Counteract Battery Sulfation with High-frequency Pulse Wave Charging
Proven high-frequency pulse wave technology exists and works independently of the vehicle charging circuits. They are small and easy to install on a battery or battery bank. Once purchased, they are re-useable on one battery or battery bank after another as batteries are replaced. Pulse wave technology is also available in some chargers.
These devices promote a high-frequency pulse across a battery’s plates, working to keep the plates clean of Sulfation and helping to sustain battery capacity and dynamic charge acceptance (DCA).
Utilizing pulse wave technology and proper charge maintenance practices is a proven cost-reduction strategy. Charging with pulse wave technology has been proven to help discharged batteries recover, allowing some batteries to be put back into service that might otherwise have been discarded.
High-Frequency Pulse Wave Conditioning used by Mack Trucks:
MONTRÉAL (April 11, 2019). To maximize uptime and significantly extend the life of electrical charging system components, Mack Trucks today announced that it is making a battery refresher standard on all Mack® models. The battery refresher helps reduce and reverse the effects of Sulfation, giving lead-acid batteries longer life and superior performance. Mack announced ExpoCam 2019 on April 11-13 in Montréal.
“Sulfation is one of the top causes of lead-acid battery failure,” said Roy Horton, Mack Trucks' director of product strategy. “With the addition of the refresher, we can increase the life of a battery by up to two times and help prevent unplanned no-starts.”
Sulfation occurs when sulphate crystals, a byproduct of regular battery operation, build up on the battery’s lead plates. As more sulphate crystals build up, the battery loses its ability to accept energy and reach a full charge, shortening its life. The refresher emits high-frequency pulses of energy to remove the sulphate crystals and allow the batteries to accept a full charge once again, resulting in significantly improved life and performance. In addition, fully charged batteries reduce the wear and tear experienced by other electrical system components, such as the alternator and starter, helping extend their service life.
Charge your batteries regularly to increase battery life and reduce operating costs.
Your team should be checking and recharging batteries at least every 3-weeks. More when opportunities like overnight stops, weekend breaks, or vehicle inspections/repairs present themselves. Instituting a practice of top charging batteries - whenever possible - at least once every three weeks using an external charger will not only reduce costs associated with premature battery failure but can also lead to reduced fuel consumption of 1.5% to 3%.
Always use an external charger with charging output in amps =/>10% of the combined total RC or AH capacity rating of the batteries in the bank. A 12V battery bank of 4 x 100AH (total 400Ah) or 4 x 180RC (total 720RC) should use an intelligent temperature-compensated 12V charger with a minimum 40-80 Amp output at 12V. If you have inverters in your vehicles to support additional loads, consider installing inverters with internal chargers built-in.
If possible, your staging/parking areas should install AC outlets where vehicles can access power to operate these external chargers. Your operators should be trained on how and why this is important. A good quality 12V-80A (960-watt) charger can easily be operated using a standard 110V AC wall outlet. Typical 110V outlets are capable of supporting a 1200-watt continuous draw.