Calcium batteries

A battery is a must-have item on any car. Working in harsh conditions of increased vibration, such devices must be replaced much earlier than many components and assemblies of the machine. To maximize the life of the battery, the latest technologies are used in the production of batteries.

Calcium car batteries are the result of such improvements, so the use of such technology can significantly simplify maintenance and reduce the frequency of replacement.

What is a calcium battery?

CA / CA batteries are conventional lead batteries with calcium doped plates. This metal is very small, but even at a concentration of about 0.1%, it is possible to achieve higher performance of the energy storage device.

In addition to calcium, silver can be added in the production of this type of battery. Despite the higher cost of calcium batteries with silver, it is possible to significantly reduce the process of sulfate formation on the surface of the plates. Thus significantly increasing the operational life.

Used technologies

The technological process for the production of calcium batteries has significant differences from the method of manufacturing antimony-doped batteries. First of all, it was necessary to abandon the casting method during the formation of lead plates, due to the burning of calcium in the process of metal melting.

Plates doped with calcium are made by stamping. This allows you to completely eliminate the likelihood of metal evaporation. The principle of operation does not differ from a conventional device, the plates of which are enriched with antimony, but for efficient charging of the battery it will be necessary to use a charger with a higher voltage.

Advantages and disadvantages

Calcium batteries have both positive characteristics and significant disadvantages.

The advantages of this type of energy storage include:

1. Longer service life.
2. Extremely low self-discharge.
3. Significantly reduced the level of electrolysis of water.
4. Plates are more resistant to mechanical stress.
5. Low level of internal corrosion.
6. Maintain a long recharge.
7. Higher cold scroll current.
8. Most of the batteries with calcium are fully maintenance free.

The disadvantages of calcium batteries include:

1. With frequent deep discharges, the battery will completely fail over time.
2. Due to the use of a more complex production process, the retail cost of batteries is significantly higher than batteries made by the traditional method.
3. Long periods of downtime or when using batteries with constant undercharging will shorten the life of the battery.

Despite the higher cost, with careful operation, it is possible to significantly save money by increasing the life of the product up to 8 - 9 years. If you purchase a maintenance-free model, then the time spent on battery maintenance is reduced only to periodic recharging.

What is the difference between calcium batteries and others

The main differences between calcium batteries and other models are as follows:

1. Higher battery capacity with the same weight.
2. The internal resistance is reduced, which allows to achieve greater discharge power during engine start-up.
3. They withstand a short-term increase in the charging current of more than 16 V.
4. They are cheaper compared to gel batteries.
5. Are more expensive than hybrid and antimony batteries.

Where are calcium batteries used?

Calcium batteries are used as starter batteries in cars and trucks. If this type of battery is maintenance-free, they can be used as a storage device in powerful uninterruptible power supplies.

When using this type of battery in home-made inverter installations, it is imperative to install a safety system that will automatically turn off the battery when there is a significant discharge.

Calcium Battery Maintenance

If a serviced calcium battery is purchased, the main battery care will be the timely addition of water. To do this, in serviced devices it is enough to remove the cover or unscrew the filler plugs. It should be noted that in comparison with conventional batteries to perform such actions will not be required so often. Evaporation of water in this type of battery is very slow, so only in the summer should you pay special attention to checking the electrolyte level.

In the case when the CA / CA battery has not been used for a long time, additional recharging of the battery will be required using a device operating from the mains. It may also be necessary to make up for the loss of electricity when the car was used at night at low engine speeds.

If in time to carry out, topping up with distilled water and properly recharging a battery of this type, then such maintenance will positively affect the life of the product.

Life time

The warranty period of operation of calcium batteries is 5 years. With careful handling, which, first of all, is the absence of deep discharges, it is possible to use a battery with a stored level of inrush current for 8 to 10 years.

In case of improper operation, the service life from the date of issue may not exceed 1 year, while if the battery was sold in good condition in the retail network, the buyer may be refused compensation for losses if it is proved that the malfunction is caused by a violation of the operating rules.

How to choose a memory

With conventional chargers, it will not be possible to restore the capacity of a calcium battery to 100%. For high-quality charging, voltage is required in the range of 16 - 16.5 V. Also for activation of the process desulfation It is recommended to purchase devices that allow variable charging and discharging of the battery in a certain sequence.

Automatic chargers for CA / CA batteries, which independently adjust the parameters of the supplied voltage and amperage throughout the entire cycle of charging the battery, have proven themselves well.

Video: How to properly charge a calcium battery

How to charge a calcium battery

If you need to charge a calcium battery with an adjustable device, you need to set the voltage to about 16 V and the current equal to 10% of the battery capacity. After 10 hours of charging in this mode, the battery will be restored to full capacity.

When using an automatic device, to carry out charging, it is enough to connect the battery, observing the polarity. With significant sulfation plates It is recommended to turn on the training mode on the charger, if there is such a function.

How to restore a calcium battery

If the battery is more than 50% dead, this can result in significant loss of capacity. In the event of a similar situation, it is necessary to immediately restore the battery. For this purpose, prepare a charger whose voltage can be regulated. As mentioned above, to charge calcium batteries, a device with a voltage of at least 16 V.

The battery is being repaired in the following sequence:

1. Charge the battery for 24 hours with a current of 0.1 A.
2. Then continue charging during the day with a current of 0.05 A.
3. Continue charging for 1 to 2 days with a current of 1 A.

Thus, it is possible to completely restore the calcium battery with a single deep discharge. If the procedure is performed in winter, then the room temperature should be at least +20 degrees. It is also necessary to monitor the temperature of the electrolyte, which should not be higher than 55 - 60 degrees Celsius.

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