Tips for smoother cool running
April 1st 2009 When a battery-electric truck
is operating in low
temperatures, the battery's
electrolyte temperature falls
and its available capacity can
decrease. But Exide
Technologies has some
advice on how to optimise
cold store battery
performance.
Firstly, equip the truck
with a well-fitting battery lid
to minimise loss of heat
through the inter-cell
connectors, where the
majority of loss occurs.
Secondly, line the battery lid
with a suitable insulating
material such as expanded
Polystyrene; however, if the
truck is transferred to
normal ambient
temperature the insulation
must be removed to prevent
over-heating. It is also
important to remove the lid
while on charge to allow
ventilation. The use of an 8-
hour charger will give an
increased temperature rise
on charge, over a standard
12 hour charger, causing the
electrolyte to reach a higher
temperature at the
beginning of each shift.
In order to prevent a
battery's electrolyte from
freezing while in cold store
operation, Exide says the key
is never to leave a truck
stationary, particularly if it
has previously been
operated in a higher
ambient temperature and
the electrolyte's specific
gravity is low. The electrolyte
will not freeze when in
constant operation at low
temperatures, as the effect
of low electrolyte
temperature on the battery's
capacity is always such that
the truck will cease to
operate before the
electrolyte actually freezes.
According to the firm,
when these precautions are
taken in conjunction with
the recommendations of an
Exide Technician, operation
of batteries in low ambient
temperatures should be
problem-free. More articles from Exide Technologies: | 
