BU-214: Summary Table of Lead-based Batteries

The lead acid battery maintains a strong foothold as being rugged and reliable at a cost that is lower than most other chemistries. The global market of lead acid is still growing but other systems are making inroads. Lead acid works best for standby applications that require few deep-discharge cycles and the starter battery fits this duty well. Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of lead acid systems.

Chemistry	Starter (SLI) Flooded, sealed	Deep-cycle Flooded, sealed	AGM VRLA*	Gel VRLA*	Advanced Lead Carbon (ALC)
Type	Many thin plates increase the surface for high current delivery, not spill-proof	Fewer thick plates give high capacity and durability, not spill-proof	Sulfuric acid is absorbed by a fine fiberglass mat; spill-proof	Electrolyte is suspended in silica type gel; spill-proof	Carbon anode improves charge and discharge performance
Nominal voltage	2.00V				2.00V
Full charge	2.45V at ambient, lower when hot		2.40V, or more	2.40V, or less	2.45V
Float charge	2.30V at ambient, lower when hot		2.25–2.30V, sensitive to overcharge		2.30V
Full discharge	1.75V, must be recharged to prevent sulfation				1.75V
Specific Energy	30–50Wh/kg				20–30Wh/kg; some are higher
Charge rate	0.1–0.05C (16h charge time to get for full saturation)				2–4 times faster
Discharge rate	High momentary current	Continuous moderate current	Moderate to high current		High current
Cycle life (full DoD)	12–15	150–200, longer if not discharged lower than 60% SoC		5–10 years for UPS	Better than regular lead acid
Maintenance	Flooded needs water;16 hour charge every 6 months to prevent sulfation		Maintenance-free; less prone to sulfation, no water can be added		Less prone to sulfation
Failure modes	Sulfation, shedding, depletion of active material, corrosion, mechanical				Unknown
Packaging	Standards to fit vehicle mount	Standards and unique sizes	30–100Ah typical; also unique sizes	Small and large sizes	Standards to fit vehicles, others
Environment	Lead is toxic, electrolyte is caustic		AGM, gel has less lead, electrolyte; avoid heat, use special charger		Toxic
History	Oldest rechargeable battery in 1859 by Gaston Planté; coating of lead sheet with lead oxides in 1880		Gates Energy, USA, in early 1970s	Sonnenschein, Germany, patent mid-1950s	New technology, experimentation, customization
Applications	SLI (starter, light, ignition) for vehicles	UPS, wheeled mobility	Military, aircraft, start-stop, racing, NASCAR, marine	UPS, wheeled mobility, busses, trucks, industry	Vehicles, military, energy storage
Comments	Well-suited for SLI. Low price; large temperature range	Ideal for UPS that needs few cycling	Big seller, cost effective, fast charging, high power but does not transfer heat as well as gel. Performs well when cold.	High ambient rating, high cycle count, less prone to sulfation, needs correct charge; costly. Tolerant at warm temperatures; low self-discharge.	Better charge acceptance for regenerative breaking; longer lasting

Table 1: Summary of most lead acid batteries.

All readings are estimated averages at time of publication. More detail can be seen on:

* AGM and Gel are VRLA (valve regulated lead acid) batteries. The electrolyte has been immobilized.

Last Updated: 15-Jan-2024

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