Gel batteries for cars: reviews. How many gel batteries are used for cars

Gel batteries are a promising direction for the development of autonomous power sources today. High output current, large capacity, excellent electrochemical and physical characteristics - all this applies to gel batteries. Already many motorists have estimated their advantages. Let's see what the gel batteries for cars represent and what the characteristics are. Reviews about them are mostly positive. But are these batteries good? Let's find out.

What is a gel battery?

In general, gel batteries are the same lead-acid elements. However, there are several differences, which determine all the advantages of these batteries. In the gel accumulator there are lead plates and electrolyte. However, the electrolyte is not liquid, but in the form of a gel. The market has a gel battery for a car of two types - manufactured by AGM and GEL-technology. Let's consider each in more detail.

AGM technology: features

The main difference between AGM and ordinary acid battery is the absence of an electrolyte inside the liquid state. Between the positive and negative lead plates are special gaskets-insulators based on the finest fiberglass and paper fibers. It is interesting that this material has pores. The electrolyte is in this gasket. The amount of gel inside the battery is enough to fill the small pores. In this case, large openings must be empty so that gases can be circulated inside them, which are released during operation of the battery.

The gel battery for the car also includes a system for recombining gases. As a result of chemical processes, oxygen and hydrogen are formed. Thanks to this system, gases do not have time to leave the battery to reconnect and turn into water. Lead plates are tightly compressed.

Benefits of gel AGM batteries

These batteries are much better than analogs withstand high loads. The main problem with conventional batteries is a significant reduction in life due to high electrical loads. After all, in a modern car, electricity consumers are significantly more than before.

There is one more important advantage, which gel batteries for cars differ. The owners' testimonies indicate that the battery can be discharged up to 40% and lower. You can "sit down" the battery even completely - a serious reduction in the resource will not. A traditional battery with discharges lower than half is seriously damaged. The capacity will quickly fall down to 20%. It can not be restored. If you discharge the gel battery for the car completely, it will not be anything. The battery can withstand about 200 cycles in this mode of operation. With a discharge of 50%, the battery can withstand up to 500 cycles. At 30% - up to 800. Battery life is 5 years. AGM is the most budgetary battery among the gel. But this is not the limit. There are models that do not lose their performance for 10 years. Feedback from users is more than once confirmed.

Since the plates and the separator inside the casing are tightly compressed, the device is much better able to withstand vibrations and mechanical shock loads, from which acid-lead batteries on domestic roads suffer significantly. Due to this, the life of the gel battery is much higher.

Accumulators AGM practically do not suffer because of differences in temperatures and can be effectively used even at low rates. The operating temperature range is -40 to +70 degrees. There is no water inside the battery, which in the usual device freezes and expands. That's why many drivers choose gel batteries for cars. The reviews show that the service life is really higher. And the battery works properly even in the harsh conditions of the northern regions.

GEL-batteries

These batteries are even more resource work. In some cases, they can be charged / discharged up to a thousand times, and the device does not lose its capacity. Many people think that GEL is helium. However, it is not. This is the gel. In this design, silica gel is used as the separator between the lead plates. They are still at the stage of manufacturing AKB fall asleep all the free space in the case. When the silica gel passes to the maximum solid state, pores are formed in it. In the latter, the electrolyte will be in the form of a gel.

Advantages of GEL technology

Since in these batteries almost all the space between the plates is occupied by silica gel, the risks of shedding are reduced to a minimum. This has a positive effect on the service life. Even more - thanks to this design, the general characteristics of the battery have significantly improved, which has a good effect on the resource and the number of charge / discharge cycles. Also, the battery is better able to withstand deep discharges.

In general, the nominal life of such batteries is not much different from AGM-versions, but the number of cycles here is more than 50% higher. If it's available, the battery can withstand up to 350 charges / discharges at 100% discharge, up to 550 cycles - with a discharge of half, and up to 1200 - with a discharge depth of one-third. This is a very good indicator that repeatedly confirm the feedback. Due to their design, these batteries are less susceptible to sulphation. This means that the battery can be left charged for a couple of days or more. All these benefits can be confirmed by those who already use gel batteries for cars. The reviews show that the battery fully fulfills its claimed resource in 5 years. And if it is a product of a quality brand, then the service life can be higher.

Gel batteries: advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of such batteries can be distinguished high starting currents, tightness, no need for maintenance, service life. The shortcomings include low resistance to recharging, poor resistance to negative temperatures, high prices, the need for high-quality electronics in the car.

So, is it worth buying gel batteries for cars? Pros and cons are very attractive, and there are fewer shortcomings. But not every battery can withstand the severe Russian climatic conditions. To install such a battery, the electrician of the car must support special charging modes. For domestic cars this is a serious problem, because even with a working relay-regulator, the voltage jumps from 13 to 16 V. But if the battery is installed in a new foreign car, then this is a good and right choice.

How do I charge?

In the market, gel batteries are not so common. Most drivers, when buying such a product, do not know how to charge the car's gel battery. But the resource depends on it directly. To charge such a battery it is necessary to have special devices designed to work specifically with gel batteries. In the process of charging, it is important that the maximum voltage applied to the battery be respected. If you exceed the limit, the battery will fail.

In the battery documentation, the manufacturer indicates the allowable voltage for a particular battery. For example, gel batteries for Bosch cars can be charged at the maximum values from 14.3 to 14.5 V. This condition must be strictly observed, otherwise it will not be possible to try all the advantages of the battery.

Features of chargers

It is necessary to purchase a charger, which corresponds to the type of battery. Memory for acid batteries is not suitable here. The charge voltage for each battery is different. Therefore, the high voltage applied to the AGM will provoke boiling.

Temperature compensation of the memory must correspond to the values of a particular battery. If there is no thermal compensation in the charging equipment, this can cause a recharge and decrease the life. The memory must give out correct currents. Even powerful gel batteries for cars 90a are very sensitive to sudden voltage drops. The charging process must be controlled and go only under clearly defined values.

Conclusion

Batteries can be different. Gel - more reliable, they are not afraid of low temperatures and can be in a state of deep discharge for a long time. But the price of such batteries is three times more expensive than conventional acid analogs. Despite this, a modern motorist chooses gel batteries for cars. How much they serve depends on how to exploit them. But the resource is much larger than an ordinary battery. It should be noted that only the manufacturer's warranty is from 5 to 10 years.