Now in stores of auto and motor equipment gel batteries are increasingly found. They are especially popular for scooters. When buying such a battery, many are faced with the fact that they do not know how to service these batteries. Often they try to serve them with ordinary acid battery chargers. But to do this categorically is impossible. Today we learn all about gel batteries for scooters, and also look at how and with what the charging and maintenance of gel batteries is carried out.
What are the batteries for?
When the engine is started, the current in the on-board network is generated from the generator. The latter is connected to the crankshaft pulley. The more revolutions, the faster the charge. However, if the engine is turned off, the generator will not generate current.
To prevent the voltage on-board network from falling, batteries are used in cars and scooters. It is thanks to them that the engine is started with the generator still idle. There are different types of batteries. Previously, lead-acid devices were often used. But recently, calcium and gel analogues have gained great popularity. They are slightly different from the classic lead, so you need to know how to properly service them.
How did
They started to develop battery data for a reason. Initially, they were used for military equipment, namely in aviation. The fact is that it is impossible to use ordinary acid batteries in these conditions. Aircraft technology is constantly changing position. The battery is experiencing huge overloads. All this did not have the best effect on acid batteries. And so, the US authorities set a serious task for scientists - to develop such a battery that could preserve all the functions of a conventional battery and at the same time work normally under extreme conditions. Gel batteries were best suited for these conditions. Now they are actively used not only in armament, but also for absolutely civilian purposes - on cars, motorcycles and scooters.
Gel battery device
According to their device, these batteries are not much different from lead-acid. Their electrolyte contains a special additive, due to which a gel is formed. There are two types of batteries:
They vary depending on manufacturing technology.
AGM batteries
AGM is the most ordinary fiberglass, which is located between the positive and negative lead plate. It has a gel electrolyte. The electrolyte itself is a traditional acidic liquid. But in this case, it is placed in a special fiberglass separator, due to which it does not spread. So, the battery can be operated in any position. In addition, these batteries are completely safe for the body. Any vapors and gases that are formed as a result of chemical processes are firmly held in the pores of fiberglass.
These gel batteries are a budget solution. Moreover, their service life is about 5 years. And this is not the limit - if the charging and maintenance of gel batteries of this kind were carried out correctly, then the battery does not lose its characteristics for ten years or more. A standard battery can withstand up to 200 cycles at a discharge depth of 100%.
GEL batteries
Batteries made using this technology have a rather high cyclic resource. In some cases, subject to proper maintenance, they can withstand up to 800 charge / discharge cycles without loss of capacity. But you need to know how to charge the gel battery for a scooter. The methods include a special device. This is the only way the battery will save its resource.
GEL is not helium, as it may seem, namely, gel. In this case, the role of the separator is played by silica gel, which filled the free cavity during the production process. After silica gel has hardened sufficiently, the substance will turn into a solid state. Pores are formed in it, where the electrolyte will be in the form of a gel.
Due to the silica gel between the plates, such batteries are protected from shedding. This has a great effect on the resource. And even more - this solution helped to significantly improve the general parameters of gel batteries. And let the nominal battery life of type GEL practically does not differ from the service life of AGM-batteries, but the number of cycles is much higher. A standard GEL battery is capable of withstanding 20% more cycles at maximum discharge depth.
Advantages of gel batteries for scooters
She is very reliable. The battery does not lose its characteristics even under the condition of maximum discharge. After charging, the battery is able to recover fully, while an acid battery will lose part of its useful capacity without the possibility of restoration of performance. Due to its specific features, the battery is capable of delivering high inrush currents. If charging and maintenance of gel batteries is carried out in accordance with all the rules, then this battery is able to withstand significantly more cycles than a traditional battery.
The battery can be operated in any position, including on its side. Since the gel battery is virtually maintenance free, it can be used immediately after purchase. There is no need for precharging. If the battery case is damaged, it will not change its characteristics. The case here is not the main capacity for electrolyte. Its functions include only protecting the solid. And finally, this is one of the safest types of batteries for cars, scooters and motorcycles.
Cons of gel batteries
As the reviews say, there are few shortcomings, and they are caused by only some features in the electric equipment of scooters. Gel batteries require very accurate current and voltage parameters during the charge process. Not always such characteristics can be obtained on motorcycles. But this is by no means a contraindication. You just need to take into account and know how to charge the gel battery for a scooter. The second drawback is the price. The cost of gel models is higher than acid-lead analogues. However, for small devices, the price difference is not so high.
Service Features
It must be remembered that for charging you will need special equipment. It should be designed for gel batteries only. Of course, now it is not so simple to find these memory devices. Gel batteries are not yet very common. Not every service center provides service. Gel batteries must be charged and serviced a couple of times a year. Most importantly, the process should be completed.
If you disconnect the battery from the device earlier, then it may lose capacity, and the recovery process is quite problematic. Batteries have a memory effect. If we talk about the time that the operation will take, then it is necessary to divide the battery capacity into charging currents. The number will be the approximate amount of time. Take, for example, a 7 Ah gel battery. Charging and maintaining it will take approximately 10 hours. This is subject to a nominal current of 0.7 A.
Charging Features
The most basic and important rule that you must adhere to during the process of charging gel batteries is to comply with the maximum values of the supplied voltages. If you exceed the permissible limit, the battery will simply fail.
Most often, in the documentation that comes with any battery, the manufacturer indicates how to charge the gel battery, threshold voltage and allowable. Often, the last parameter is in the range from 14.3 to 14.5 V. Also keep in mind that batteries of this type can lie in a discharged to zero state for a long time. But if too high voltages are applied to the battery, the electrolyte gel will begin to emit a huge amount of gas. As a result, the battery simply swells.
About charging gel batteries for scooters
It is believed that it is best to service the battery every three months. At first, the gel battery is completely discharged. Charging and maintenance involves a full discharge using a light bulb. You can determine that the battery is dead by the red light on the indicator. Now for the charging process. The current should not be higher than 1/10 of the actual battery capacity.
If this rule is violated, the battery life will be significantly reduced. The currents in the process should be as low as possible. This will affect the gel battery in the best way, and its charging will be of high quality. If the current in the battery for the scooter is 7 Ah, then the maximum current should not exceed 0.7. As for the necessary time, it has already been indicated above that it will take about 10-11 hours. But I must say that the most optimal option, how to charge a gel battery for a scooter, is reduced currents by half. In our case, this parameter will be 0.35 Ah. Let this at the same time increase the necessary time, but the battery will charge almost without loss. And the battery life will not be reduced.
About choosing a memory
As you know, charging gel batteries with traditional devices can greatly harm her. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the charger for a gel battery. When choosing, consider the type of battery. Since the design of the battery is quite specific, and the final voltage of the batteries is different, high voltages that are acceptable for AGM-type batteries can cause the electrolyte to boil.
The temperature compensation parameters in specific memory devices must correspond to the values required for specific batteries. If there is no thermal compensation, this will cause overdischarge, and then shorten the battery life. It is also necessary for the charger to provide the correct voltage. Before you charge the gel battery, remember that the battery is very sensitive to sudden changes in currents. Therefore, the process should be carried out only under strictly defined voltages. Also, when choosing a memory, the charge stages are also taken into account. If you take a lead battery, then the procedure is divided into three stages. At the first, direct current charging is performed at an increasing voltage. Then the voltage is constant and at the same time doubles. And then the charged battery is supported by a low constant voltage and minimum amperage.
Conclusion
Knowing these parameters, users say, you can successfully use gel batteries for scooters. Maintenance, charging will not present any difficulties. With proper and good care, this battery will last a very long time.