Charging and maintenance of gel batteries for scooters: device, service and feedback

Now in the auto and motorcycle shops, gel batteries are increasingly found. They are especially popular for scooters. Buying such a battery, many are faced with the fact that they do not know how to service these batteries. They often try to service them with ordinary chargers for acid batteries. But you can not do this categorically. Today, we will learn all about gel batteries for scooters, and also consider how and how charging and maintenance of gel batteries is carried out.

What is the battery for?

When the motor is started, the current in the on-board network is generated from the generator. The latter is connected with the crankshaft pulley. The more speed, the faster the charge. However, if the engine is muffled, the generator will not generate current. To ensure that the voltage of the on-board network does not drop, the cars and scooters use batteries. It is thanks to them that the engine is started when the generator is not working yet. AKB come in different types. Previously, lead-acid devices were often used. But recently, calcium and gel analogs have gained great popularity. They are slightly different from classic lead, so you need to know how to properly service them.

How did the

To develop the data of AKB began not just. Initially, they were used for military equipment, namely in aviation. The fact is that it is impossible to use ordinary acid batteries under these conditions. Aircraft is constantly changing position. The battery experiences tremendous overload. All this did not have the best effect on acid batteries. And now the US authorities have set before scientists a serious task - to develop a battery that could keep all the functions of a conventional battery and at the same time work normally under extreme conditions. Gel batteries were suitable for these conditions as well as possible. Now they are actively used not only in armament, but also for absolutely civil purposes - on cars, motorcycles and scooters.

Device for gel battery

According to their device, these batteries are not much different from lead-acid batteries. In their electrolyte contains a special additive, due to which the gel is formed. There are two types of batteries:

• AGM.
• GEL.

They differ depending on the manufacturing technology.

AGM batteries

AGM is the most common fiberglass that lies between a 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 reliably retained in the pores of the glass fibers.

These gel batteries are a budget solution. At the same time, their life is about 5 years. And this is not the limit - if charging and maintenance of gel batteries of this kind were carried out correctly, the battery does not lose its characteristics for ten years or more. The standard battery is capable of withstanding up to 200 cycles with a discharge depth of 100%.

GEL-accumulators

The batteries manufactured using this technology have a sufficiently high cyclic life. In some cases, if properly serviced, 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 the scooter. The methods provide for the presence of a special device. Only so the battery will save its resource. GEL - this is not helium, as it may seem, namely gel. In this case, the role of the separator is performed by silica gel, which is filled with a free cavity in the process of production. After the silica gel has sufficiently solidified, the substance will pass into a solid state. It creates pores, where the electrolyte will be in the form of a gel.

Due to 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 overall parameters of gel batteries. And let the nominal battery life of type GEL practically does not differ from the service life of AGM-accumulators, but the number of cycles here is much higher. The standard GEL-battery is able to withstand 20% more cycles with the maximum depth of discharge.

Advantages of gel batteries for scooters

It 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 to its fullest extent, while the acid battery will lose some of the usable capacity without the possibility of restoring the characteristics. Due to specific features, the battery is capable of producing high starting currents. If charging and maintenance of gel batteries is carried out according to all the rules, then this battery can withstand much 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 pre-charge. If the battery case is damaged, it will not change its characteristics. The housing here is not the main capacity for the electrolyte. Its function is only to protect 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 drawbacks, and they are conditioned by only some peculiarities in the electric equipment of scooters. Gel batteries require very precise current and voltage parameters in the process of charging. Not always such characteristics can be obtained by mototechnics. But this is by no means a contraindication. Just need to take into account and know how to charge the gel battery for the scooter. The second disadvantage is the price. The cost of gel models is higher than that of acid-lead analogues. However, within small devices, the difference in price is not so high.

Features of the service

It must be remembered that special equipment will be needed for charging. It should only be for gel batteries. Of course, now these memory devices are not so easy to find. Gel batteries are not yet very common. Not every service center is engaged in maintenance. Charging and maintenance of gel batteries should be performed a couple of times a year. The most important thing is for the process to be completed. If the battery is disconnected from the device before, it can lose capacity, and the recovery process is quite problematic. The batteries have a memory effect. If we talk about the time that the operation will take, then it is necessary to divide the capacity of the battery into charging currents. The number and will be an approximate amount of time. Take, for example, 7 Ah gel battery. Charging and maintenance it will take approximately 10 hours. This is subject to a nominal current of 0.7A.

Features of charging

The most basic and important rule to be followed in the process of charging gel batteries is to observe the maximum values of the applied voltages. If the limit is exceeded, the battery will simply fail. Most often in the documentation that is attached to any battery, the manufacturer indicates how to charge the gel battery, threshold voltages and permissible. Often, the last parameter is in the range from 14.3 to 14.5 V. Also note that batteries of this type can stay in a discharged state for a long time. But if you apply too high voltages to the battery, the electrolytic gel will begin to emit a huge amount of gases. As a result, the battery will simply swell.

About charging gel batteries for scooters

It is believed that it is best to serve the battery every three months. Initially, completely discharged gel battery. Charging and maintenance involves a full discharge using a light bulb. Determine that the battery has sat down, you can by the red light of the indicator. Now as for the charging process. The current must be no higher than 1/10 of the actual capacity of the battery. If this rule is violated, the battery life will be significantly reduced. The currents in the process should be as small as possible. This is the best way to affect the gel battery, and its charging will be of high quality. If the current in the battery for the scooter is 7 Ah, then the maximum current strength should not exceed 0.7. As for the necessary time, it is already 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 current strength in half. In our case, this parameter will be 0.35 Ah. Let it simultaneously and increase the necessary time, but the battery will be charged almost without loss. And the battery life will not be reduced.

About the choice of storage

As you know, charging gel batteries with traditional devices can greatly harm her. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the memory for the gel battery. When selecting, consider the type of battery. Since the design of the battery is quite specific, and the final voltage of the batteries is different, the high voltages that are acceptable for the AGM type battery can cause the electrolyte to boil. The temperature compensation parameters for a particular memory must correspond to the values that are required for specific batteries. If there is no thermal compensation, this will cause a re-discharge, and then a shorter battery life. It is also necessary for the memory to give out the correct voltages. Before you charge the gel battery, remember that the battery is very sensitive to sudden changes in currents. Therefore, the process must be performed only under strictly defined stresses. Also, when choosing a memory, the charging stages are taken into account. If you take a lead battery, the procedure is divided into three stages. On the first one, DC charging is performed at increasing voltage. Then the voltage is constant and at the same time it is halved. And further charged battery is maintained by low constant voltage and minimal current intensity.

Conclusion

Knowing these parameters, as users say, you can successfully use gel batteries for scooters. Service, charging will not present any difficulties. With proper and good care this battery will last a very long time.