Deep Cycle Batteries Combine Convinience With Enviroment Friendliness

chrisw41@hotmail.com — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:23:15 GMT

Mankind is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels for most of its energy requirements. This is a dangerous trend as fossil fuels, such as, coal and crude oil are in short supply and in not too distant a future, their supply may dry up completely. It is, therefore, absolutely essential to find renewable sources of energy and utilize them to meet most of mankind’s energy requirements. Alternate renewable sources of energy, like, solar and wind power are already well known. Solar panels have been constructed and used to provide power to electrical equipment in many parts of the world. Windmills, which are also used to produce power for mankind’s ever growing energy requirements. However, most of renewable sources of energy, like, solar and wind power are not continuous sources of electrical power and they have to be coupled to energy storage devices so that the power generated by them can be used during the periods when they are not generating energy, such as, at night or during a windless period. This is where the importance of deep cycle batteries is felt and fully realized.

Solar panels convert sun’s light energy to electricity. However, this electrical power needs to be stored in electrochemical batteries for use during night. These batteries have to undergo discharge right through the night, for which reason they require deep discharge ability. Since, solar panels are mostly used in remote areas, the batteries they are connected to, should be maintenance free.

Due to the ability of deep cycle batteries to provide power for long periods without continuous charging, they are fast becoming popular and are increasingly being used in aircrafts, railway trains and even automobiles, like, campers and recreational vehicles. However, deep cycle batteries, particularly VRLA deep cycle batteries are expensive. Hopefully, their cost of production will come down in near future. Even at high costs, the advantages such batteries offer, enables them to find wide applications in indoor locations, remote locations and on such equipment where electrolyte spillage and acid fume emissions are not acceptable, such as, hospitals, motorized wheelchairs and children’s toys. Deep cycle VRLA batteries have additional advantage of low self discharge rate. This ability is enabling them to find use as automobile batteries. For instance, if a car which uses such batteries is locked up in garage for a month or more, when the family has gone on a vacation, will be able self start, when put to use again. This may not be possible if the car is equipped with only ordinary batteries.

brad21

Deep Cycle Batteries Combine Convinience With Enviroment Friendliness