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How to Charge and Maintain Your Sealed Lead Acid Batteries - December 22, 2014Sealed lead batteries, often referred to as sealed lead acid or SLA batteries, have a number of different applications. One of the most common uses is as a starting and ignition battery on cars, though other uses exist. SLA batteries are popular for a number of reasons: they’re extremely durable, they’re fairly powerful, they’re easy to recharge, and they will not leak.
As with all other types of batteries, SLA batteries need to be charged and maintained carefully if they are to last a long time. Here are five tips for taking care of your SLA batteries so that they give you and your applications power for a long time.
1.
Keep your SLA battery as close to room temperature as possible. As with just about anything that stores power or carries a current, sealed lead batteries will function best and last the longest when kept at room temperature. 68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal, as that is when the battery is most stable, though any temperature between 60F and 75F should be fine. Any temperature above 75F, and the battery’s life will be shortened; the higher the temperature, the less power it will afford.
2.
As soon as your SLA battery is dead, recharge it. This will keep the chemistry inside the battery providing as much power as possible and keep the life of the battery as long as possible.
3.
Use the right charger for your SLA battery. As with any rechargeable battery, using the proper charger is essential. Always confirm that the charger you’re using is providing the correct voltage for your particular battery. Use the wrong charger, and you could do irreversible damage to your battery.
4.
Don’t overcharge your SLA battery. When you overcharge your battery, you lower its capacity and shorten its life. Overcharge enough times, and the battery becomes irreversibly dead. To get the most out of your SLA battery, charge it, disconnect it from the charger when it’s fully charged, and then either use it or store it.
5.
Always store your SLA battery fully charged. This goes along with tip number two. If you store a discharged SLA battery, it won’t hold a charge for very long after that, and there’s a good chance that it may not hold a charge ever again.
Maintaining your SLA battery properly will ensure that it lasts for a long time. The good news is that with attention to just a few details, proper charging and maintenance is easy. And, if you’re looking to purchase a sealed lead acid battery, check out the selection at batteriesdirect.com. With SLA cells from Panasonic, Energy Plus, Yuasa, and other manufacturers, plus a huge selection of other types of batteries for all sorts of applications, Batteries Direct can fulfill all of your battery needs.
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browse all available Sealed Lead Acid Batteries.
