Lead-acid batteries have come a long way since Gaston Planté first came up with the idea in France in 1859. They were the first ever rechargeable electro chemical cells, and still command a large global market. Researchers believe sales could exceed US$70 billion by 2030, with an average growth rate of just over 5% a year. So the world of lead-acid batteries is alive and well.
Technology In The World of Lead-Acid Batteries
Lead-acid batteries were, and still are popular because of the simplicity of their design. Although the fact that their water-based electrolyte cannot catch fire has become important too, in the minds of safety-conscious users.
Lead batteries are still available at relatively low prices, although this comes at the cost off less density, and shorter operating life. Run the numbers and compare safety, value-for-money, and cash flow with lithium-ion.
Gel lead-acid batteries such as we supply have pairs of porous lead plates, and separators in a gel of dilute sulfuric acid. Here’s a short video showing how to make a miniature basic lead battery in the privacy of your home.
A World of Applications for Lead-Acid Batteries
Portable electronics prefer lithium-ion, and nickel batteries because of their portable size. The world of lead-acid batteries targets other applications, including auto starting, lighting, and ignition.
Our gel versions are ideal for UPS, alarm, home, garden and sports uses, where you need solid reliability you can trust. Check out our home, garden and sports page to discover what you could do with them.
Earlier lead-acid batteries used physical separator plates, to prevent the lead-sheet electrodes from contacting. These worked fine for automotive starters, except the water in the electrolyte evaporated and needed topping up.
Absorbent-class-mat batteries resolved these issues with a glass-mat separator soaked in electrolyte. However, our maintenance-free silica-gelled lead-acid batteries take this a step further, with a semi-stiff, semi-solid electrolyte paste.
More Information
Lead-Acid Battery Renewal Is Ongoing
Two Basic Lead-Acid Battery Designs
