Car batteries in the home?

From: Bob Shannon <bshannon_at_tiac.net>
Date: Sat Aug 18 11:16:51 2001

Sorry, this is bad advice!

Motorcycle batteries will work, for a short time. Then they will need to be
replaced and end-up costing you far more than if you had gotten the proper battery
in the first place.

The reason why is that motorcycle batteries are not 'deep cycle' batteries, and
loose a lot of their capacity when discharged. A motor cycle battery is designed to
deliver a moderate current for a very short time, and then be recharged imediately.

Deep cycle batteries used on a UPS (or robot application) have a different plate
design, and chemical buffers added to the electrolyte to no irreversable reactions
take place to reduce the active area of the plates inside the battery.

Also, motor cycle batteries are not that much cheaper than a gel cell, as gel cells
are now made in huge numbers. Gel cells are also much safer to have indoors than
motor cycle batteries that vent hydrogen gas during charge and discharge operations.

Richard Erlacher wrote:

> It's cheaper to use motorcycle batteries than to replace the Gel-Cell batteries
> common in older UPS'. There's no reason that shouldn't work. I have an 800W
> UPS that came with gel-cells, that now has motorcycle batteries in it. The
> gel-cells cost $110 each, while the motorcycle batteries cost $36 each. It's
> not hard figuring out which I prefer. Now, there may be some hazards ...
>
> What kind of batteries are you trying to revive? I've got some old (1980) 6volt
> and 12volt types I've kept around since they were new. These get recharged
> about every two years, and seem to hold charge pretty well. Two of them are
> 6-volt GATES lead-acid cell types, with three pairs of cells in each one, while
> the others are sealed lead acid types. Both seem to like the nominally 9-volt
> 2-amp charger I got with the latter.
>
> Dick
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Allain" <allain_at_panix.com>
> To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 11:41 AM
> Subject: Car batteries in the home?
>
> > Hello World,
> >
> > I'm trying to restock a large (900W) UPS with batteries.
> > Anybody have a pointer to a good battery site?
> > Can car batteries be good for a UPS? Seems they are
> > for high Amps, short duration, Might they also be good
> > for general purpose?
> > On a parallel track I'm trying to revive some old mid sized
> > 6 &12V batteries, so the pointer would help.
> >
> > John A.
> > No, 30 microvolts! --Dr. Beverly Crusher
> >
> >
Received on Sat Aug 18 2001 - 11:16:51 BST