Categorization

Operation characteristics

Aging risks

Radar plots

Category G1

• very seldom full recharge
• very high or high Ah throughput (full cycling operation)
• low charge factor
• PSOC operation
• high charge and discharge current rates

• very high risk of the hard/irreversible sulfation
• very high risk of the electrolyte stratification
• very high risk of the AM degradation
• a high risk of the AM shedding
• very high risk for a week cell reverse polarization

Category G2

• frequent recharge
• very low to medium charge factor
• very low or low Ah throughput
• very low or low discharge rate-mild cycling at a high SOC level (shallow cycling at 100%SOC)

• very low risk of the hard/irreversible sulfation
• very low risk of the electrolyte stratification
• very low risk of the AM degradation-high risk of corrosion
• high risk of water loss, at VRLA the drying out and the thermal runaway

Category G3

• very low to medium throughput operation
• battery is charged with high or very high charge factor
• full recharge happens usually very often
• the battery may stay for some time period at discharged state <35%SOC
• the battery is shallow cycled in a few % of the top SOC range

• very low risk of hard/irreversible sulfation
• very low risk of electrolyte stratification
• very high risk of the corrosion
• very high risk of the water loss, at VRLA drying out and thermal runaway
• a high risk AM shedding

Category G4

• medium to a high throughput operation
• PSOC cycling
• long time between full recharge
• high charge factor
• battery doesn’t operate/stay long at SOC<35%
• discharge rate may be high immediately followed by some recharge that frequently does not bring the battery to 100%SOC
• when the full charge is realized then the charge factor is too high

• high risk of the electrolyte stratification
• high risk of the hard/irreversible sulfation
• very high risk of the AM shedding
• very high risk of the AM degradation
• high risk of the water loss, at VRLA drying out and thermal runaway
• high risk of the corrosion

Category G5

• RES system seems to be very well optimized
• medium throughput operation
• PSOC cycling
• without frequent deep discharge and resting in SOC<35%
• medium charge factor

• medium risk of the hard/irreversible sulfation
• medium risk of the electrolyte stratification
• medium risk of AM degradation

Category G6

• medium throughput operation at a PSOC cycling
• very low or low charge factor
• there may be some time period of operation/rest at SOC<35%

• very high risk may of hard/irreversible sulfation
• very high risk of electrolyte stratification