gel battery application

Find the right gel battery for your application

Intercel offers a complete range of gel batteries for all kinds of applications. We supply premium Cellpower gel batteries that are suitable (among other things) for electric transport, robotics, infrastructure and maritime applications. View our wide product range or contact us without any obligation. We are happy to help you find the perfect gel battery for your application!

What is a gel battery?

Gel batteries are maintenance-free lead-acid batteries that have a silicone composition between the plates. As a result, the electrolyte forms a gel that is unable to leak. This means a gel battery can be placed in any desired position. The gel-like structure also ensures that the battery does not slosh and is vibration-resistant. This is a big difference with traditional lead-acid and AGM batteries, which contain a dangerous acid that can leak.

Gel batteries, just like AGM batteries, belong to the category of VLRA batteries. VLRA stands for Valve Regulated Lead Acid. The batteries can be discharged up to 20% of their capacity. This results in a longer service life than most other AGM batteries. It’s important however to use a matching battery charger. Overcharging gel batteries has a very negative impact on their lifespan!

Discover the advantages of gel batteries

Gel batteries are very robust and versatile. They have many advantages over other types of deep-cycle batteries, including:

Safety

Gel batteries are distinguished by a high level of safety. The battery acid has been transformed into a gel that cannot leak. This eliminates the risk of acid spilling if the battery is tipped over or broken. The battery also produces virtually no dangerous gasses, which allows the batteries to be safely used in small spaces.

Resistant against vibrations and shocks

Gel cells are also particularly resistant to vibrations and shocks, meaning they can be used on a boat engine or in an agricultural vehicle without any problem. Because the batteries are vibration-resistant, the risk of damage during transport of the batteries is also very small.

Long lifespan

Gel batteries have a very long service life, which means they are ideal if you need the battery for a long time. They can last up to 4 times longer than conventional batteries: especially in hot climates or with regular use in places where the battery capacity is often heavily discharged (e.g. in solar installations or wind turbines), the endurance is striking.

Not affected by temperature

De temperatuur van gel accu’s is ongeveer 10 graden Celsius lager dan andere soorten batterijen, wat betekent dat ze kunnen worden gebruikt in extreme omstandigheden en warme klimaten.

Performance at different discharge levels

Gel batteries perform great at different discharge levels. This means, among other things, that they are ideal for solar energy systems or wind turbines. The battery can be deeply discharged on a regular basis and still remain in good condition. On the other hand, the battery can also be charged and stored for a long time without any problem. This is due to the gel added to the electrolyte.

Disadvantages of gel batteries

A gel battery is generally a bit more expensive than comparable battery types. Gel batteries may also take longer to charge than other batteries, and deliver less power by the same dimensions. It is also important to avoid overcharging. When you take good care of your gel battery however, most of the disadvantages are made undone by the long life and ease of use.

Advantages of Gel batteries

Gel Batteries are becoming increasingly popular for solar systems due to the following reasons:

Best suited for Deep cycle applications and their life is generally in the 500 to 5000 cycles range
Maintenance free
Spill proof
Minimal corrosion therefore compatible with sensitive electronic equipment
Rugged and vibration-resistant
Very safe as less risk of sulphuric acid burns
Lowest cost-per-month (cost / months of life)
Lowest cost-per-cycle (cost / life cycles)

The technical features of Gel battery technology :

Using gel as electrolyte
Plate thickness tolerance is not critical since the high compression of plates group assembly is not necessary
More electrolytes for better contact with plates and active materials and container walls, it is good for releasing internal heat and cooling battery temperature.
Using the extra microporous separator which can:
a/ reduce the depolarization of the negative electrode and avoid negative plate sulphation
b/ without any liquid, significantly decreases thermal runaway
c/ Help to prevent short circuits by dendrite growth between the positive and negative plates during deep discharge
Better vent valve design to lower gas leaking rate to extend battery lifetime.

Compared to flooded battery, the advantages of Gel battery are :

Maintenance free, no need to add water
Safe operation since no liquid inside
Can be installed sideways ( upside-down is not recommended )
Long cycle life
Low self-discharge makes shelf life longer.
Long standby life due to its ability to keep electrolyte inside and steady
Performance stays high and stable until the end of life
Tolerance to abuse and heat during operation, good for extreme weather

The advantage of Gel battery in application :

Maintenance free
When battery is charging, hydrogen would be absorbed and reversed to electrolyte by plates. It doesn’t need to refill water and balanced charge, which makes maintenance free.
Flexible installation
AGM separator keep electrolyte absorbed in glass mat and still. Battery can be used or positioned in any orientation.
Longer lifespan in extreme weather
Gel cell electrolyte prevent electrolyte being evaporated in high temperature or being frozen in low temperature, which keep battery in high performance in extreme weather. Extremely safe When excessive gas production by inappropriate charging occurs, safety valves will automatically emit the gas to prevent battery cracked.
Long standby life, Better cycle performance
Anti-corrosion lead-calcium alloy plate provides longer float charging life. AGM separator can trap electrolyte and prevent active materials on positive plate dropping at the same time. Moreover, it gives better deep discharge cycle performance.
Longer shelf life
Special lead-calcium alloy plates make lower self-discharge for longer shelf life.
High rate performance
Low inner resistance allows higher discharging and charging current for better performance in high rate application

For which applications can I use a gel battery?

Gel batteries are extremely versatile and suitable for a wide range of applications. You can use them as:

Batteries for Marine Applications
Batteries for Infrastructure
Batteries for the rehabilitation industry
Batteries for robotica
Batteries for motorhomes, caravans and commercial vehicles
Batteries for electric transport
Batteries for energy storage systems

the advantages of AGM battery are :

Vibration resistance due to sandwich construction
Performance well in cold temperature
Spill-proof through acid liquid encapsulation in glass mat technology
High specific power, low internal resistance
Up to 5 times faster charge than flooded technology
Better cycle life than flooded systems
Water retention (oxygen and hydrogen combine to produce water)
Less sulfation because no need to open and add water

The advantage of AGM battery in application :

Maintenance free
When battery is charging, hydrogen would be absorbed and reversed to electrolyte by plates. It doesn’t need to refill water and balanced charge, which makes maintenance free.

Flexible installation
AGM separator keep electrolyte absorbed in glass mat and still. Battery can be used or positioned in any orientation.

Extremely safe
When excessive gas production by inappropriate charging occurs, safety valves will automatically emit the gas to prevent battery cracked.

Long standby life, Better cycle performance Anti-corrosion lead-calcium alloy plate provides longer float charging life. AGM separator can trap electrolyte and prevent active materials on positive plate dropping at the same time. Moreover, it gives better deep discharge cycle performance.

Longer shelf life
Special lead-calcium alloy plates make lower self-discharge for longer shelf life.

High rate performance
Low inner resistance allows higher discharging and charging current for better performance in high rate application

Do not confuse AGM batteries with GEL batteries

These days AGM batteries are often mistaken as Gel batteries due to their numerous similarities –

Both are recombinant – meaning that the oxygen produced on positive plate is absorbed by the negative plate. Now instead of producing hydrogen, the negative plate produces water, thus maintaining the water content in the battery.
1. This is the reason why AGM and Gel batteries are valve regulated, sealed, spill proof, maintenance free, resistant to vibration and can be installed in any position.
The striking difference between the two is that of the electrolyte. Electrolyte being used in Gel batteries has a look of jelly whereas the AGM batteries have electrolyte absorbed in glass mat like separators. Due to the properties of electrolyte used in gel batteries the battery loses power fast at temperatures below 32 degree F whereas AGM batteries work efficiently in cold temperatures.
Finally, gel batteries are best suited for deep discharge as they are more acid starved, protecting plates better compared to AGM batteries. The AGMs are more compatible where high current is required.

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