Today, we will be discussing Sealed Lead Acid Batteries : the basics and some other information you may find interesting about this technology.
A Sealed Lead Acid Battery (SLAB, for short) is made up of plates, lead, and lead oxide solution with a 35% sulfuric acid to 65% water ratio.
There are two types of SLABs : the starting (cranking) SLAB and the deep cycle SLAB.
The starting/cranking SLAB is designed to give a quick but short energy burst needed in starting/cranking engines (thus, its moniker). This kind of SLAB is made up of many thin plates.
The deep cycle SLAB gives less instant energy but delivers sustained power needed for the long run. We use deep cycle SLABs to power our boats and our golf carts, both of which need greater long-term energy delivery. This kind of battery is also made up of thicker, but fewer, plates when compared to the starting SLAB.
There is also the so-called hybrid (dual purpose battery) – a combination of these two types of SLABs , but I would recommend you use the one specifically designed for your needs.
Though we have essentially two types of SLABs, we also have three sub-categories under these namely the Wet Cell (Flooded), the Gel Cell and the Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM). We will delve deeper into these in future articles.
For now, I believe we have given you a clear bird’s eye view of the two basic kinds of Sealed Acid Lead Batteries. We would be happy to answer any questions or comments you may have; please post in the comments section!
See also:
