Factors Damage and Reduce Battery life

Factors Damage and Reduce Battery life, Batteries are the core elements of any UPS system. Availability and efficiency of the batteries are crucial for preventing downtime of equipment. At the same time, batteries are the most fragile, vulnerable, and prone-to-failure parts of UPS systems. They require proper maintenance and care to make sure they have maximum battery life. If a battery is operated at higher temperatures, its usable life will be shortened.

In this article, we are sharing some tips on how to improve your UPS battery life and perform efficient battery maintenance.

Factors That Can Damage and Reduce Life Span of Battery

Cyclic Life

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Cyclic life is one of the major factors that can reduce the lifespan of a battery. When power fails, the UPS starts to operate on battery power. The battery completes one cycle when it is charged and discharged once.

Every time the battery discharges and subsequently recharges, it affects the relative capacity of a battery.

Temperature

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Extreme temperatures can affect batteries adversely. To protect your battery, make sure the UPS batteries are not exposed to extreme temperatures. 

Both extremely cold and extremely hot weather can damage your batteries. The temperature range for optimum operation of the battery is 19-22 °C. The battery will underperform when the temperature is below 19 °C. The capacity of the battery will increase but it will shorten the lifespan when the temperature is above 22°C.

Chemical Composition

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The chemical composition of the batteries changes which reduces their ability to deliver power over time.

Failure to Perform Maintenance

If the batteries are not maintained carefully and regularly, it may lead to reduced protection, improper loading, and improved chances of failure. Lead acid batteries are designed to deliver a maximum number of discharge/recharge cycles before reaching end of life at which point the battery must be replaced.

How to Improve the LifeSpan of UPS Battery? 

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It is important to figure out how batteries operate and how to implement proper remedies to prevent batteries from environmental damage. Here are some of the tips to improve the lifespan of UPS batteries.

Cycling Frequency

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Understanding cycling frequency will help you identify abnormal or frequent cycling which allows you to predict its life. Many UPS models are adjustable which allows you to reduce “nuisance trips” which unnecessarily consume battery capacity.

Make sure to fully discharge the UPS batteries every 2-3 months and for how long the battery should stay discharged depends on the capacity and load of batteries.

Once you have fully discharged the UPS batteries, make sure you recharge it for more than 8 hours.

Battery Placement

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The temperature of the surroundings has a great impact on the life of the battery. The normal temperature for optimal working is 25°C and every 10°C above the normal temperature reduces the life of the battery by 50%.

Also, poor ventilation and moisture are detrimental to UPS battery health. If you want to keep the car battery life long, have your mechanic check the electrical system of your car and watch out for any signs of warning. If your battery too old, replace it so that you don’t have to face problems later when it causes your car to break down on the road. In fact, battery life is reduced by 50 percent for every 8.3°C (15°F) annual temperature increase above 25°C.

Factors That Affect Car Battery Life

These are the factors that affect battery life

  • Temperature. In colder climates, car batteries tend to last longer than those in hot tropical climates. …
  • Poor Charging System. A bad charging system can drain a battery when the car runs. …
  • Faulty Alternator Diode. …
  • Dirt, Grease, and Corrosion. …
  • Personal Habits.

Regular Maintenance

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Regular battery maintenance check-ups are important to prolong battery’s lifespan. Closely watch the charging status, be careful while recharging a fully discharged battery and keep an eye on the internal resistance of the battery.

Avoiding Common Battery Installation Errors

Applying proper installation techniques is important. The most common errors in installation are:

  • Impaired post seals
  • Loose Intercell connections
  • Absence of vent caps

Store the Substitute Batteries Properly

If possible, have a backup battery to ensure the batteries work for a long run. However, you will have to make sure that the batteries are not left unused for a long time as it will lessen their lifespan.

The storage time for a new battery is about 12 month but it is a good idea to charge them every three to four months before you bring it back in use.

Connect the Energy Saving Devices

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Connecting UPS batteries to the energy saving devices can improve their lifespan. For example, LED Bulbs consume less power, last longer and are more efficient while ordinary bulbs use more power.

Devices that consume less power keep the temperature of the battery normal which extends the battery’s lifespan. 

Calibrate the Batteries Once or Twice a year

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Executing runtime calibration improves the life of UPS batteries. Calibration once or twice a year is enough as excessive calibration can damage the battery and reduce its life.

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