SLA Battery Question

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starhawk

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
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Got a battery this morning, for something I'm doing. (It arrived from eBay.)

It's a 12v 4.5aH SLA. Not to big, although it's heavier than I'd like. (That one's my fault, so oh well.)

I don't deal with these types of batteries much, but the last one I bought (which was for a UPS) came with strict instructions on what to do and what to not do in terms of charging the battery.

This one has no obvious model #, although it does appear to have a manufacturer logo (no text, just a weird pyramid shape). All the info I have is printed on the side of the battery... it reads:

Constant Voltage Charge (25deg C)
Type | Voltage Regulation | Initial Current
Standby use | 13.50-13.80V | Less than 1.35A
Cycle use | 14.40-14.70V | Less than 1.35A

Caution:
- Avoid short circuit
- Do not charge in sealed container
- Keep sparks, flame away
- Rechargeable after use
- Recycle or dispose batteries in appropriate area
Click to expand...

So... two questions...
(1) I'm planning on charging this thing at 14.4V 1.2A continuous. Will that probably be OK? (Obviously, the dearth of info here means that the answer here will be a bit uncertain.)
(2) Do I need to charge it before I use it, or can I start using it right away? (I seem to recall on that other SLA battery I mentioned, the paper said that if you didn't charge it first, it would damage the battery and vaporize your warranty.)
 
Messaged the eBay seller from whom I got the battery, asking for make and model info.

*They* don't seem to know where they got the thing. (...or they don't feel like telling me.)

This is getting interesting...
 
The seller doesn't even have a PDF datasheet, which is what I really wanted, and they have a "company policy" of not disclosing make/model stuff, hence their earlier reply that they "cannot provide that information". I knew I should've ordered from Chrome Battery (for all of $3.50 more...). I've asked the seller for a refund, but I'm not expecting it since I can't justify shipping the battery back -- they sold it for $13.50, and shipping will cost me $11.30 because I do things right -- meaning my net refund is $2.20. That's actually kind of insulting.

>.<

Well, once I've a little more dough, I'll be ordering a replacement from Chrome Battery for $17. They'll give me all the info I need, so this thread is now redundant. My apologies to Kyle, for wasting space on his servers. That was *not* my intent here...
 
I will not be using this battery. I'm trying now to get a refund without actually returning the batt, since I'd in fact lose money on this ($4 for transit fees to the PO -- I don't have the right box!) if I actually returned the battery...

I've already contacted Chrome Battery and asked them what I need to know for charging the battery which will replace this useless one. This is the last time I buy an SLA batt from any eBay seller other than Chrome Battery. I've more than learned my lesson here.
 
Settle down, starhawk. Your battery's fine. The label is all the documentation you need, from a practical perspective. In short, if you're charging the battery after discharging it to some extent, then use a 14.4V power source. Once it's fully charged, use a float voltage of 13.6V. In either place, don't charge it at more than 1.35V.

Or, to put it more simply, just slap 13.6V on it and call it a day. Don't let it discharge below 11V, and you'll be fine.
 
Quite honestly, if the seller hadn't treated me like total shit over a simple datasheet request, I'd be inclined to keep it and try and use it. I can't look at it, though, without thinking of what I've gone through in trying to deal with it, and so I'm not really interested in using it. I've offered it to a friend, if he doesn't want it, it's going on the Freebies Thread. I just can't stand being around it at this point.
 
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