All Power-Sonic batteries are flame retardant to different degrees depending on their UL94 RATING. In the plastics/resins industry for products such as AGM/SEALED LEAD ACID BATTERIES, there are actually six different ratings from the lowest to the highest/least to the most resistant; UL 94 H-B - Considered “self-extinguishing. This is the lowest/least flame retardant rating. UL 94 V-2 - When exposed to flame, it stops burning within 60 seconds. Flaming drips are allowed. UL 94 V-1 - When exposed to flame, it stops burning within 60 seconds. No flaming drips are allowed. UL 94 V-0 - When exposed to flame, will stop burning within 10 seconds. No flame drips are allowed. UL 94-5VB - When exposed to flame will stop burning within 60 seconds. No flame drips allowed. Burn-through holes may be present. UL 94-5VA – When exposed to flame will stop burning within 60 seconds. No burn-through hole allowed. This is the highest FLAME RETARDANT RATING. Power-Sonic batteries are rated at both UL 94 H-B and UL 94 V-0 depending on the series model.
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Yes, all AGM/SEALED LEAD ACID BATTERIES, INCLUDING ALL 2 VOLT CELLS, ARE UL LISTED. UL-LISTED products are required to pass the strict and globally accepted standards of Sustainability and Safety, which for the consumer simply means that the product is reasonably free of a foreseeable risk of fire.
Yes, Power-Sonic, batteries sold directly in European countries are VDS-certified. The VDS Certification is accredited by the GERMAN NATIONAL ACCREDITATION BODY, for the testing of components such as the Power-Sonic AGM/SEALED LEAD ACID BATTERIES used in the fields of fire detection and fire alarm systems. All manufacturers seeking the VDS certification must first be ISO 9001 QUALITY MANAGEMENT CERTIFIED. The certification regulation provides the consumer with the assurance of receiving high-quality reliable products in the security market as it relates to safety.
The ROHS directive (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical Equipment) covers the same scope as the WEEE directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). Batteries and accumulators do not fall into any of the ten categories listed by the WEEE directive). Therefore, Power Sonic range of products are outside the scope of each of these directives.
In accordance to REACH regulation (Reg. EC 1907/2006), which entered into force on 1st of June 2007 in the EU, requires that manufacturers declare the presence of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in articles (lead batteries) with concentration greater than 0.1% by weight. The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) updated the Candidate List effective on the 27th of June 2018, with the inclusion of Lead Metal (CAS No.: 7439-92-1). All Power Sonic sealed lead acid batteries contain Lead as a SVHC in concentration greater than 0.1% by weight.
Do Power Sonic batteries contain any of the substances that the EU has listed as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)?
Article 33 (1) of the REACH regulation (Reg. EC 1907/2006), which entered into force on 1st of June 2007 in the European Union, requires that manufacturers communicate the presence of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in articles (lead batteries) in concentration greater than 0.1% by weight.
Paragraph (Recital) 29 of the Directive states: “Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment does not apply to batteries and accumulators used in electrical and electronic equipment.” Power Sonic's Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries are in compliance with the Battery Directive, as our batteries are clearly labelled in the required manner. The EU Directive states that the batteries be labelled with the symbol of a crossed out wheelie bin with the chemical identification of the material to be recycled.
The EU Battery Directive (2006/66/EC) regulates the manufacturing and disposal of batteries and accumulators in the European Union to protect human health and the environment from hazardous substances such as mercury and cadmium.
CE certification of electrical/electronic devices relates to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The certifications and tests related to this are designed to ensure that electromagnetic radiation (which are really radio waves) from components do not interfere with other devices such as TV, radio, computers, medical equipment and mobile phones. Types of devices that do not radiate electromagnetic radiation, such as lead acid batteries, are not required to undergo the tests.
Yes you can use two 12 volt batteries by connecting them in series. Positive is connected to negative and negative is connected to positive. How to configure 2 batteries in series
As you do not make 24 volt SLA batteries can we use 12 volt instead. If so, how do we hook them up?
A brand new battery will have a capacity (AH) 5-10% lower than the rated capacity. The full amp hour will be reached when the battery has been cycled several times.
What is the AH supposed to be right out of the box?
IIn connecting batteries in series (increases voltage) the positive terminal of the first battery is connected to the negative terminal of the second battery and so on down the string. The interconnecting cables must be of equal length and resistance to insure equalization of the load. All batteries in the string will receive the same amount of charge current, though individual battery voltages may vary. Differences in capacity can cause some batteries to overcharge while others remain undercharged thus causing premature aging of batteries. It is, therefore, not advisable to mix batteries of different capacities, make, or age in a series string. We have created a guide on connection batteries in series and parallel
I want to use Power Sonic batteries in series, what are the considerations?
When charging batteries in parallel (positive terminals are connected to the positive terminal and negative terminals to the negative), all batteries in the string will receive the same charge voltage but the charge current each battery receives will vary until equalization is reached. We have created a guide to parallel and series configuration of batteries
The terminals of any sealed lead acid battery should not be bent. They are bonded in place with epoxy and bending the terminals may crack the epoxy and allow electrolyte to leak out and air to enter the battery. This will shorten the life of the battery, may cause damage due to the electrolyte spillage and will void the warranty.
Can I bend the terminals of the battery in the opposite direction?
Power Sonic sealed lead acid batteries can be operated in virtually any orientation without loss of capacity or electrolyte leakage. However, upside down operation is not recommended.
The most likely reason is that they have not come up to full capacity yet. A brand-new battery will have a capacity (AH) 5-10% lower than the rated capacity. The full amp hour will be reached when the battery has been cycled several times.
We have just purchased some Power Sonic batteries from a supplier and they are not performing as well as the older Power-Sonic batteries that they replaced. Any ideas why?
Lead acid batteries must never be charged or discharged in a sealed environment. Batteries generate a mixture of gasses internally. Given the right set of circumstances, such as extreme overcharging or shorting of the battery, these gasses might vent into the enclosure and create the potential for an explosion when ignited by a spark. Generally, ventilation inherent in most enclosures is sufficient to avoid problems.
Our batteries have a low self-discharge rate which permits storage of a fully charged battery up to 9 months . However, it is important that a battery be charged within six months after receipt to account for the storage from the date of manufacture to the date of purchase. Otherwise, permanent loss of capacity might occur as a result of sulfation. The rate of self discharge will vary in accordance with the ambient temperature, the higher the temperature the higher the rate of self discharge.
I have Power Sonic batteries in storage, when should they be re-boosted?
Detailed information on the battery chemistry can be found in our technical battery manual .
Due to the nature of the materials used, this type of battery does not develop any memory.
The conventional direction is from positive terminal (anode) to negative terminal (cathode). This is the direction of the electric field within the wire.
You should never seek to add acid to our sealed batteries. Our VRLA batteries are a closed system that works on a recombination principle. To produce a truly maintenance free battery it is necessary that the gasses generated during overcharge are recombined in a so called “oxygen cycle”.
SLA and VRLA are different acronyms for the same battery, Sealed Lead Acid or Valve Regulated Lead Acid. This battery type has the following characteristics: Maintenance-free, leak-proof, position insensitive. Batteries of this kind have a safety vent to release gas in case of excessive internal pressure build up. AGM, Absorbed Glass Mat refers to a specific type of SLA/VRLA where the electrolyte is absorbed into separators between the plates consisting of sponge like fine glass fibre mats.
All our sealed lead acid batteries utilize a lead-calcium alloy free of antimony. The small amount of calcium (and tin) in the grid alloy imparts strength to the plate and guarantees durability even in excessive cycle service. The heavy duty lead calcium alloy grids provide an extra margin of performance and life in both cyclical and float applications and give unparalleled recovery from deep discharge.
Our AGM battery cases and lids are made from ABS plastic that complies with a specific UL rating. Depending on the application, some cases are manufactured from ABS that has a higher resistance to flame than the standard model.
The life expectancy of a battery under continuous float charge. In float applications the frequency of This depends on the frequency and depth of discharge, the float voltage and the ambient temperature.
The number of charge/discharge cycles that can be achieved before a battery reaches the end of its’ useful life. The number of cycles depends on the capacity taken from the battery (a function of discharge rate and depth of discharge), operating temperature and charging method.
When a battery is being used as a power source on a regular basis and it is being discharged and subsequently recharged, the battery is said to be in cyclic use. The determining factor in the life of this battery is the number of charge/discharge cycles that can be completed. In cyclical applications up to 1,000 charge/discharge cycles can be expected depending on the average depth of discharge, for more information on deep cycle batteries . Standby batteries are meant to act as an emergency power source where the main power source has failed for some reason. Consequently, standby batteries are kept fully charged so that they can “kick in” immediately. The batteries remain connected to a float charger that will keep the battery fully charged and ready for use. In standby use the batteries have a design life of up to 5/10/12/16/20 years depending on the product range.
What is the difference between cycle use and standby use?
Both kinds of batteries are valve regulated types. The difference lies in the way the electrolyte is immobilized. In case of an absorbed electrolyte type (AGM), the electrolyte is absorbed by the glass fibre separator which acts like a sponge. In a gel-type battery the liquid electrolyte is converted into a gel during the manufacturing process. Gel batteries use a different type of separator, the internal design is otherwise similar.
The life of a battery will depend upon a number of factors including application, operating temperature and the charging method. You can find the design life of the battery on the individual data sheets.
Will I get the same battery life from all of Power Sonic PS Series batteries?
Operating temperatures including charging, discharging and storage can all be found on the individual battery data sheets.
What are the lowest and highest temperatures that Power Sonic sealed lead acid batteries can operate in?
Power Sonic publishes the internal resistance of all of our sealed lead acid batteries on page one of the individual battery specification sheets. These can be found on the individual product pages or in the downloads section .
How can I find out what the internal resistance of my battery is?
Many of our batteries have NSN numbers. These can be found here.
There are many factors effecting battery life which can be found in our SLA technical manual
Our lead acid batteries are rated at either the 20 hour rate (ah), 10 hour rate (ah) or they are rated at the 15min rate (w/c).
You can find all our MSDS on our downloads page by clicking 'Material Safety Data Sheets' at the top. Power Sonic Downloads
Yes, but if the lithium batteries qualify for Class 9 shipping, the entire pallet or container ships Class 9.
Can I ship lithium batteries with sealed lead acid batteries in the same pallet or container?
Lithium batteries are classified as Class 9 in two instances. 1. When shipping by air (note that all lithium batteries are required to have a 30% state of charge or less if shipped by air). 2. Lithium batteries that have a capacity greater than 300 Wh, or between 100 and 299 Wh and weigh more than 29.9 kg, are considered Class 9 when shipping by ground. Batteries with lower capacity and weight can ship at a less restrictive class. For more information on shipping lithium batteries, please see your carrier’s requirements.
All Power Sonic lithium batteries are UN 38.3 tested for hazardous goods. Only batteries with a capacity greater than 300 Wh, or between 100 and 300 Wh and weigh more than 29.9 kg are shipment restricted. Power Sonic's UN38.3 certificates can be found on the individual product page under related downloads.
How do I know if the lithium batteries I purchase meet the requirements of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, subsection 38.3?
Yes, batteries shall be protected from short circuit, and when installed in equipment or machinery they shall be protected from unintentional activation during transport.
Are there different requirements for the shipment of individual batteries and appliances or equipment containing batteries?
Yes, as a consignor offering a battery for shipment (alone, installed in or packaged with equipment), is responsible for ensuring that the battery itself meets all the appropriate requirements of the appropriate shipping regulations.
Yes, but the conditions are less restrictive of the individual batteries and vary according to the characteristics and the number of elements and batteries.
I have a shipment of electronic equipment containing lithium batteries. Is it classified as a dangerous good?
Dangerous goods regulations foresees exceptions or special provisions for the shipment of cells and batteries for testing purposes. Road and maritime transportation of prototype cells and batteries do not require any prior approvals but are subject to stringent packaging requirements; air transportation is subject to approval.
If my cells and batteries must always be tested prior to shipping, how do I ship them for testing?
Anyone offering a battery for shipment (alone, installed in or packaged with equipment), is responsible for ensuring that the battery itself meets all the appropriate requirements of the appropriate shipping regulations. This includes testing, marking, labelling, packaging and documentation requirements.
Yes. Lithium batteries shall be proved to meet the testing requirements of the Manual of Tests and Criteria, part III, sub-section 38.3, irrespective of whether the lithium cells of which they are composed are of a tested type or not.
If lithium cells that have already been tested, do lithium batteries have to be tested?
No, sea and air transport regulations are more restrictive and do not provide exemptions.
Do the exemptions applicable to road transport mode apply to sea and air transport modes as well?
To safely transport lithium batteries (by air, sea, rail or roadways), they must meet the provisions laid out in which standard?
Yes, the classification is made at UN level, but every transport mode may introduce specific restrictions or exemptions.
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The battery classification as dangerous goods apply to road as well as to sea and air transport mode?
Yes, all persons involved in the preparation and shipping of dangerous goods shall be trained in the requirements governing the carriage of such goods, appropriate to their responsibilities and duties.
The transport of battery cells, batteries and equipment containing batteries is regulated by which governing body?
Yes. Lithium batteries are classified as "Dangerous Goods" under IATA DG Regulations , since charged battery shipments may overheat and ignite under certain conditions.
Unlike sealed lead acid batteries, Lithium batteries have a battery management system which provides current and voltage protection. These protective circuits can interfere with the charging of the batteries when long strings are employed without an external battery management unit. Strings longer than 4-6 are more likely to experience issues and are not supported. This will vary, so please check the battery specifications to ensure strings do not exceed their max.
What limits the number of lithium batteries that can be installed in series or parallel?
Yes. Power Sonic provides specific guidelines for string matching of batteries installed in series or parallel.
Do batteries used in series or parallel need to be matched?
As mentioned previously, up to six PSL-BT and PSL-SC batteries can be used in parallel if the circuit current is below the 1 C rating of the batteries. Installing more than 4 batteries in series or parallel requires the use of an external battery management unit to manage all batteries on the string. This is currently not supported by Power Sonic.
Can I use more than 4 Power Sonic lithium batteries in series or in parallel?
Power Sonic lithium batteries cannot be installed in parallel and series at the same time.
Only Power Sonic batteries beginning with PSL-SC or PSL-SH can be used in series. The limit is four batteries in series on the PSL-SC line and two in series on the PSL-SH line. Power Sonic provides an installation guide for installing batteries in series.
All Power Sonic PSL-BT and PSL-SC batteries can be used in parallel. All models support using 4 batteries in parallel without additional engineering required. Up to six batteries can be installed in parallel if the total current of the circuit is below the 1C rating of a single battery, e.g. six PSL-BTC-1290 batteries can be installed in parallel if the circuit is design for less than 9 A. The PSL-SH batteries cannot be used in parallel. Power Sonic provides an installation guide for parallel installations.
Yes, Power Sonic lithium batteries can be installed in any orientation without the risk of leakage.
There are different types of monitoring circuitry used in lithium batteries including balancing circuits, protection circuit modules and battery management systems. For more details please read our guide to Lithium Smart Batteries
There are many differences between lithium and lead acid batteries. Power Sonic have put together a complete guide to the differences between lead acid and lithium which you can read by clicking the link below. Lithium and Lead Acid Batteries - A Complete Guide
In SLA float applications, the voltage of the charger is 13.65-13.8. When a lithium battery is dropped in as an SLA replacement on a float charge at 13.8V, the lithium battery may not be fully charged, but it can be used. Float charging a lithium battery might also degrade the capacity at a higher rate.
Can I use a lithium battery as a drop-in replacement for an SLA battery in a float charge scenario?
Like all batteries, high temperatures will lower the life expectancy of the lithium battery. However, although at very high temperatures the cycle life can be reduced by a factor of ten the cycle life at high temperatures is still above the lead acid equivalent.
What is the impact of temperature on the cycle life of a lithium battery?
Lithium batteries are designed to be cycled and have excellent life even when cycled at 100% depth of discharge.
In general, the voltage drops with increasing discharge rate as does the capacity. The Capacity is nearly independent of discharge rate for discharge rates between C/2 and C/8, and only decreases slightly at 1C when voltage reached 10 V. Lower discharge rate will slightly increase capacity.
Lithium batteries are like lead acid batteries in that the capacity of the battery is higher with warmer temperatures. The graph below shows a typical voltage versus capacity curve for Lithium at a discharge rate of 0.5C. For temperatures above 0o C the capacity is only slightly impacted by temperature. Temperatures below 0o C have lower capacity that decreases with decreasing temperature. One thing to note is that self-heating of the battery during discharge can mitigates the loss in capacity. This is the voltage rise between 5% capacity and 50% capacity when discharged at 0.5C at a temperature -10o C.
What is the performance of the battery of a variety of temperatures?
The voltage of a lithium battery is relatively flat during discharge when compared to an SLA as can be seen in the graph below. The OCV is also relatively flat with SOC and should only be used as a reference when estimating the state of charge.
The Bluetooth application only reads information broadcasted by the battery, it does not store information. Changes made by the application to the battery, e.g. changing the batteries name, are sent to the battery and stored in the battery memory.
Is anything stored on the app in memory from the battery?
At this time, there is not a reset of the battery to factor defaults. The factory default name of the battery is the serial number which is labelled on the battery.
It is currently protected with a generic password. Use “1234” to check series voltage and “5678” to rename the battery.
Can the battery be password protected to prohibit information writing to my phone?
The only information that is written from your phone to the battery is the name of the battery when changed.
Short circuit Short circuit clear Hi-Temp when charging Hi-Temp when discharging Low-Temp when charging Low-Temp when discharging Over current when discharging Over current when charging Low voltage High voltage Temp returned to normal Current returned to normal Voltage returned to normal
What types of events are tracked on the app for the PSL-BT line?
Currently, the event history is not stored. Only active events are displayed.
How do the events get stored and logged on the PSL-BT line? Where can I check for stored events?
The lithium Bluetooth battery may have some communication limitations if enclosed in a thick or metal enclosure.
What are the limitations of the lithium Bluetooth battery communications if enclosed?
The Bluetooth function works within 5 meters of the battery. The range can be influenced by obstructions such as wall, windows, etc. and should be checked during battery installation.
Yes there is. You can download via the link below. Lithium Bluetooth User Manual
You can download the Power Sonic Bluetooth battery app at the following links Google Play App Store
No, a gel battery requires a different charge profile that involves lower voltages for the absorption and float stages
This is not recommended and should be avoided due to the possibility of over charging and or undercharging the batteries.
No. If you are using a three stage charger model it is best to leave the charger plugged in and switched on and connected to the battery. The fully charged light simply indicates that the charger has completed its charge cycle and has now gone into the trickle charging phase.
If a battery has a faulty cell (internal short) it will not reach the on charge voltage required by the charger to switch to the trickle charge mode also know as float voltage mode.
This is the process through which a battery charger returns a battery to its full capacity, which will vary with the age of the battery.
A three stage battery charger is what Power Sonic recommends.
Stage One; is the commonly called the bulk charging stage. Assuming the battery is in a discharged condition the charger will begin in a constant current as the battery’s voltage rises returning it to approximately 80% of its capacity. Stage 2; is commonly called the absorption charging stage. As the battery voltage rises and the target voltage (this voltage varies with battery chemistry) the charger holds its voltage at a constant level and the battery’s current is allowed to reduce. During this stage the remaining 20% of the battery’s capacity is replaced. Stage 3; is commonly called the maintenance or float charging stage. The voltage of the battery is at a constant voltage slightly below the absorption voltage, maintaining the full charge condition of the battery without over charging it. This stage is known as float mode.
Yes, however it is NOT recommended due to the charger DC output may be higher than the battery’s normal voltage output.
Yes, you can estimate the recharging time by dividing the amps to be replaced in a battery by the charger amp output. Keep in mind that multistage chargers taper the current after approximately 80% to 85% of the charging is completed so it will take about one additional hour to fully complete the charge.
We recommend that you do not charge a lithium battery with a lead acid charger. Lithium batteries are not like lead acid and chemically react different during a charging cycle. A lithium battery charger has a higher voltage per cell as well as tighter voltage tolerances during the different charging stages and no third stage during which the charger switches to a trickle/float charge setting which not required for a lithium battery due the the very low self discharge rate of the battery. Refer to our guide onHow to charge a lithium battery
Power Sonic offer a wide range of SLA and lithium battery chargers covering the vast majority of our battery portfolio.
Charging times can vary substantially depending upon so many variable factors including: • Depth of discharge • Charging temperature • Size and efficiency of the charging equipment • Age and condition of the battery For further information see our technical battery manual.
These can be found on ourdownloads pagein the chargers section.
The impact of over charging is differs for lead acid batteries and lithium batteries. For a lead acid battery over charging results in too high a charge voltage, excessive current will flow into the battery, after the battery has reached full charge. This will cause decomposition of the water in the electrolyte and premature aging. At high rates of overcharge a battery will progressively heat up. As it gets hotter it will accept more current, heating up even further. This is called thermal runaway and it can destroy a battery in as little as a few hours. A lithium battery has protection circuitry that will either prevent the excess current from entering the battery (this is the case of batteries with battery management systems or protective circuit modules) or will convert the excessive current to heat through a resister (this is the case of a balance circuit). Both methods of handling the excessive current protect the battery from over charging.
The electrolytes in an auto battery and a sealed lead acid battery have different specific gravities. Different chargers are required for each type. Using an auto charger could result in heat being generated inside a Power Sonic battery; this in turn would shorten the battery life. Please contact our technical department if you need help in determining a suitable charger.
As a result of too high a charge voltage excessive current will flow into the battery, after reaching full charge, causing decomposition of water in the electrolyte and premature aging. At high rates of overcharge a battery will progressively heat up. As the battery gets hotter it will accept more current heating up even further. This is called thermal runaway and it can destroy a battery in as little as a few hours.
Power Sonic only offers 6 and 12 volt chargers and as such we do not have a suitable charger available for charging a single 4 volt battery.
Power Sonic only offers 6 and 12 volt chargers and as such we do not have a suitable charger available for charging a single 2 volt battery.
Chargers do not contain any customer serviceable components and should not be opened under any circumstances. Doing so would void the warranty and could lead to damage to property and/or result in personal injury.
In order to properly charge any type of battery you must use the appropriate charger best suited for your battery. To choose the charger that will best charge and condition your battery you will need to know the voltage, its capacity in amp hours and the type/chemistry. Power Sonic have a selection of battery chargers available.
You must first determine the type of battery you will be charging. Wet Cell (flooded), AGM also known as VRLA, GEL, SLA or lithium. Once you have determined the battery type you will need to identify the battery’s voltage and amp hour rating. A typical battery chargers’ voltage will range from a 6 to a 12 volt capacity , which will correspond with your 6 or 12 volt battery. The amp hour rating capacity of most chargers will range from 0.3 to 20 amp hours but if necessary can certainly go beyond that. In order to determine the correct amp hour capacity of the charger you will need to find the maximum rate of charge of the battery. This information is usually printed on the side or front of a battery or included in the published data sheet for the battery. For example the information may read “initial maximum current,” If you need a charger for a Power Sonic battery you will find the recommended charger model on the battery data sheet.
The battery charger must accommodate the required current in order to restore your battery to full charge. Try and avoid chargers with higher amperage ratings because you want to charge your battery in shorter period of time. Charging your battery at higher current rates can cause your battery to overheat and possible go in to a thermal runaway condition that will permanently damage the battery. In as much as it may increase the charging time-you may want to you may select a charger with fewer amps which will increase the time to charge your battery. If you are not in a rush this is always the best way to safely recondition your battery.
The time it takes to recharge your batteries will depend on both the battery and charger size/capacity more commonly varying anywhere from 4 to 16 hours. For example to fully recharge a 12V 7ah SLA battery. using a 12 V 1.8 Amp Hour charger would take approximately 4.5 hours if the battery was in a fully discharged condition.
A good quality charger will assist you in extending the useful life of your battery by protecting against under and overcharging. Low cost chargers are much more limited in their charging capabilities. For constant maximum battery performance always choose a battery charger that compliments the chemistry, voltage and amp hour capacity of your battery.
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