Recycling

The recovery of reusable lead, acid and plastic from spent lead acid batteries.

  Reserve Capacity

A measurement of the minutes a battery can supply 25 amperes to an end point voltage of 1.75 volts per cell. This rating is used with automotive (SLI) and
marine batteries.

  Resistor

  R

A circuit component used to oppose the flow of current.

  Retainer

A glass fiber mat attached to the ribbed side of a separator and placed against the positive plate in the assembled element. A retainer's function is to hold
the sloughed positive active material in place and thus improve the plate cycle life.

  Secondary Cell

A rechargeable cell.

  Sediment

The material shed from the positive and negative plates in a vented (liquid electrolyte) cell. It settles to the bottom of the cell into the sediment basin.

  Seismic Rack

A reinforced battery stand with cell retaining rails designed to withstand the forces imposed during a earthquake.

  Self Discharge

See Local Action,

  Separator

An insulating material, usually rubber, plastic or glass fibrous matting, used to isolate the positive and negative plates and prevent them from touching one
another or shorting out.

  Series Connection

Individual cells or batteries of the same capacity interconnected with the Neg (-) terminal to the Pos (+: terminal of the next battery in the sequence. The voltages of cells or batteries will be cumulative.

  Shallow Cycle

Cycles where the battery consumes less than 5% of its capacity during the discharge. Automotive (SLI) batteries typically experience shallow cycles during
engine starting.

  Shelf Life

The period of time a battery can be in inventory without the requirement of a boost or freshening charge.

  Short Circuit

An unintended conductive path between poles of different polarity. When a short circuit exists within a cell, its open circuit voltage will eventually decline to
zero.

  SLI

The acronym for a Starting, Lighting and Ignition battery. An SLI battery's design is optimized for high rate cranking current delivery and is used in automotive applications. It is not designed to provide long life in continuous float service.

  Slow Charge

Recharging a battery at a low current rate; for example, charging a battery at the Cl20 rate or lower would be a slow charge.

  Specific Gravity

  SG

Specific Gravity (SG), or gravity, is a measure of the density of a liquid as compared to that of water, which has a SG of 1.000. For example, pure sulfuric acid has a specific gravity of 1.835. Lead acid battery electrolyte is a mixture of water and sulfuric acid, which typically has a specific gravity of between 1.200 and 1.300.

  Standard
  Conditions

Varying between countries, a widely recognized and specific set of temperatures and end point voltages by which a battery's output is measured. In North
America, standard conditions are 77℉ (25℃) to an end point voltage of 1.75 volts per cell. In some countries, the standard conditions are 68℉ (20℃) to
an end point voltage of 1.8 volts per cell. See Standard Discharge Rate and Rated Capacity.

  Standard
  Discharge Rate

A function of the intended application, the accepted rate at which the battery delivers current. For example, an 8 hour rate is normally used for
telecommunications batteries, a 20 hour rate is used for general purpose batteries, and a 15 minute rate is used for UPS batteries.

  Stationary Battery

A battery used in a fixed position and usually mounted in a rack, cabinet or stand, as opposed to a battery used in a mobile application.

  Service Life

The period of time during which the battery continues to meet the requirements of the application but is not at less than 80% of the rated capacity.

  State of Charge

  SOC

Expressed as a percentage, the quotient of the remaining ampere hours (AH) in a battery divided by the rated capacity of the battery.

  Strap

The lead casting that joins the element plates of like polarity in parallel.

  Stratification

The tendency of the heavier sulfuric acid in the electrolyte solution to separate from the water and settle to the bottom of the container.

  Sulfuric Acid

  H2SO4

The active material of the electrolyte in a lead acid battery.

  Sulfation

The creation of lead sulfate (PbS04) on the positive and negative plates of the lead acid battery during normal discharge and self discharge.

  Switch

A device placed in an electric circuit to open (disconnect) or close (connect) the conductive path

  Taper Charge

A cycle service charging technique using an unregulated charger. As the current acceptance of the battery declines, the charger's output voltage rises.

  Thermal Runaway

A condition where a battery generates more heat than can be dissipated and eventually melts the plastic jar. This is often the result of float charging in a hot
environment with either little ventilation or shorted cells. See Float Charge.

  Transformer

Normally used to obtain a voltage higher or lower than the commercial line voltage and to provide circuit isolation from the source, it is composed of primary
and secondary coils of wire wrapped around an iron core. The transformer provides an AC voltage on the secondary coil equal to the ratio of turns of wire on the primary to secondary windings.

  Treeing

See Mossing.

  Trickle Charge

A very low rate constant current charge to maintain a battery at a full state of charge.

The acronym for Uninterruptable AC Power Supply, a UPS battery has a component battery emergency power source to supply power during commercial AC power outages.

  VRLA

The acronym for Valve Regulated Lead Acid battery See Valve Regulated Lead Acid Battery.

  Valve Regulated
  Lead Acid Battery

  VRLA

A lead acid battery with an immobilized electrolyte and a one way self-resealing valve type of vent which implements an oxygen recombination cycle to minimize gassing and water consumption. An opening allowing for the free escape of gasses from the lead acid battery. It may have a condensing chamber to minimize exhaust of electrolyte mist and/or a flame arresting device to prevent ignition of gasses within the cell by an outside source, but is otherwise open to the atmosphere. Provides for release of excessive pressure developed within the cell and prevents entry of the outside atmosphere into the cell.

  Volt -Ampere

  VA

The product of output AC voltage multiplied by AC current.

  V

A unit of force sufficient to carry one ampere of current through one ohm resistance. See Volt Ampere, Current, and Ohm.

  W

A unit of power. It is the product of voltage (expressed in volts) multiplied by current (expressed in amperes). For example, 120 volts X 3 amperes = 360watts.

  Watt -Hour

  WHr

A unit of work. The product of power, expressed in watts, multiplied by the time, expressed in hours, over which the power is produced.