No electro-chemical battery lasts forever, and that is true of every battery type across the range. The trick is to treat them properly, and replace them before they fail, often at time that is inconvenient. The three main ways how lead-acid batteries age include positive grid corrosion, sulfation, and internal short circuiting.
Unpacking Three Ways How Lead-Acid Batteries Age
Positive Grid Corrosion in Lead-Acid Batteries
Positive grid corrosion occurs in lead-acid batteries as the positive plates gradually convert permanently to lead oxide. This natural chemical process speeds up during high temperatures, overcharging and excessive cycling. The end result may include (a) physical expansion of plates, (b) increased internal resistance, (c) reduced power capability, and (d) eventual battery failure.
How Lead-Acid Batteries Age With Grid Sulfation
The active lead, and lead dioxide plates naturally react with the sulfuric acid electrolyte during discharging, to form soft lead sulfate. This process reverses out during recharging, to complete the cycle.
However, and here’s the catch, permanently-damaging hard crystalline sulfate can form during these unfavorable operating conditions:
- If the lead-acid battery remains fully discharged.
- If charging is insufficient to fully charge the battery.
- If any routine maintenance is not performed.
The long term damage that occurs from sulfation may include (a) reduced capacity, (b) increased internal resistance, and (c) physical damage to the plates.
Internal Short Circuiting in Lead-Acid Batteries
Internal short circuits often develop gradually, and may be difficult to detect during the early stages. Megger suggests the following two possibilities to complete this summary of how lead-acid batteries age:
- Hard shorts that occur as a result of rogue paste lumps formed during faulty manufacturing.
- Soft shorts from very deep discharging, during which the lead starts dissolving into the electrolyte.
The long term damage that occurs may include (a) immediate capacity loss, (b) excessive heat generation, (c) potential thermal runaway, (d) fire risks in severe cases, and (e) release of hazardous gases.
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