MK Battery Manual

6
Ultrapremium AGM glass mat separators
Glass mat separator properties can vary considerably. East Penn
uses glass mat engineered to have an ideal balance of properties—
i.e. absorbency, compressibility, puncture resistance and electrical
resistance. This attention to detail results in high performance and
long life.
Exclusive Thru-Partition Weld Seals
One of the causes of self-discharge in batteries is the minute
electrical currents that flow between each cell through the partition
at the weld area. These currents accelerate the discharge of
batteries not in use.
We block these currents by using an exclusive weld seal or gasket.
This feature dramatically reduces self-discharge to less than 3%
per month: the lowest self-discharge rate of any battery manufactur-
er and seven times lower than many conventional batteries!
Exclusive Patented Calcium/Copper Lead Alloy Grids
This exclusive alloy provides longer shelf life, more power-
per-pound and superior corrosion resistance. By using special
grain refiners, we can dramatically improve performance and life.
Heavy-Duty Motive Power Style Grid Design
While other manufacturers cut costs by using automotive style
grids, we use a high-performance deep cycle grid. This heavy-duty
grid design is similar to the grid in a motive power battery.
The hefty “power rods” designed into our grids not only lock the
active material onto the grid, but also act as “bus bars” to collect
and direct the energy to the terminals. The benefit is more power-
per-pound of battery for your equipment and longer battery life.
Multiple Plate Lug Milling
Shiny, well milled plate lugs are critical to our superior cast-on-strap
quality. Each of our plate lugs is automatically milled to assure
the highest quality strap with no loose or dropped plates. Our
lugs are then fluxed and tinned automatically for an additional
assurance of quality.
Heavier Plate Straps
We use an exclusive lead/tin alloy in a unique multi-stage cast-
on-strap operation. The result is heavier straps with outstanding
lug-to-strap knit. This eliminates dropped and loose plates,
thereby improving performance and life.
Polyester Element Wrap
Another cause of deep-cycle battery failure is “mossing.”
This phenomenon occurs late in a battery’s life, as the positive
active material actually grows around the edge of the separator
and eventually “shorts” against the negative plate. This ends the
battery’s service life.
Our AGM separators wrap around the bottom of the plate and
are wider than the plates. This makes mossing failures unlikely.
To prevent life-shortening mossing in our gel batteries, we use a
special polyester fiber sheet that is wrapped around the edge of
each element, similar to the wrap in an industrial battery. The
result is longer service life.
Exclusive Forged Posts and Bushings
“Black” posts and oxygen-contaminated batteries are often due to
porous lead terminal posts. A battery can lose its critical pressure
through tiny pores and fissures in the battery terminals. Pressure
loss is harmful to the battery and is evident by black posts, which
are caused by sulfuric acid fumes escaping from the battery through
and around the lead posts and bushings. These fumes can cause
corrosion and can damage sensitive electronic equipment.
These pores and fissures are caused by the industry’s method of
casting posts and bushings. This method produces tiny air pockets
and paths which allow corrosive gas to escape, causing life shorten-
ing depressurization, cell dry-out and corrosion damage.
To eliminate this problem, we use forged terminal posts and
bushings, which are completely solid with absolutely no porosity.
The benefit is longer life, better performance and no leakage of
corrosive gas…especially important when installed in or near
sensitive electronic equipment.
Acid Stratification Prevention
Acid stratification can occur in conventional wet cells. During
charge, acid is released at the plate surfaces. During discharge,
acid is consumed at the plate surfaces. Since the concentration is
not uniform, diffusion (spontaneous mixing by random molecular
motions) begins. If this mixing occurred rapidly, stratification would
not occur, but it is relatively slow, allowing lighter parts of elec-
trolyte to “float” toward the surface and heavier parts to “sink”
toward the bottom.
The top portion of the plates do not perform as well in contact with
lower concentration electrolyte. The bottom portion of the plates do
not perform as well with the higher concentration, and will corrode
prematurely. High voltage “equalization” charging is sometimes
used in wet batteries to make gas bubbles that re-mix the elec-
trolyte.
Because the immobilized gel will not “float” or “sink” within itself
when a non-uniform concentration exists, it cannot stratify.
Therefore, no high-voltage equalizing charge is necessary. Simply
recharge at the standard 13.8 to 14.1 voltage setting. This means
longer life and consistent performance in stationary and standby
applications.
Electrolyte in an AGM battery is strongly held by the capillary
forces between the glass mat fibers, but not completely
immobilized. Stratification is possible in extremely tall cells, but
cannot occur in batteries of the size covered in this document.
Convenient Carrying Handles
Carrying handles are included on the (gel) 8GU1H, 8G24, 8G27,
8G30H, 8G31DT, 8G31, 8G4D and 8G8D models. Handles are also
available on (AGM) 8AU1H, 8A24, 8A27, 8A31DT, 8A4D and 8A8D.
This feature makes carrying, installation and removal easier,
more convenient and less time consuming.
Dozens of Terminal Options Available
Our batteries are delivered with the most popular type of terminal;
however, on a special order basis many terminal options are
available. This gives you total flexibility to specify the proper
terminal for your application… without making compromises.