Sealed gel technology (commonly referred
to as "gel cells") was developed a number of years ago by the
Sonnenschein Company in West Germany. Simply stated, a gel cell is a
lead acid battery that uses a thick chemotropic gelled electrolyte that is
the consistency of candle wax once it "sets up" and is
pressurized and sealed using special valves. It uses the
"recombination" technique to replace the oxygen and hydrogen
normally lost in a wet cell battery and maintenance free and non-spill able.
As noted above, a gel cell is a
"recombinant" battery. This means that the oxygen that is
normally produced on the positive plates in all batteries, recombines with
the hydrogen given off by the negative plates. The combination of
hydrogen and oxygen produces water which replaces the moisture lost in
"wet cell" batteries. Therefore, the battery is
maintenance free, as it never needs water to be added.
The oxygen is trapped in the cell by
special pressurized sealing vents. It travels to the negative plates
through tiny fissures or cracks in the gelled electrolyte. The
sealing vent is critical to the performance of the gel cell. The
cell must maintain a pressure of approximately 1 an 1/2 lbs. per sq. inch,
otherwise the recombination of the gases will not take place and the cell
will not perform. Likewise, the valve must safely release excess
pressure that may be produced during charging. Otherwise, the cell
could be irreparably damaged. It is important to note that a gel
cell must never be opened once it leaves the factory. If opened, the
cell loses its pressure and the outside air will "poison" the
plates and cause an imbalance that destroys the recombinant chemistry.
While both are recombinant batteries and
are sealed valve regulated, the major difference is that the
"starved" or "absorbed" electrolyte battery has only
enough electrolyte added at the factory, prior to sealing on the cap, to
soak the separator. Therefore, it is also non-spill able by virtue
of the fact that all of the electrolyte is trapped in the sponge-like
separator material (AGM). There is no "free" electrolyte
to spill if tipped or punctured. This allows either battery to
operate in any position, however installation upside-down is not
recommended.
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