Understanding the Significance of Temperature Compensation for Lead Acid Batteries is an interesting topic in this blog. The inverters installed at homes and offices face a significant challenge when the winter sets in, as the backup time is drastically reduced, and the user tries to call the service engineer. The service engineer says everything is okay, but the user is unsatisfied. This has been a significant challenge in a cold environment below 20 degrees. Another challenge consumers do not know is the electricity bill, which increases if the Temperature compensation is not installed in the Inverter for homes and offices.
One must understand what temperature compensation lead-acid batteries require, especially Tubular and SMF batteries. The Inverter/UPS made in the market makes a charger that works from a fixed voltage and stops at a designated voltage, so for a 12V Tubular battery, it works from 10.5 volts to 14.4 Volts, which is a fixed parameter and an ideal parameter if the temperature at which the Inverter is kept is maintained at 25 degrees Celsius. Every area has a temperature variation, according to which this fixed voltage needs a shift based on the outside temperature. https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-410-charging-at-high-and-low-temperatures#:~:text=Adding%20temperature%20compensation%20on%20a,degree%20Celsius%20rise%20in%20temperature.
That chart is as follows:
ATC chart for Tubular battery
Lead-acid batteries in Inverters, UPS, Online UPS, Solar PCU, Solar Hybrid Inverters, charge controllers, etc., need Automatic Temperature Compensation, also known as ATC in short form. During the summertime, tubular Lead Acid batteries only charge at much lower voltages. For example, at 40 degrees Celsius, the Tubular battery will get fully charged at 14.10 Volts. Still, the Inverter/UPS will keep charging it till 14.4 Volts, which will overcharge the storm, and the electricity to charge will also go to waste. Still, the Inverter/UPS charger without the ATC feature keeps charging till 14.4V, which is a waste of energy, and the battery is overcharged. The life of the battery is affected. The Electricity bill for charging the battery increases alongside the reduction of battery life.
- Overcharging in hot weather: At high temperatures, the battery doesn’t need as much voltage to reach a full charge. If a standard Inverter/UPS charger is used, it can overcharge the battery, leading to water loss, damage to the plates, and shortened lifespan. One can see the above-deferred compensation chart for reference.
- Undercharging in cold weather: Cold temperatures make the battery’s chemical reaction harder. A standard Inverter/UPS charger might not provide enough voltage to fully charge the battery, reducing its capacity and the time it can deliver power. So let us take an example of 5 degrees Celsius. The Tubular battery needs to be charged at 14.76 Volts. The regular Inverter/UPS will charge it at 14.4 Volts only, which will not charge the battery entirely, so the user will not get the proper backup, and the battery life is reduced where the temperatures are cold and never charged 100% and over some time life also reduced.
Temperature compensation, often called Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC), is a technology that addresses these issues. Here’s how it works:
- Sensors: An ATC system uses sensors to measure the ambient temperature around the battery.
- Voltage adjustment: The ATC system adjusts the charging voltage based on the temperature reading. In hot weather, it reduces the voltage to prevent overcharging. In cold weather, it increases the voltage to ensure a full charge.
By adjusting the charging voltage based on temperature, ATC offers several benefits:
- Increased battery life: Proper charging prevents battery plate damage, extending lifespan.
- Improved performance: A fully charged battery delivers optimal performance, meaning you get more backup time from your UPS or better-starting power in your car.
- Reduced water loss: Overcharging is a significant cause of water loss in lead-acid batteries. ATC helps prevent this, reducing maintenance needs.
- Understanding the Significance of Temperature Compensation for Lead Acid Batteries makes the importance of ATC in Inverter/UPS charger technology very clear. Su-vastika Pure Sinewave UPS with ATC has a complete product range where ATC technology is used for battery charging.
ATC is a valuable technology for anyone relying on Tubular lead-acid batteries, VRLA, or Valve Regulated Sealed Lead Acid batteries. It helps to get the most out of your batteries and ensures they perform reliably for longer. https://suvastika.com/what-is-pure-sinewave-inverter-ups-with-atc/
Su-vastika’s UPS range for homes and offices and solar range of Solar PCUs and Solar Inverters have this technology built in to handle all kinds of lead-acid batteries, especially tubular and SMF batteries.
This article is written by Kunwwer Sachdev founder Su-kam
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