List of Battery Terms of Acid, AGM, Amere and Charger

Acid: A chemical that releases hydrogen ions when mixed with water. Sulfuric acid is used in Lead Acid Batteries.

Active Material: The porous structure of lead compounds that produce and store electrical energy within a Lead acid battery. The active material in the positive plates is lead dioxide and that in the negative is metallic sponge-shape lead. When an electrical circuit is created, these materials react with sulfuric acid during charging and discharging according to the following chemical reaction: PbO2 + Pb + 2H2SO4 = 2PbSO4 + 2H2O.

AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat): A type of non-woven separator material composed almost entirely of glass microfibers that absorbs and retains the electrolyte, leaving no free electrolyte in the cell to spill. Vrla Agm Sealed Lead Acid Battery made with this material are often referred to as "AGM" batteries.

Ampere (Amp, A): A unit of measurement of the rate or current at which electrons flow through a circuit.

Ampere-Hour (Amp-Hrs, Ah): A unit of measuring a Maintenance Free Lead Acid Battery`s electrical storage capacity, obtained by multiplying the current in amperes by the time in hours of discharge. (Example: A battery that delivers 5 amperes for 20 hours delivers 5 amperes x 20 hours = 100 amp-hrs of capacity.)

Battery: One or more electrical (electrochemical) cells connected into a single unit and equipped with external electrically connected attachments.

Battery Charger: A device that provides power to a Maintenance Free Car Battery.

Boost Charge: The process of ensuring that the cells and plates within a battery are charged sufficiently for the Maintenance Free Battery to perform its desired function. Boost charging is typically done for a short duration at high current.

BCI Group: The Battery Council International (BCI) Group Number "fingerprints" a battery with the following characteristics: (a) dimensions (L x W x H), (b) voltage (6V or 12V), (c) polarity (right-hand front positive, left-hand front positive, etc.), (d) type terminals (top, side, "L", etc.). The BCI Group Number does not designate a battery`s capacity; it merely defines the above-listed physical characteristics.