SunXtender Technical Manual

Document No. 6-0100 Rev. H
Page 31 of 43
Migration -
Directed movement of an ion of the electrolyte under the influence
of an electric field.
Monobloc -
A battery assembly that contains multiple cells connected in series
or parallel and housed in a single container.
Negative Electrode -
See Negative Plate.
Negative Plate -
The plate which has an electrical potential below that of the other
plate during normal cell operation. Positive current flows to the
negative plate during discharge.
Nominal Voltage -
Equivalent to the number of cells in series in a battery times 2
volts per cell. A 6-cell battery has a nominal voltage of 12 volts.
Open Circuit Voltage -
The voltage of a battery when it is not delivering or receiving
power, and has been at rest long enough to reach a steady state
(normally, at least 4 hours).
Overcharge -
The forcing of current through a cell after all the active material
has been converted to the
charged state. In other words, charging
continued after 100% state of charge is achieved. The result will
be the decomposition of water in the electrolyte into hydrogen and
oxygen gas, heat generation, and corrosion of the positive
electrode.
Oxygen recombination -
The process by which oxygen generated at the positive plate
during charge reacts with the pure lead material of the negative
plate and in the presence of sulfuric acid reforms water.
Parallel connection -
Voltage stays the same, discharge rate and AH capacity are
additive.
Plate -
A grid or framework that gives mechanical support to the active
materials of a cell. The combination is termed a pasted plate.
Polarity -
The electrical term used to denote the voltage relationship to a
reference potential (+).
Positive Electrode -
See Positive Plate.
Positive Plate -
The plate which has an electrical potential higher than that of the
other plate during normal cell operation. Positive current flows
from the positive plate during discharge.
Power -
Rate at which energy is released or consumed (expressed in
watts).
Power Efficiency -
The proportion, expressed in percent, of energy recovered from a
storage system, i.e: output power divided by input power.
Rated Capacity -
See Capacity, Rated
Rechargeable Secondary
Cell or Battery -
A cell or battery which can be recharged many times after being
discharged without appreciable depreciation of capacity.
Recombination -
See Oxygen recombination.
Resealable Vent Valve-
A type of pressure relief valve which is capable of closing after
each pressure release, in contrast to a non-resealable vent valve.
Reversible Reaction -
A chemical change which takes place in either direction, as in the
reversible reaction for charging or discharging a secondary
battery.
Sealed Cells -
Cells that contain a resealable vent valve and do not require
electrolyte maintenance.
Secondary Battery -
A system which is capable of repeated use by employing chemical
reactions that are reversible, i.e., the discharged energy may be
restored by supplying electrical current to recharge the cell.
Self Discharge -
The decrease in the state of charge of a cell or a battery, over a
period of time, due to internal electrochemical losses.
Separator -
An insulating sheet or other device employed in a storage battery
to prevent metallic contact between plates of opposite polarity
within a cell.