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BATTERY CARE
I~
C-1. INTRODUCTION
This appendix provides information on the care of the lead-acid cell used in an HP 30311A Power
Supply. The part number of the battery is 30311-60006.
C-2. ENVIRONMENT
The useful life of a lead-acid cell is shortened if the cell is exposed to prolonged excessive heat or
prolonged cold. Deterioration is greatest at temperatures over .60 degrees C and under
-20 degrees C. In addition, while a cell is charging, cold temperatures hinder recovery and warm
temperatures (about 35 to 40 degrees C) speed it.
C-3. SHELF LIFE
Shelf life is defined as the storage life of a battery whether it is installed in the power supply or
stored on a shelf.
A fully charged battery stored on a shelf at room temperature will typically lose 50 percent of its
charge in six months.
A discharged battery has an extremely short shelf life. Leaving a battery in a discharged state is by
far the most serious cause of cell damage. The surfaces of the plates gradually become sulfated with
the result that the charge acceptance capability of the cell approaches zero with increases in
sulfation.
Some degrees of cell damage follow:
•
A cell left in the discharged state for one or two days will probably begin to accept a charge
within a few seconds or minutes.
•
A cell left in the discharged state for several weeks may take from several hours to several days
to begin accepting a charge. Although it will charge more slowly than normal, such a battery
will eventually recover fully in one or two days of continual charging.
•
A cell left in the discharged state for six months may never recover charge acceptance
capability. If it does recover, recovery will occur after the cell has been on a charger for weeks.
JAN 1977
C-1
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