Table of Contents
Introduction
Each cleaning company is aware that indeed the flooded lead acid batteries utilized in power floor cleaning equipment ultimately have to be changed. Because it can be costly to get replacement batteries, therefore to save money it’s crucial to conduct your investigation and choose batteries with the lengthiest battery performance and the lowest possible cost per session during their lifetime.
However, since batteries are a pricey investment in your commercial cleaning equipment, extending the lifespan of the battery can enable you to get a return on the investment more quickly and prevent you from having to buy expensive batteries in the future.
There are four major types of batteries used in commercial cleaning machines. Let’s first quickly go over the various battery types that are employed in industrial cleaning machines.
- One of the first classes of rechargeable heavy batteries was the wet-flooded battery. The presence of an electrolyte and water solution in flooded batteries gave them their name. What is generally referred to as battery acid is this electrolyte solution. When these batteries are not handled correctly, this dangerous liquid solution might get leaked. However, this is not the only type to consider when buying the “best” combination of batteries for floor cleaning machines, there are numerous options available in the market.
- Liquid electrolyte batteries include valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries. The term “no maintenance” refers to the fact that VRLA batteries don’t need to have water added to the cells on a regular basis.
- The abbreviation AGM refers to an absorbed glass mat. The term “absorbent glass mat” describes a thin fibreglass mat found within batteries that “absorbs” sulfuric acid. There is no “free” liquid in these batteries, unlike wet flooded batteries. Since the batteries are “spill-proof,” any liquid will be absorbed by the matting technology. AGM batteries don’t need to be maintained, and they often live longer than poorly maintained wet-flooded batteries. They most frequently malfunction as a result of poor maintenance or mistakes.
- AGM and gel batteries are frequently confused with one another. Both batteries are spill-proof VRLA batteries that require no maintenance. Gel batteries are thought of as maintenance-free because they don’t need weekly watering as AGM batteries do. Liquid electrolytes are not present in gel batteries. In order to produce a gel-like substance for use in gel batteries, sulfuric acid is combined with fumed silica. Since the material is a solid that is malleable, it just doesn’t spill
Check the following features of the battery while choosing one for your commercial floor cleaning machines:
Battery Size, Power and AH
Start by figuring out the proper size, power, and ampere hour (AH) capacity needed for your particular floor cleaning machine in order to choose the best battery for your service(s). To find the battery that offers the right power, AH capacity, along with duration for your application, consult the battery company’s rating charts. It’s critical to carefully review the data when contrasting batteries from various manufacturers to ensure that you are making on-point comparisons.
Depth of Discharge
Ratings for battery cycle life are frequently made using only some of the manufacturer’s data. The depth of discharge (DOD), or the percentage of the battery’s AH capacity that is drained with each discharge, is typically used to calculate cycle life ratings. As an illustration, a battery having an 80% DOD has almost 20% of its capacity left. The majority of battery manufacturers advise a 50% DOD for the best cycle life vs. runtime, while cycle life can be reported at a wide range of DOD ratings. Due to this, it may appear that one battery type has a greater cycle life than another, but this may not be the case. Make sure that the cycle life ratings being compared are evaluated based on the same DOD.
Cycle life of a battery
Cycle life can vary depending on test conditions, temperature, recharging algorithms, as well as charging techniques, therefore stated numbers shouldn’t be your sole source of information. In general, cheaper batteries might well have lesser or lightweight internal parts, and they may have a shorter cycle lifespan within the same operation because of a higher DOD. The cycle life of batteries with a little more or heavy plate is normally longer, but the initial cost is higher. For a business having a cleaning machine that is just occasionally utilized, or for smaller cleaning times, a somewhat less priced battery can be a better option. A better capacity battery will be advantageous to cleaning businesses or leasing companies with numerous cleaning equipment that experiences heavy cycling since it would provide longer operating durations and a lower DOD, resulting in longer cycle life. If they choose this option and the batteries are maintained regularly, they may avoid having to buy batteries very often.
Conclusion
Having said that, remember to take into account the variations between your application as well as typical test settings when comparing battery types to get the best one. Batteries are tested by manufacturers in lab settings that mimic real-world scenarios from a wide range of uses. Although these circumstances might not exactly match the ones in your use, by being aware of the variations, the best contrast can be established. Make notes about battery maintenance schedules, charging procedures, and usage trends, if you can, and compare them to the battery manufacturers’ suggestions. In the end, you can discover that each company stands against the competition and provides the best performance for your use.
