A car battery is a seasonal product, although it is used all year round. When birds sing on the street, and warm oil splashes inside the engine, it is not difficult to turn the crankshaft - even a half-dead battery can handle this. But in the cold, the starter is not easy, and it strives to turn into a purely active resistance that consumes very high current... As a result, the battery tends to refuse, and the owner has to go to the store.

How to choose a battery

If you do not want to contact the service or the seller's help, then the selection algorithm should be as follows.

You need to take a battery that is guaranteed to fit in the niche allotted to it, be it engine compartment, trunk or whatever. Agree: it's stupid to miss a couple of centimeters! At the same time, we determine the polarity: we look at the old battery and figure out what is on the right and what is on the left? It goes without saying that if the car is not European, then the terminals themselves may differ from most of the usual ones - both in shape and location.

After that, we choose a brand. Here we definitely advise you to be guided by the list of our winners. recent years and never give a damn about newbies or outsiders. Even if their labels are the prettiest. Here are some of the names that usually did not let us down: Tyumen (Tyumen batteries), Varta, Medalist, a-mega, Mutlu, Topla, Aktekh, Zver.

Comparative tests of various car batteries we spend every year. The most recent results, where we compared 10 batteries, can be seen. Those interested can also familiarize themselves with the examinations of past years:,,, etc.

The brand of the battery usually determines the price of the battery. approximate cost car batteries of European design with dimensions of 242 × 175 × 190 mm in 2014 ranged from 3000 to 4800 rubles. for a regular battery, and from 6300 to 7750 rubles. - for AGM. The declared current and capacity will turn out by themselves - based on the dimensions.

Important: if you had an AGM battery installed, then you should only change it to AGM, and not to a "regular" one. Reverse replacement is quite acceptable, but economically impractical.

Now we charge the battery - even the one we just bought! Our experience shows: in stores, under the guise of a brand new battery, they happily sniff "almost new", from which they only managed to wipe the dust. We charge, connect instead of the old battery, and - the key to start!

For those interested in technical nuances

Is it useful in cold weather to “warm up” the battery by turning on the headlights before starting the engine?

Why do you need a peephole indicator?

This indicator allows you to roughly estimate the density and level of electrolyte in order to find out if the car battery needs recharging. By and large, this is a toy, since the peephole is in only one jar out of six. However, many serious producers at one time they were forced to introduce it into the design, since the absence of a peephole was perceived by consumers as a disadvantage.

Is it possible to assess the condition of a car battery by the voltage at the terminals?

Approximately possible. At room temperature, a fully charged battery, disconnected from loads, should deliver at least 12.6–12.7 V.

What is behind the term "calcium battery"?

Nothing special: this is normal publicity stunt... Yes, the icons "Ca" (or even "Ca - Ca") on car batteries are more and more present today, but this does not make them any easier. But calcium is a much less heavy metal than lead. The thing is that we are talking about very small (fractions or one percent) additions of calcium to the alloy from which the battery plates are made. If it is added to both the positive and negative electrodes, then the same "Ca - Ca" is obtained. All other things being equal, such car batteries are more difficult to boil, which is important for maintenance-free batteries. Such batteries have less self-discharge during storage. Therefore, "ordinary" batteries with additions of the formerly traditional antimony (they are usually given by the presence of plugs) are almost never on sale today! Note that not everything in them is so bad: for example, they tolerate deep discharges much better!

Why do car batteries give the declared current for so long when tested?

Indeed, if the capacity is 60 Ah, then arithmetic suggests: a current of 600 A should be issued for about 0.1 hours or 6 minutes! And the real count is only tens of seconds ... The point is that the battery capacity depends on the current! And at the indicated current, the battery capacity is no longer 60 Ah, but much less: about 20–25! The 60 Ah inscription only says that for 20 hours at a temperature of 25 ° C you can discharge your battery with a current equal to 60/20 = 3A - and no more. In this case, at the end of the discharge, the voltage at the battery terminals should not drop below 10.5 V.

Why choose a battery with a declared current, say, 600 A, if the real need is half as much?

The declared current is also an indirect indicator of the quality of a car battery: the higher it is, the lower it is internal resistance! In addition, if you take extreme case, when, God forbid, the oil has thickened so much that the starter generally barely moves the crankshaft from its place, then this is where the maximum possible current may be needed.

Is it true that when a car battery with a larger capacity is installed on a car than a standard one, it will undercharge, and the starter may fail?

No it is not true. What will prevent the battery from fully charging? It is appropriate to draw an analogy: if you scooped up a glass of water from a bucket or from a huge barrel, then to restore the original level of liquid, you will need to top up the same glass from the tap - both into the bucket and into the barrel. As for the expected breakdown of the starter, its current consumption will not change, even if the battery capacity grows a hundred or a thousand times. Ohm's law does not depend on ampere hours.

Conversations about upcoming breakdowns are only appropriate for extreme lovers who are used to getting out of the swamp using the starter motor. At the same time, the latter, of course, heats up very much, and therefore a small battery that discharges faster than a large one can save it from fatal overheating, dying first ... But this is a hypothetical case.

Let us immediately note one curious nuance. V Soviet times on a number army trucks it was strictly forbidden to install a car battery larger capacity! But the reason was precisely that when the engine did not want to start, drivers often turned the starters until the battery was completely discharged. At the same time, the starters overheated and often failed. And the higher the battery capacity, the longer it was possible to mock a poor electric motor. It was to protect starters from such bullying that the requirement once appeared not to exceed the battery capacity above the "standard" one. But now it is irrelevant.

The million dollar question: what is measured in ampere-hours?

Anyway, not the capacity of the batteries! This is a common misconception even among professionals. Which, however, are lost when asked how the product of current and time gives capacity? Because the correct answer is: ampere-hour is a unit of measure. charge! 1 Ah = 3600 Cl. And the capacitance is measured in farads: 1F = 1C / 1 V. Those who do not believe in this can refer to any reference book - for example, to Boshevsky.

As for batteries, the confusing terminology is still alive. And what is actually a charge is called a capacity in the old fashioned way. Some textbooks are twisted - they say, "capacity appreciate in ampere hours ". They do not measure, but evaluate! Well, well, at least so ...

By the way, in Soviet times, choosing a battery was incomparably easier - only by ampere-hours. For example, on the "Volga" it was necessary to look for a car battery for 60 Ah, on the "Zhiguli" -55 Ah. Polarity and terminals on domestic cars were the same. Today, it is not worth focusing only on ampere-hours, since products different manufacturers with the same capacity, they can be quite different in other parameters. For example, 60 Ah batteries can have an 11 percent variation in height, 28 percent in terms of the declared current, etc. Prices also live their own lives.

And the last thing. If instead of "Ah" you see the inscription "A / h" (on the label, in the article, in the advertisement - it doesn't matter) - do not get involved with this product. Behind it are uneducated and indifferent people who do not have an elementary understanding of electricity.

What is an AGM battery?

The main area of ​​application for AGM is in cars with start-stop modes. This battery even says: Start Stop!

The main area of ​​application for AGM is in cars with start-stop modes. This battery even says: Start Stop!

Formally speaking, an AGM car battery is the same lead-acid product that many generations of motorists have become accustomed to, but at the same time it is much more perfect than its ancestors and in soon will completely displace them from the market.

AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) is a technology for manufacturing batteries with absorbed electrolyte, which is impregnated with the micropores of the separator. The developers use the free volume of these micropores for closed recombination of gases, thereby preventing water from evaporating. Hydrogen and oxygen leaving the negative and positive plates, respectively, enter the bound medium and re-combine, remaining inside the battery. The internal resistance of such a battery is lower than that of its "liquid" predecessors, since the conductivity of the fiberglass separator is better than the traditional "envelopes" made of polyethylene. Therefore, it is capable of delivering higher currents. A tightly compressed plate package prevents the active mass from crumbling, which makes it possible to withstand deep cyclic discharges. A car battery like this can run upside down. And if you break it to smithereens, then even in this case, there will be no poisonous puddle: the bound electrolyte must remain in the separators.

Today's AGM applications are cars with a "Start-Stop" mode, cars with increased energy consumption (Ministry of Emergency Situations, "ambulance"), etc. But tomorrow a "simple" car battery will slowly go down in history ...

Are AGM and conventional batteries interchangeable with each other?

Car AGM battery replaces "normal" by 100%. Whether such a replacement is needed if the car has enough serviceable standard battery is another question. But the reverse replacement, of course, is incomplete - it can be used in practice only in a hopeless situation and as a temporary option.

Is it true that a 50 Ah AGM car battery can be used instead of the usual 90 Ah?

This is, excuse me, nonsense. How can you almost halve the charge and say that there will be no difference? Lost ampere hours are not compensated by any technology, not even AGM.

Is it true that the high current of the AGM battery can destroy the starter motor of the car?

Of course not. The current is determined by the load resistance, and in in this case- starter. And even if the car battery can deliver a current of a million amperes, the starter will take for itself exactly as much as from a regular battery. He cannot break Ohm's Law.

On which cars is it undesirable to use AGM?

There is no such limitation. Even if we consider ancient cars with absolutely faulty relay-regulator and unstable voltage in the network, then in this case the AGM car battery will not die earlier than usual, but even later. The voltage limit above which you can get into trouble is approximately 14.5 V for conventional batteries and 14.8 V for AGMs.

Which car battery is more afraid of deep discharge - AGM or ordinary?

Regular. After 5-6 deep discharges, they can finally "take offense", while for AGM this number is practically unlimited.

Can an AGM car battery be considered completely maintenance-free?

This is a question of an established terminology that works more in favor of PR than science. Strictly speaking, this term is incorrect - both for AGM batteries and for any other car batteries. Only an AA finger-type battery can be called completely maintenance-free, and any lead-acid car battery, generally speaking, is not. Even the technology leader - the AGM battery - is, shall we say, 99% sealed, but not 100% sealed. And such a battery still needs to be serviced - check the charge, recharge if necessary, etc.

How are gel batteries different from AGMs?

At least the fact that gel car batteries ... do not exist! The question stems from a well-established misnomer: gel batteries used, for example, in electric forklifts or floor cleaning machines. The electrolyte in them, unlike conventional car batteries with liquid acid, is in a thickened state. In batteries with AGM technology, the electrolyte is bound (impregnated) in a special fiberglass separator.

Note that the most popular Optima battery is also AGM, not gel at all.

What is Battery Backup Capacity?

This parameter shows how long a car with a damaged generator will last on a cold rainy night. The expert will say differently: in how many minutes the voltage at the terminals of the battery, delivering a current of 25 A to the load, will drop to 10.5 V. The measurements are carried out at a temperature of 25 ° C. The higher the score, the better.

We hope that our tips will help you choose the right battery and refresh your memory on interesting "battery" information.

Good luck on the road!

• Acid Batteries
• Maintenance-free
• Gel
• AGM
• Dry-charged batteries
• With side terminals
• VRLA
• Deep discharge

Wide range of

Complex complex systems equipment, a constantly growing fleet of private and commercial vehicles, the growing popularity of electric traction technology provide a stable demand for energy sources for the initial start of the engine, power support for instrument, sensor, lighting, control equipment and electric motors. By purchasing batteries in bulk from the manufacturer, you can profitably cover the need of your business for such products or create a high-quality and modern assortment of goods at the lowest price, fully adapted to the current consumer demand.

Always available:

• A powerful stationary battery complex in the range.
• Batteries for emergency and backup power supply.
• Cyclic charge-discharge systems.
• Supply components for railway.
• Protected models for water transport.
• Compact samples for motor vehicles.
• A wide range of car models.
• Specialized components for various tasks.

Reliable cooperation

Direct wholesale supply from the world's leading manufacturers allow you to buy the most demanded and attractive assortment for retail representatives. Offered profitable terms cooperation with the Vybor company: the possibility of ordering via the Internet, well-thought-out cooperation schemes allow you to buy batteries in any volume and range. The supplier has over two decades of experience. Continuous development in the field, the creation of optimal interaction schemes provide attractive conditions for cooperation. Here you can always buy batteries in bulk directly from the manufacturer without unnecessary costs and long waiting times.

The range includes an extensive range of products from Hitachi Chemical Energy Technology Co. Ltd from Taiwan, Leoch from China, and Sunlight from Greece. Since 2014, models are available for sale self-developed based on German technology under the WBR brand. Powerful modern systems with high energy density, resilience to external influences and many thousands of recharge cycles, always at the service of customers. Prompt delivery of products in bulk throughout Russia and in the CIS countries is supported thanks to a network of branches. A constant supply of equipment is carried out to objects of the largest Russian companies.

Since 1996 we have been supplying our batteries for:

The most preferred types of storage batteries (AB) for use at energy facilities are lead-acid AB. closed type with liquid electrolyte.

Overview of battery types

Depending on the design of the positive electrode, AB of the following types are distinguished:
OGi, OSP, VARTA BLOCK - with plastered positive electrode.
This battery type has the most wide application in the construction of stationary lead-acid batteries.
As a positive electrode (down conductor), a rod grating plate made of a lead alloy with a low antimony content is used.
Electrode paste is placed in the grid, which is obtained by mixing lead powder and sulfuric acid.
With rock battery service of this type is 15-20 years old.
They are used for mixed loads - cyclic and jogging.

OpzS, OCSM - with armored (tubular) positive electrode.
The electrode is manufactured in the form of a rod with branches.
A perforated cover made of an acid-resistant dielectric with a packing of the active mass (electrode paste) of the positive electrode is put on the rod.
The cover ensures the contact of the active mass with the down conductor and prevents it from being carried away from the electrode surface.
The battery life of this type is 20 years.
Used for cyclic loads

GroE - with surface positive electrode (PLANTE).
And they have the lowest internal resistance of all the types considered.
And x electrodes are made of refined lead and represent a lamella with a very high effective surface.
The low internal resistance of GroE batteries provides a stable level of discharge voltage, especially at high load currents.
The battery life of this type is 25 years.
They are used when high level jogging loads.

The negative electrodes of all batteries are made according to the spreading technology.

At less critical facilities, lead-acid batteries of a sealed type are often used according to the technology type AGM, they are also called maintenance-free AB.

AGM type technology - batteries with liquid electrolyte absorbed into a glass fiber separator.
The separator is not completely saturated with the solution, the free volume is used for the recombination of gases, so the battery does not require topping up with water throughout its service life.
The positive and negative plates of AGM batteries are spread type.

System loads direct current energy facilities

DC system loads can be divided into the following types:

- corresponds to the current consumed from the buses of the DC system in normal mode and remains unchanged throughout emergency mode.
In normal operation, the battery chargers take on a constant load.
Permanent load includes - control, blocking, signaling and relay protection devices, permanently switched on part of emergency lighting.

- corresponds to the current of consumers connected to the storage battery in case of failure alternating current and characterizes the steady state emergency mode;
The temporary load includes - emergency lighting, electric motors of emergency oil pumps of the lubrication, sealing and regulation systems, communication converter unit.

- lasting several seconds, it is characterized by the consumed from battery current in transient emergency mode.
The short-term load includes - starting electric motors, turning on and off the drive switches.

The duration of the emergency mode (loss of alternating current) is taken according to the design assignment.

If absent in the task, it is taken equal to:
- for thermal power plants included in the system- 30 minutes;
- for isolated power plants- 1 hour;
- for electrical substations- 2 hours.

Calculation and selection of a storage battery for power plants

In power plants, as a rule, several batteries are installed.

The amount depends on the power of the turbine units and the type of heating circuit.

At a CHPP with cross-links in the thermal part with a capacity of up to 200 MW, one storage battery is installed, and with a capacity of more than 200 MW - two of the same capacity.

At a CHPP with block thermal power delivery schemes, for each of the two blocks serviced from one block panel, it is envisaged to install, as a rule, one storage battery.

For units with a capacity of 300 MW and above, in cases where the use of one battery for two units is impossible according to the conditions for choosing DC switching equipment, it is allowed to install a separate battery for each unit.

For example, consider the choice of a storage battery for a combined heat and power plant with 300 MW units.

We make the calculation for the AB of one of the CHP units.

And similar data on the loads of the DC system in emergency mode: - 50A;
-converter communication unit No. 1- 35A, starting current - 175A;
-converter communication unit No. 2- 25A, starting current - 150A;
-emergency lighting- 100A;
- oil pump of the sealing system No. 1- 30A, starting current - 90A;
- oil pump of the sealing system No. 2- 115A, starting current - 345A;
- oil pump of the lubrication system No. 1- 65A, starting current - 195A;
- oil pump of the lubrication system No. 2- 65A, starting current - 195A;
- starting current 400A.

- discharge time - 30 min;
- 485A;
-maximum peak current- 400A;
- 885A.

The voltage on the busbars of the DC board (DCB) in operation must be maintained 5% higher than the nominal, i.e. 220 * 0.05 + 220 = 231V.

Usually, power plants take 1-2 more elements, that is, 105-106 elements.

This increase is required to compensate for the voltage drop in cable lines and taking into account the need to maintain the standard voltage level for loads, especially with high inrush currents.
The final number of elements is determined by calculations of the voltage drop in the DC network.

Element Switch Application

Element switch is a device for continuous switching of AB elements in emergency mode to maintain the required voltage level on the DC busbars, and during recharge of AB.
In emergency mode, with a gradual battery discharge and a decrease in voltage, the number of elements is added by switching the discharge brush towards an increase in the number of connected elements.
In the recharging mode, when an increased voltage must be applied to each AB cell, the number of AB cells with the help of the charging brush is switched downward to maintain the DCB on the busbars given level voltage.
The total number of elements when using an elementary switch is usually taken to be 130, so that at the end of the emergency mode, when the voltage on the AB element is 1.8 V / e, the voltage on the AB is 1.8x130 = 234V.

Application of DC voltage stabilization device

A device of this type, for example, UTSP, is a transistor converter constant voltage at a constant elevated level.
In emergency mode with gradual battery discharge, the voltage at the output of the device is kept constant at the preset level.

The choice of the battery capacity is made in the following order:

1.The steady-state current at the end of the emergency mode is determined, taking into account the decrease in the capacity of the AB according to the expression

Ist1 = Ist / (0.8xKt);

g de Iust, A is the steady-state current of the emergency mode;
0, 8 - battery capacity factor (at the end of the service life, the capacity will be 80%);
K t - temperature coefficient, depending on the minimum possible temperature in the room.

For our example, we get Ist1 = 485 / (0.8x1) = 606.3 A.

2.The equivalent load time is determined taking into account the inrush current at the end of the emergency mode by the expression

T 1 = (Iset1xTavar) / It1;

g de Tavar, min - duration of emergency mode;

I т1 = Iт / 0.8 A - the maximum jerk current at the end of the emergency mode, taking into account the steady state and taking into account the decrease in the battery capacity by the end of the service life;
d de It, A is the maximum impulse current at the end of the emergency mode, taking into account the steady state;
0, 8 - battery capacity factor;

E equivalent time T1 = (606.3x30) / 1106.3 = 16.4 min;

I t1 = It / 0.8 A = 885 / 0.8 = 1106.3A

Next, you need to take the discharge characteristics of the pre-selected types of batteries and see what capacity you need to take the battery so that it can withstand a current of 1106.3 A for 16.4 minutes at a voltage of 1.8 V / cell.
For example, these are 13 GROE 1300 or 22 OGI 1600 LA batteries.

Calculation and selection of a storage battery for substations

Substations usually have one or two batteries.
D for substations with higher voltage 220-750 kV and substations 110 kV with more than three switches in the switchgear higher voltage two rechargeable batteries are installed.
For 35 kV substations and 110 kV substations with three or less circuit breakers, one storage battery is installed in the high voltage switchgear.
Each battery is selected taking into account the full DC load at the substation.
For example, consider the choice of a storage battery for a 110 kV substation.

And similar data on the loads of the DC system in emergency mode: - 10A;
-emergency lighting- 20A;
- switch drive ОРУ-110kV- starting current 100A.

Let's leave the emergency mode schedule

And the summary indicators of the emergency mode schedule:
- discharge time - 180 min;
- steady-state emergency discharge current- 30A;
-maximum peak current- 100A;
-maximum peak current taking into account the steady-state- 130A.

Selecting the number of battery cells

The voltage on the busbars of the DCB in the operating mode is 5% higher than the nominal - 231V.
Recharging mode 2.23V / e - 231 / 2.23 = 104 cells.
Next, it is necessary to calculate the voltage drop in the DC network and, if necessary, add 1-2 elements.
If the voltage level turns out to be insufficient, then a scheme with the separation of power buses (ШП) and control buses (ШУ) should be applied.
In this case, the drives of the switches are connected to the ShP buses, which are connected to the entire battery, and the rest of the loads to the ShU buses, which are connected to 104 AB cells.
Recently, there has been a tendency to reduce the inrush currents of switch drives, therefore, when designing new substations, it is sufficient to use AB consisting of 104 elements.

Battery capacity selection

The procedure for choosing an AB capacity is exactly the same as for power plants.

1. Determine the steady-state current at the end of the emergency mode, taking into account the decrease in the capacity of the AB

Ist1 = 30 / (0.8x1) = 37.5 A;

2. Determine the equivalent load time taking into account the inrush current at the end of the emergency mode

T 1 = (37.5x180) / 162.5 = 41.5min;

I t1 = It / 0.8 A = 130 / 0.8 = 162.5A

A peak current of 162.5 A for 41.5 minutes at a voltage of 1.8 V / cell can be provided by an 11GROE275 or 5OGI325 LA rechargeable battery.

When choosing a battery to create a partition power supply project power facilities, it is important to take into account the relevance of data on the discharge characteristics of batteries.

The characteristics are updated quite often, therefore, before starting the calculation and selection of AB, contact the manufacturer for the current discharge characteristics of the AB.

P.S. Copying of article materials is possible only if there is an active link to the source !!!

Produced according to the DC load curve. Figure 13.1 shows a graph of DC load for 3x63 MW. This graph shows the following values:

I1 - permanently switched on load (control devices, interlocks, alarms and relay protection, permanently switched on part of emergency lighting);
... I2 - current consumed by electromagnetic drives of 6 kV circuit breakers;
... I3 - backup converting unit of communication devices;
... I4 - emergency lighting;
... I5start - starting motors emergency oil pumps (AMN) for generator shaft seals;

I5 - working engine AMN generator shaft seals ;. I6start - starting engines AMN for lubricating turbine bearings;
... I6 - worker of AMN engines for lubricating turbine bearings;
... I7 - current consumed by electromagnetic drives of the 220 kV circuit breaker;
... Iset - steady-state (half-hour) emergency mode;
... Imax - maximum jerk at the end of the discharge.

At domestic power plants, as a rule, batteries of the SK type (stationary for a short-term discharge) are used, produced in 46 standard versions with a capacity of 18 ... 5328 Ah. Characteristics of SK-1 batteries are presented in Table 13.1.

Discharge currents and capacities of other batteries (SK-2, SK-3, ..., SK-46) are determined by multiplying the corresponding value for SK-1 by the type number. For example, the SK-14 battery has a one-hour discharge rate of 14 18.5 = 259 A. The steady state of a fully charged SK battery with an open circuit of 2.05 V.
For thermal power plants, a battery circuit with an element switch operating in a constant trickle charge mode is adopted.
The number of elements connected to the buses in the trickle charge mode is determined by the formula:

where Iset is the load of a steady-state (half-hour) emergency discharge, A;
1.05 - safety factor;
j - permissible load emergency discharge, A / N, reduced to the first number of batteries, depending on the temperature of the electrolyte (Figure 13.2).
The resulting number is rounded to the nearest larger type number.

determine by the curve corresponding to the temperature of the batteries, the deviation on the batteries in percent (Figure 13.3). The found value is compared with acceptable values deviations according to Table 13.2, taking into account the fall in connecting cables

Let us demonstrate the application of the described method by the example of choosing a storage battery for 3x63 MW. The calculation of the battery load is summarized in Table 13.3, the load graph is shown in Figure 13.1. There is no consumption I2 in table 13.3 electromagnetic drives 6 kV circuit breakers, because this load takes place at the beginning of the discharge and completely disappears after triggering

the specified switches.