What is a VRLA battery ?

VRLA is short for Valve Regulated Lead Acid, a special type of lead acid battery that was first developed in the mid 1960s. A valve regulated lead–acid battery, commonly known as a sealed lead–acid (SLA) battery, is a type of lead-acid battery characterized by a limited amount of electrolyte absorbed in a plate separator or formed into a gel; proportioning of the negative and positive plates so that oxygen recombination is facilitated within the cell ; and the presence of a relief valve that retains the battery contents independent of the position of the cells.

The VRLA battery is the most popular reserve power design because the electrolyte is captive, preventing it from spilling even when the case is punctured, it is considered “maintenance free” and require no addition of electrolyte or water.

What are the Different Types of VRLA Batteries?

There are two types of VRLA batteries: AGM battery (short for Absorbed Glass Mat battery) and GEL battery. The big difference between them is how their electrolyte is stored. In an AGM batteries, the electrolyte is absorbed in a series of fiber glass separators, set between the battery’s plates and held there in suspension. In gel batteries, the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte is mixed with a silica additive, which transforms the electrolyte into a thick gel-like substance.

What is the Difference Between a VRLA and traditional flooded lead acid battery?

The key difference between VRLA lead acid batteries and traditional flooded lead acid batteries is that they’re completely sealed, which is why they’re alternatively known as Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries. Since they are sealed. VRLA batteries are essentially spill-proof, which allows them to be mounted in a variety of positions that aren’t possible with flooded batteries.

Another difference is how the batteries’ electrolytes are maintained. In a flooded battery, the electrolyte is a free-flowing liquid. When a flooded battery is charged, it loses water due to the evaporation of gasses. This requires you to replace the lost water by adding distilled or deionized water. VRLA batteries, however, are equipped with a one-way pressure relief valve that prevents gas from escaping. When the battery charges, the gasses recombine into water via a process called oxygen recombination. This makes a VRLA battery completely maintenance free.

What are the Advantages of VRLA Rechargeable Battery?

Compared with flooded battery, vrla rechargeable battery have many advantages as below :

Higher voltage output – valve regulated lead acid batteries provide more electrical energy than flooded batteries
Longer lifespans– the service life of vrla agm battery is 2 times longer than flooded batteries
Faster recharge rates– vrla batteries can recharge up to 5 times faster than flooded batteries
Slower discharge rates– vrla lead acid battery loses their capacity much slower in storage than flooded battery
Temperature resistant– vrla lead acid battery has superior performance at a wider temperature than flooded battery
Vibration resistant – valve regulated lead acid batteries prevent the movement of the electrolyte inside the container, and the battery is sealed. Because of this, we can use the this type of battery in any position
Maintenance free. valve regulated lead acid battery is free maintenance rechargeable battery, VRLA rechargeable battery has a safety pressure relief valve inside. As opposed to flooded batteries, a VRLA cannot spill its electrolyte if it is inverted. trapping the hydrogen near the plates, making them readily available for re-combination as the battery is recharged. This construction greatly reduces the water loss during the discharge/recharge cycle, thus making the battery maintenance free (no need to add water). In flooded battery, the gases escape before they can recombine, so water must be periodically added