Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

You must get sealed lead acid batteries, and they must be deep discharge
types. Ordinary lead acid (burglar alarm ones, car ones etc) are not
suitable.

I guessed they might be SLA - but why? Do these things often get inverted?
Motorbikes seem to manage pretty well with modern semi-sealed wet types.
For all I know they'd be OK, but all the manufacturers used sealed so
I've just followed that.


He also doesn't use it for long journeys. I explained if he re-charged it
often, he might get away with non deep cycle types. Although if I can find
the correct ones at a more reasonable price that will do fine.
No, honestly, I shouldn't use ordinary ones. They don't last five
minutes even if you try to keep them charged up. The thing is, once the
battery capacity starts to drop the person is likely to be stranded. A
car battery will still start the car and seem to be quite OK when it's
well shagged, but these batteries need to be in pretty good nick or they
are a nuisance. The range just drops and drops over months rather than
years if you use car-type batteries.
When you think about it, an ordinary battery doesn't really do much
work. In a car it gets a big discharge very briefly then it gets charged
for the rest of the time. A UPS battery does **** all except once or
twice in its life. Batteries for scooters really do have a hard time
compared to that.
I have found that the life of these batteries can be extended
significantly by the use of intelligent chargers, such as those used on
yachts etc. I was sceptical but did a real comparison test over years
and found it to be true.
Incidentally I used to recommend Elecsol but the UK distributors have
acted in a way which I feel is rather shady over the last deal I did
with them.

Bill