Gel batteries today are a promising direction for the development of autonomous power sources. High output current, large capacities, excellent electrochemical and physical characteristics - all this relates to gel batteries. Many motorists have already appreciated their benefits. Let's see what the gel batteries for cars are and what characteristics they have . Reviews about them are mostly positive. But are these batteries so good? Let's find out.
What is a gel battery?
In general, gel batteries are the same lead-acid elements. However, there are several differences that determine all the advantages of these batteries. The gel battery has lead plates and an electrolyte. However, the electrolyte is not liquid, but in the form of a gel.
There is a gel battery for a car of two types on the market - made according to AGM and GEL technology. Let's consider each in more detail.
AGM technology: features
The main difference between an AGM and an ordinary acid battery is the absence of an electrolyte in a liquid state. Between the positive and negative lead plates there are special gaskets-insulators based on the finest fiberglass and paper fibers. Interestingly, this material has pores. Electrolyte is in this gasket. The amount of gel inside the battery is enough to fill small pores. At the same time, large openings should be empty so that gases released during battery operation can circulate inside them.
The gel battery for a car also includes a system for recombining gases. As a result of chemical processes, oxygen and hydrogen are formed. Thanks to this system, gases do not have time to exit the battery in order to reconnect and turn into water. Lead plates are tightly pressed together.
Benefits of AGM Gel Batteries
These batteries are much better than analogs withstand high loads. The main problem with conventional batteries is a significant reduction in life due to the high electrical load. Indeed, in a modern car there are significantly more electricity consumers than before.
There is another important advantage that distinguishes gel batteries for cars. Owner reviews indicate that the battery can be discharged up to 40% or less. You can even completely drain the battery - there will be no serious reduction in life. A battery of a traditional design with discharges lower than half will be seriously damaged. Capacity will drop rapidly up to 20%. It can not be restored. If you discharge the gel battery for the car completely, it will not be anything. The battery can withstand about 200 cycles in this mode of operation. With a discharge of 50%, the battery can withstand up to 500 cycles. At 30% - up to 800. The battery life is 5 years. AGM is the most low-cost gel battery. But this is far from the limit. There are models that do not lose their performance for 10 years. User reviews have repeatedly confirmed this.
Since the plates and the separator are tightly compressed inside the casing, the device can withstand vibration and mechanical shock loads much better, which significantly affect lead-acid batteries on domestic roads. Due to this, the life of the gel battery is much higher.
AGM batteries are virtually unaffected by temperature extremes and can be used efficiently even at low rates. The operating temperature range is from -40 to +70 degrees. There is no water inside the battery, which in a conventional device freezes and expands. That's why many drivers choose gel batteries for cars. Reviews show that the service life is really higher. And the battery works properly even in the harsh conditions of the northern regions.
GEL batteries
These batteries are characterized by an even greater resource of work. In some cases, they can be charged / discharged up to a thousand times, while the device does not lose its capacity. Many people think that GEL is helium. However, it is not. This is a gel. In this design, silica gel is used as a separator between the lead plates. Even at the stage of manufacturing the battery they are covered with all the free space in the case. When silica gel becomes as solid as possible, pores form in it. The latter will contain and retain the electrolyte in the form of a gel.
GEL Technology Benefits
Since silica gel occupies almost all the space between the plates in these batteries, the risks of shedding are practically minimized. This has a positive effect on the operating life. Even more - thanks to this design, the general characteristics of the battery have significantly improved, which is well reflected in the resource and the number of charge / discharge cycles. Also, the battery can withstand deep discharges better.
In general, the rated life of such batteries is not much different from the AGM versions, but the number of cycles here is more than 50% higher. Speaking accessible, the battery can withstand up to 350 charges / discharges at 100% discharge, up to 550 cycles - with a discharge half, and up to 1200 - with a discharge depth of one third. This is a very good indicator, which is repeatedly confirmed by reviews. Due to their design, these batteries are less susceptible to sulfation. This means that the battery can be left charged for a couple of days or more. All these benefits can be confirmed by those who already use gel batteries for cars. Reviews show that the battery fully fulfills its declared life in 5 years. And if this is a product of a high-quality brand, then the service life may be higher.
Gel batteries: advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of such batteries, one can distinguish high starting currents, tightness, lack of need for maintenance, and service life. The disadvantages include low resistance to overcharging, poor resistance to negative temperatures, fairly high prices, the need for high-quality electronics in the car.
So, is it worth buying gel batteries for cars? Pros and cons are very attractive, and there are less disadvantages. But not every battery can withstand the harsh Russian climatic conditions. To install such a battery, a car electrician must support special charge modes. For domestic cars, this is a serious problem, because even with a working relay-regulator the voltage jumps from 13 to 16 V. But if the battery is installed in a new foreign car, then this is a good and right choice.
How to charge?
Gel batteries are not yet so common on the market. Most drivers who buy such a product do not know how to charge a car’s gel battery. But the resource directly depends on this.
To charge such a battery, you must have special devices designed specifically for working with gel batteries. During charging, it is important that the maximum voltage applied to the battery is respected. If you exceed the border, the battery will fail.
In the documentation for the batteries, the manufacturer indicates the permissible voltage for a specific battery. For example, gel batteries for Bosch cars can be charged at maximum values from 14.3 to 14.5 V. This condition must be strictly observed, otherwise you will not be able to test all the advantages of the battery.
Charger Features
You must purchase a charger that matches the type of battery. Battery chargers for acid batteries are not suitable here. The charge voltage for each battery is different. Therefore, high voltage applied to the AGM will provoke boiling.
The temperature compensation of the charger must match the values of the specific battery. If there is no thermal compensation in the charging equipment, this can cause overcharging and a decrease in resource.
The memory should give correct currents. Even powerful gel batteries for cars 90a are very sensitive to sudden voltage drops. The charging process should be monitored and go only under clearly defined values.
Conclusion
Batteries are different. Gel - more reliable, they are not afraid of low temperatures and can be in a state of deep discharge for a long time. But the price of such batteries is three times more expensive than conventional acid counterparts. Despite this, a modern car enthusiast chooses gel batteries for cars. How much they serve depends on how to operate them. But the resource is much larger than an ordinary battery. It should be noted that only the manufacturer’s warranty is 5 to 10 years.