How To Upgrade To A Higher Capacity - Amp Hour Battery
The amount of energy a battery holds is measured in Amp Hour (Ah). This means that the more Ah in a battery the higher its capacity is. Therefore, you get more run-time for your application.
There are several aspects
to consider before choosing the right battery “upgrade”.
1. Size
Typically, higher
capacity batteries are bigger in size. Hence, when considering upgrading to a
higher Ah battery you need to confirm its physical size – width, length, height.
You also need to make sure that the terminal type and its position is the same,
so you don’t have to modify the cables when connecting it.
Below you will find SLA, Maintenance-Free Batteries that have an upgrade available. That means, dimensions and terminals are the same and the battery upgrade has a higher capacity. They can be used in either UPS, mobility or any other type of high / low discharge; standby or cycle use applications.
2. How Much Additional Run-time You Will Get.
Batteries with larger AH ratings last longer than those with smaller ratings, assuming that they are subject to the same pattern of usage.
For example, if a
battery has a 50ah capacity and your unit needs 5amps per hour to run, then the
battery will last 10 hours (Battery’s Nominal AH / Current Rate of AH = Run
Time). Same thing applies, if you switch to a 100AH capacity battery and keep
the same amount of load of 5amps per hour, then this battery will last 20
hours.
3. Can I use the same charger?
Chargers have some tolerance towards Ah rating (only applies if voltage and chemistry are the same). A larger battery will simply take longer to charge than a smaller one, but the Ah discrepancy should not exceed 25 percent.
Before purchasing a higher AH battery:
Make sure you always comply with the manufacturer’s requirements and recommendations to avoid warranty issues.
