Inside Batteries

Albert Einstein is reputed as saying that everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. In March, Manage Your Electrons, attempted to explain certain concepts and principles without overwhelming readers unfamiliar with batteries and electrical systems. In so doing, we may have violated Einsteins directive, because weve gotten a lot of mail complaining at our oversimplification. So, here is a more detailed explanation of much of what we conveyed in that article.

nganapathy

Monday, April 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The article details fundamental electrical concepts (charge, current, voltage, power) and the chemical processes involved in charging and discharging a lead-acid battery.
Battery capacity, measured in Amp-hours, is non-linear; lower discharge rates disproportionately extend battery life (Peukert's Law), a crucial factor for pilots managing power during emergencies.
Battery capacity and lifespan are significantly reduced by sulfation (crystalline lead sulfate formation) from cycling, insufficient charging, or long-term storage, and are also highly sensitive to operating temperatures.
Proper maintenance, including adhering to Component Maintenance Manuals and using appropriate charging/desulfating equipment, is essential to maximize battery reliability and extend its useful life.

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Albert Einstein is reputed as saying that everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. In March, “Manage Your Electrons,” attempted to explain certain concepts and principles without overwhelming readers unfamiliar with batteries and electrical systems. In so doing, we may have violated Einstein’s directive, because we’ve gotten a lot of mail complaining at our oversimplification. So, here is a more detailed explanation of much of what we conveyed in that article.

The Basics

Let’s start with an explanation of how electrical current, voltage, power and charge are related to each other. We will be using the International System of Units (SI) in the following explanations.