

temperature)

The 2 major failure mode for VRLA batteries are

“positive grid corrosion” and “dry-out”

Pag 35 Industrial batteries

 Please protect the batteries

Hence from the mentioned problems and factors, it is

important to charge the batteries Correctly and
Sufficiently, so as to ensure the batteries have Optimal
Performance and Life.
Hence to protect the batteries, it Depends
= Appropriate Setting + AC Power Supply + Environmental (Temp)

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 Please protect the batteries - Settings

Actually it is Not easy to recommend the settings:

1) Battery is an energy-storage, not producer... so settings depend on the
available energy provided (by Grid, or solar, or generator - which could
be affected by power failures, rainy days and diesel fuel running out).
2) Settings depend on the Charger’s capabilities (if cannot control
Automatically, then settings are not useful).
3) Not all sites can use same settings, as different sites condiditions.
a) loads
b) charger's capability and available power supply
c) conditions
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 Please protect the batteries - Settings

4) Need to decide if you want the batteries to be fully recharged before the
next discharge, or to protect the long-term battery's life.

Hence, customers need to strike a balance between

Over-charging (gassing for VRLA batteries & shortening battery life and risk
thermal runaway & bulging)
versus
Under-charging (not even enough to discharge for the next cycle/power
failures).
So, it is not possible to give a standard setting that is “one size fit all”.
It is important & better that user understand the Logic & Rationale of the setting.

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 Please protect the batteries - Settings

The General Settings is in AGM engineering manual.

Float voltage is 2.27vpc @20C for 12FIT
& should have temp comp: -2.5mV/C/cell (or around 2.26vpc @25C)
Boost charge would be around 2.35vpc to 2.40vpc for around 24hr,
& Maximum current limit at 0.25C10 (below 25A for a 100ah battery).

* Please note, boost charge cause gassing & quicker loss of water, so usually
you should not boost charge too often so as to preserve the battery life.

* Charging also generate heat.

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 Please protect the batteries – Settings (boost)
As boost charge cause gassing (quicker loss of water,
affecting life), so we should know what is the purpose of
boost Charge?
• Boost charge is the faster method to recharge a battery (2.35-2.40vpc for
24hr at current limit 0.15C10.)
- refresh charge the batteries if still in Store for long time
- boost charge before a discharge test (& immediately after the test)
- or if the site's power condition is terrible, with frequent and long duration
power failures (so ready before the next cycle).
* Auto-boost charge (depends on sites’ conditions/seriousness)
* Interval-boost charge once every 3-4months
Anyway, this is the trade-off, as you need the battery Now!! (what good
does it do for the long-term if you cannot even use the battery now...??)

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 Please protect the batteries – From Sites

Important to gather & understand

i) Event-logs = Histories of what had happened at the sites;
if a hundred lines of event-log can only capture a couple
months of data, it means a lot of “Events” had happened
(keep overwriting the previous records – it shows the site
condition is poor.)
ii) Experience & Understand the real site condition, so the
correct settings can be applied.

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 BATTERY CARE

• Do not overcharge.
• No one works well when they have
over-eaten or are too exhausted.
• Recharge the battery as soon as
possible after use.
• Check all connections are secure
and cables not damaged or the
insulation frayed.
• Don’t forget to protect all the
important bits. (Never put metal
objects on top of batteries.

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 Battery Monitoring Solutions

Designed to meet NERC & IEEE

requirements
24/7 monitoring for key battery
parameters:
System voltage
Load current
Cell voltage
Cell resistance
Cell & ambient temperature
Electrolyte Level
Positive & negative ground fault
Hydrogen gas
Battery management software with
trending and analysis
Service for installation, maintenance,
and PM programs

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 Battery Testers, Ground Fault Locators, & Digital Hydrometers

▪ Portable Battery Testers

▪ Battery testers (VRLA, VLA, Ni-Cad, Li-
Ion)
▪ Voltage, impedance, temperature

▪ Ground Fault Locators

▪ Digital Hydrometers
▪ Digital S.G. testing
▪ Data logging
▪ Software reporting

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 CONTACT DETAILS

Address: #98 General Alejo G. Santos Hiway,

Culianin, Plaridel, Bulacan, Philippines 3004
Mobile No.: 09189515040 (Smart), 09178632002 (Globe) 09328583975 (Sun)
Email: inquiry@genikos.com Web: www.genikos.com
Telefax No.: (+63-2) 781-4626
Tel. No.: (+63-2) 522-0103

ERVIN A. FERNANDEZ, REE, MBA

General Manager
Email: ervin.fernandez@genikos.com
ervinfernandez72@gmail.com
Mobile No.: 0918 – 936 6443 (Smart)
Pag 45 0917 – 658 4389 (Globe) Industrial batteries
 THANK YOU! ☺

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