Here are numerous ways to improve and maximize the number of cycles a typical battery will achieve.
One of the most popular electrochemical energy storage technologies, lead-acid batteries are used in a wide range of products, including everything from cars to submarines and many other things in between. In these applications, the average guaranteed lifespan of a basic lead acid battery is around 1,500 cycles. The typical lifespan of sealed lead-acid batteries is 5 years.
You can increase the lifespan of lead-acid batteries by reading this blog.
How Long Do Lead-acid Batteries Last?
The typical lifetime ranges from 500 to 1500 cycles. The actual aging process causes the capacity to gradually decline over time. A cell does not abruptly stop functioning when it reaches its allotted lifespan.
The aging process proceeds at the same rate as before, so a cell whose capacity had decreased to 80% after 1000 cycles will likely continue to function for up to 2000 cycles, at which point it will have reached a functional capacity of 60% of its initial capacity. Thus, when a cell reaches the end of its designated life, there is no need to worry about an unexpected demise.
Here are different types of lead acid batteries:
- Deep Cycle Lead Acid Battery
- Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) Battery
- Flooded Lead Acid Batter
- Lead Acid Solar Battery
- Thin Plate Pure Lead Batteries (TTPL)
Factors That Affect the Lifespan of Lead-acid Batteries
A battery’s lifespan is decreased by shelf life, gradual capacity loss, the temperature at which it is stored and used, and the actual current it draws. A lead/acid battery typically has a lifespan of five years after the date of manufacture. However, a number of factors reduce that lifetime.
Purchase Date
Between the time that the battery was manufactured and the time the battery was available for sale, you can expect one to three months to have passed. The amount of time the battery spends in your shop waiting to be installed must also be factored into this delay if you plan to sell it back after installation.
Therefore, the 5 years of life must be reduced by the time a battery takes to be manufactured and installed.
Read More:
- Can Lead-acid Batteries Be Recycled?
- Can Lead-acid Batteries Explode?
- Can You Mix Lead-acid and Lithium Batteries?
- Are AGM Batteries Better Than Lead-acid?
Gradual Capacity Loss
Unless something catastrophic happens to cause the battery to suddenly die, the capacity of a battery fades or declines over time. Because a battery’s capacity diminishes over time, the manufacturer must arbitrarily draw a line in the decreasing capacity in order to list the average lifetime for a battery.
The battery’s lifetime is determined by the manufacturer when the battery reaches that point and no longer has sufficient capacity.
Half Shorter; Half Longer
Just keep in mind that half of the batteries last longer than the average lifetime and the other half last shorter. When a manufacturer claims that batteries last on average for five years, it means that 50% of batteries don’t.
If you’re fortunate, you might have a battery that lasts more than five years, but don’t rely on it. About half of the batteries you purchase in bulk have a lifespan of fewer than five years.
Storage Temperature and In-Use Temperature
The battery’s capacity lifetime is impacted by the temperature to which it is subjected. The battery’s lifespan shortens if it is used or stored at a temperature higher than ambient room temperature. If the temperature is high enough, that decreased life can be drastically shorter.
Battery life can be impacted by even low temperatures. Keep in mind that chemical-based storage systems like batteries are used. The chemical reactions needed to produce electricity are diminished as the temperature drops below that room temperature. The battery’s immediate capacity is decreased by these slowed chemical reactions, and occasionally low temperatures can also reduce the battery’s long-term capacity.
Amp/Hour Rating Versus Rate of Use
Batteries are rated in Amp/Hours, also known as AH, or Amps of Current per Hour. The battery’s capacity is influenced by how quickly you use the current.
One amp of current drawn from an 8 AH battery, for example, might last the entire 8 hours of use, but 8 amps of current drawn from the same 8 AH battery won’t last even half an hour. Lower capacity of the battery due to higher current. The battery’s long-term lifespan will be shortened if repeated high-current usage occurs.
Manufacturers frequently gauge a battery’s capacity over a 24-hour period when testing it. For an 8 AH battery, the current that the manufacturer uses for the measurements is more like 1/3 of an amp.
Unless you are planning on keeping the current down so the battery will last 24 hours, don’t plan on the battery having the full Amp/Hour capacity stamped on the side. Manufacturers can only provide a battery’s general capacity because they are unsure of how you will use it. The lifespan of a battery is shortened by frequent fast draining.
How to Extend the Lifespan of Lead-acid Batteries?
There are some tips on improving the lifetime of lead-acid batteries:
- Keep batteries dry and spotless.
- Verify the security of the vent caps.
- Check if the electrical connections are tight, according to the values provided by the manufacturer.
- To clean batteries and prevent corrosion on the terminals, use the proper cleaning products.
- Finish any proactive maintenance assignments on time.
- Batteries must be charged both before and while being stored.
- Never store discharged batteries. Always periodically charge the lead-acid batteries in storage to prevent sulfation.
- Keep your batteries in a dry, secure location.
- Batteries should be recharged before use.
- To ensure uniform use, rotate a battery fleet.
Now, if you diligently carry out these tasks, they will assist you and get you started in the right direction.And these tips can also help you prolong the lifespan of your lead acid batteries:
- How to Desulfate a Lead Acid Battery?
- How to Fill Lead Acid Battery? Lead Acid Battery Watering Tips
- Lead Acid Battery Voltage Charts (6V, 12V, 24V & 48V)
- Lead Acid Battery Care: How to Maintain Lead Acid Battery?
Conclusion: Extend the Lifespan of Lead-acid Batteries
Sealed lead acid batteries can have a design life of anywhere from 3 – 5 years all the way up to 12+ years depending on the manufacturing process of the battery.
The battery’s remaining shelf life, gradual capacity loss, storage, and use temperature, and the actual current drawn from the battery all have an impact on how long the battery lasts. The Amp/Hour Rating on a battery is not an exact science because other uncommon factors are also involved.
FAQs
When Should a Lead Acid Battery Be Replaced?
Lead acid batteries reach their end of life after 2-7 years and on average last about 500 – 1500 cycles.
What is the Lifespan of a 12 Volt Lead Acid Battery?
If kept in a charged state when unused, the common lifespan of a 12-volt Gel battery or AGM battery is up to six years. At a constant ambient temperature of 25 ºC for five or six years, the battery still has 80% of its initial capacity. See AGM Battery Vs. Lead-Acid Battery
What Kills a Lead Acid Battery?
Overcharging and undercharging kill lead acid battery service life. Although it might seem ironic or even ridiculous, both of these situations will eventually harm your battery. Of the two evils, overcharging is undoubtedly worse.
