12 Volt Rechargeable Battery
The first ever rechargeable battery was invented in 1859, and was the lead-acid cell. This rechargeable battery was the brainchild of Gaston Planté, which comprised a lead anode and a lead oxide cathode submerged in a sulphuric acid electrolyte. This first model, by Planté, was used to supply electricity to the lights in train carriages that were stopped at a station.
The Basics
The positive and the negative electrodes react with the acid electrolyte to yield lead sulfate. The electric current is produced as a result of the reactions that originate electrons from the lead anode, which are then consumed by reactions at the lead oxide cathode. When a reverse current is passed through the cell, the chemical reactions can be reversed, thus recharging it.
The 12 volt rechargeable battery
It has been over 150 years since the first commercial lead acid battery was used, and the chemical principle used to store electrical energy back then, is essentially the same as it is now. However, in the 1970s, a 12 volt rechargeable battery was developed that utilized a gel electrolyte rather than a liquid, enabling it to be placed in various positions without leakage or malfunction.
The 12 volt rechargeable battery isn’t only used in automotive industry, but also used in other specific electronic applications. Surprisingly, of all the types of batteries one can dig up, a 12 volt rechargeable battery is one that appears in a variety of shapes and sizes subject to its use. A 12 volt rechargeable battery can be huge or tiny, heavy or light, making them distinct from the rest of the battery types. It may even look very much like a regular AA battery.
The size of a 12 volt rechargeable battery is primarily dependant on the amp hours (Ah) it was made to produce. The battery is broadly classed into two types: traction (deep cycle) and SLI (starting, lighting, and ignition) battery. Traction batteries are produced to supply power over a continued time period and are routinely used in heavy duty applications. SLI (Starting, Lighting, and Ignition) batteries are designed to provide a heavy current for a short time, and a low depth of discharge on each use. Traction batteries are intended to have a greater depth of discharge on each cycle, but do not provide as high a current on heavy loads.
However, deep-cycle batteries may be used as a starting battery; the lower current output suggests an oversized battery should be used. Other than the flooded cell 12 volt rechargeable battery, there is the absorbed glass mat (AGM) and gel cell battery. These batteries are specialty batteries, which usually cost twice as much as a premium flooded cell battery. The gel in the AGM rechargeable batteries perform efficiently, even in cold weather, and are preferred for airplanes.
