AGM solar battery construction and use

An AGM solar battery is constructed very different from a conventional battery. AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries are manufactured from an extremely fine mat of fiberglass which is sandwiched between plates. The mats are super-saturated with sulphuric battery acid to about 95 percent of the maximum they can hold. The saturated mat is placed between the plates; the package is then slightly compressed and then welded or soldered in position. As the plates and mats are tightly packed there is little or no vibration.

When designing any stand-alone power system, especially one which is intended for installation in a remote or hard to access area, determining which battery to employ is of primary importance. Part of choosing the correct battery is to understand the operating conditions; the high and low temperatures and their duration, load and duty-cycle as well as charge and discharge cycles are all factors that must be considered. Failure to make the right choice in battery can lead to early failure which leads to a loss of the control, communication, UPS system, etc.

There are three types of batteries that can be considered; gel cell, wet cell and AGM. Neither a gel cell nor an AGM solar battery will degrade as easily or quickly as a wet cell battery. With an AGM battery there is no chance of an explosion caused by a buildup of hydrogen gas nor is there much chance of corrosion of any delicate electrical or electronic components that are in proximity to the battery. Of the three, an AGM solar battery can be expected to offer longer life and the greatest cycle life.

AGM batteries are very good deep cycle batteries. They deliver their longest performance life when they are recharged before they reach a 50 percent discharge rate. An AGM battery is the battery of choice for applications which demand higher charge and discharge currents such as found in a UPS power backup system.

An AGM solar battery is ideal for standby and back-up applications, the battery is completely maintenance free and cannot leak or spill battery acid which makes them ideal to transport by air when necessary. The fact that they cannot leak or spill means they can just as easily be installed on their side as they can upright. Unless an AGM battery is overcharged there is little or no gassing which means that they can be stored inside since they do not vent to the atmosphere. Visit website url more information.

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