Amara Raja Batteries Ltd

Welcome

to

Participants

VRLA Technology
Electrochemical Cell Basics
Lead Acid Couple

Positive PLATE = LEAD DIOXIDE (PbO2)

Negative PLATE = SPONGE LEAD (Pb)

ELECTROLYTE = DILUTE SULPHURIC ACID (H2SO4)

Evolution of VRLA Design

Conventional Low “Maintenance”

* Vented Valve Regulated
* Vented * Closed
* Less Top Acid * More Top Acid
* Free Acid * Acid Starved
* Free Acid * Immobilized Acid.
Evolution of VRLA Design

Oxygen Recombination Principle

Oxygen transfer
through pores Oxygen Combined
Oxygen Formed Indirectly with
during charge Hydrogen
Returns as water
 Cell Chemical Reactions
At the negative plate,

Sponge lead is converted to lead sulphate with the release of electrons

Pb + SO 4 PbSO 4 + 2e

Sponge Sulphate ion Lead 2electrons

Lead (from the electrolyte) Sulphate

At the positive plate,

lead dioxide is converted to lead Sulphate with the absorption of electrons
PbO2 + SO4 + 4H + + 2e PbSO 4 + 2H2O
Lead Sulphate Hydrogen 2 electrons Lead Sulphate Water
dioxide ion (from the
electrolyte)

The overall cell reaction by the addition of these two reactions

Pb + PbO2 + 2H2SO 4 2PbSO 4 + 2H2O

Sponge Lead dioxide Sulphuric Lead Water
Lead Acid Sulphate
Amara Raja Batteries Ltd

Installation, Commissioning
&
Trouble Shooting of UPS Batteries

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Receiving Inspection

Unpack the battery box & check the following

 Transit damages

 Acid leakages

 Terminal post damages

If found needs to be report in writing with in a week of receipt of

material for warranty claims

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Battery unpacking

Packed module Unpack Check for

leakage/
damage

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Safety Precautions. . . .

 Use insulated tools only

 Avoid installation damages

 Avoid short circuits.

 Start the installation with connection

diagram.

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Precautions during connections

 Place the battery modules in the rack as per connection diagram

 Ensure the positive & negative polarities

 Fix the hard ware to finger tight

 Ensure the terminal orientation as per the connection diagram.

 Tighten the terminal bolts properly

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Precautions during paralleling
connections…..

 Equal cable lengths from UPS to battery banks 1 & 2

 Equal cable lengths & size for battery to battery and tier to tier
connections

 Uniform crimping of cable lugs

 Ensure proper tightness of all terminal bolts

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Charging requirements

Constant voltage current limiting charging method is most

suitable for VRLA batteries

• Float Mode : 13.50Volts (2.25vpc)

• Boost Mode : 13.80Volts (2.30vpc)
• Current Limit : min 10% & max 25% of rated Ah.
• Ripple allowable : < 2% rms.
• O/P Voltage regulation : ±1%.
• Over Voltage cut off : 14.00Volts (2.33vpc)
• Under Voltage Trip : 10.50Volts (1.75vpc)

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Do’s
 Clean the batteries as and when dust accumulates.
 Keep the batteries away from heat source, sparks, fire etc.,
 Re-charge the batteries @ 13.80 VPC for 24hrs which has been
stored for more than 3 months
 Wherever cables are used ensure using proper cable size and
crimping of the lug to the cable

 Tighten the terminal bolts properly.

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Do’s

 Re- check the terminal bolts tightness once in every six

months.

 After discharge, recharge the batteries immediately or as early

as possible but not later than 24 hours.

 Always use calibrated instruments for

measurements.

 After inter connections keep re-fix the

terminal flaps as usual on terminals
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Don’ts

 Do not keep the batteries in place of exposed to direct sun

light, rain, dust, etc
 Do not tamper the top cover

X
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Don'ts

 Do not over tighten the terminal bolts

 Do not short/allow any metal objects to fall on the
battery terminals

X
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Don'ts

 Batteries of different capacities/brands can’t be use together

 Do not use the cracking/leaking battery
 Avoid loose connections

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Fault finding & trouble shooting

General causes

• Transportation & Handling Damages

• Long gap between manufacturing date and installation date

• Abuse in Service

• Manufacturing Defects

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Fault finding & trouble shooting

Factors effecting battery performance

• Leaving Idle

• Overcharge

• Under charge

• Damage/Wrong fitment

• Improper connection & cable size

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Over charging

Cause
 Charging at a higher voltage
 Higher set point
 Cell by-passed
Effects
 Loss of water
 Dry out of separator
 Increased temperature
Positive grid corrosion


User Action
Ensure,
 Float voltage to 2.25 Volts Per Cell / 13.5volts per module
 Charging current limit to 25% (max.) of cell rated Ah capacity
Under charging

Causes

 Charging at lower voltage

 Lower set point
 Frequent power failures

Effects

Reduction in capacity cycle by cycle

 Hard Sulphation crystals formed on plates surface
User action

Ensure,
 Float voltage to 2.25 Volts Per Cell / 13.5volts per module
 Charging current limit 10 % (min) to 25% (max.) of cell rated
Ah capacity
 Sufficient recharge after a discharge
Difficulties with charging system

Cause

 Malfunctioning of charger components

 Over/under voltage protections not working/provide
 Higher ripple content
 Poor O/P voltage regulation

Effects
 Over /Under charging
 Loss of water/sulphation

User action

Ensure,
 Charger settings once in three months
Cracked/broken jars & covers

Cause
Damaged,
 During transit
 During unloading at destination
 At the time of transferring cells from CTSD stores to site
 During installation

Effect
 Oxygen recombination will not takes place
 Gases escaped through crack during charging
 Day-by-day cell efficiency will come down

User action
 Replace the cell(s) immediately
Corroded terminals

Cause

 Sulphation formed on terminal post

Effect

 Sudden drop in voltage during charge/discharge

 Low capacity
 Heating of the terminal post

User action
 Clean the terminal post with emery paper/brass brush
as and when noticed
Effect of temperature

The effect of operating temperature on VRLA battery is same as that

of on any other lead acid battery and the effect will be as follows,
Higher than normal
Discharge
 Higher capacity


Charge
 Excessive over charge
 Electrolysis of water
 Shortened service life
to some extent this can be compensated by adjusting the charger
voltage setting by -3 mV per cell per degree raise in the
temperature
Effect of temperature

Lower than normal

Discharge

 Lower capacity

Charge

 Under charging of the battery

 Sulphation of the plates
 Shortened life

to some extent this can be compensated by adjusting the charger

voltage setting by +3 mV per cell per degree fall in the temperature
System monitoring

Description of the check

Check the float charging voltage and current (Voltage: 2.23 volts per cell, Current: Min 10%

to max. 20% of cell rated capacity)

Note down the average ambient battery room temps.

(Battery will give optimum performance when operated at 27C. The temperature 
compensation factor is – 3 mV/cell º C rise from the ambient temp. of 27º C and vice versa)

Maintain battery record 

Before starting this test ensure that the batteries are in fully charged condition. Note down
individual cell voltage readings after discharging the battery bank for 30 min (with current of

min 10% & max. 20% of the rated capacity) by switching OFF the rectifier to identify weak
cells if any in the battery string

Boosts charge the batteries for 24 Hrs.


(Voltage: 2.30 VPC, Current: 20% (max.) of cell rated capacity
Check for terminal post corrosion, if any remove the connector, clean with brass brush or

emery paper & Re-torque the terminal Bolts to 11Nm.

Test discharge of the battery bank @ C10 rate 

Monthly
Quarterly Half- Yearly
yearly
Quarterly Monitoring:

1. Clean the battery terminals, connectors, etc., as and when dust accumulates
2. Discharge the battery bank with equipment load (normally 10% but not
exceeding 25%
of the rated capacity) for 15 minutes and note down the individual cell
readings.
3. Calculate the average cell voltage:
If the average cell voltage is >2.0 V, then the cells falling below by 0.03V of the
average cell voltage, that cell may be considered as weak.
If the average cell voltage is < 2.0 V, then the cells falling below by 0.10V of
the average cell voltage may be considered as weak.
4. Now concentrate more on the above identified weak cells for any
abnormality, and if
observed, replace the cell or contact the nearest Amara Raja
representative.
5. Wherever the above discharge test is not possible, a suitable on line
discharge
equipment may be used to determine the healthiness of the battery bank.
Half Yearly Monitoring:

Apart from the above monthly monitoring

1. Ensure the tightness of terminal bolts to 11Nm (100Lb inch).

2. Check for any terminal post corrosion. If corrosion is observed, clean
the affected area as follows:
3-Disconnect the battery bank from circuit and remove those particular
terminal connectors.
ii) Clean the terminal with brass brush (or) Emery paper.
iii) After brushing clean the terminal with dry cotton cloth.
iv) Connect back the connectors as usual. Torque all the
terminal bolts to
11Nm/100Lb-inch and apply thin layer of petroleum jelly.
Yearly Monitoring:

Apart from the above half yearly inspection procedures, the following
shall be done once in a year to know the healthiness of the batteries.

1-Charge the batteries at a constant voltage of 2.30 volts per cell with
current limited to 20% of the rated capacity for 48 hrs or to 72 hrs if
the current is limited to 10%.
2-Then discharge the batteries at C10 rate as explained in clause no.
12.1.
3-After completing the capacity test, if the capacity obtained is more
than 80% of the rated capacity then the same may be connected back to
load after recharge as mentioned in point (1) above.
4-If the capacity obtained is less than 80% repeat the above process two
more times.
5-If the capacity obtained is still less than 80% contact the nearest
AMARA RAJA representative.
System monitoring

Description of the check

Check the float charging voltage and current (Voltage: 2.23 volts per cell, Current: Min 10%

to max. 20% of cell rated capacity)

Note down the average ambient battery room temps.

(Battery will give optimum performance when operated at 27C. The temperature 
compensation factor is – 3 mV/cell º C rise from the ambient temp. of 27º C and vice versa)

Maintain battery record 

Before starting this test ensure that the batteries are in fully charged condition. Note down
individual cell voltage readings after discharging the battery bank for 30 min (with current of

min 10% & max. 20% of the rated capacity) by switching OFF the rectifier to identify weak
cells if any in the battery string

Boosts charge the batteries for 24 Hrs.


(Voltage: 2.30 VPC, Current: 20% (max.) of cell rated capacity
Check for terminal post corrosion, if any remove the connector, clean with brass brush or

emery paper & Re-torque the terminal Bolts to 11Nm.

Test discharge of the battery bank @ C10 rate 

Monthly
Quarterly Half- Yearly
yearly
Thank you

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