Lead Crystal batteries

[Lock]

There are a number of suppliers now offering watt are described as "lead crystal" batteries...

Some of the claims:

Longer Battery Life
Lead-acid batteries have a many different designs for different applications. Some are designed to cycle, others to deliver high currents for short periods. Cycle life, for deep cycle applications differ in the actual design life of the batteries. The typical Lead-acid batteries will in general charge and discharge for about 300-350 cycles, whilst lead-crystal batteries, under similar conditions will deliver for 700-800 cycles.

High-Rate Discharge
Special lead-crystal battery technology allows for high-rate discharge characteristics, the general lead-acid batteries work optimally at discharge rates of only 3C, while lead crystal battery discharge can reach up to 10C.

Excellent Charge Performance
Lead crystal batteries would normally require a charge time of only 20% of the time required for charging a lead acid battery. This simplifies battery maintenance dramatically.

Depth of Discharge
A Lead crystal battery can be discharged to 0 Volt, and will still restore to the full rated capacity, whilst a lead-acid battery will restore with difficulty, and more than likely not recover at all in this condition. This effectively increases the usable battery capacity of a lead crystal battery with 25%, if compared with it’s lead-acid equivalent.

Low Temperature Resistance
Lead crystal batteries can function in temperature ranges of -40 to +50 degrees Celsius, and can deliver more than 85% of its rated capacity at minus 40 degrees Celsius. Lead-acid batteries normally would sharply loose their discharge ability under sub-zero conditions.

Green
Lead crystal batteries use new materials, new processes and new formulations. There is no mist or a harmful, gaseous emission, the basic electrolyte is neutral, non-corrosive, and cannot filter into the ground, etc. Lead crystal batteries will not cause pollution; therefore it is in line with ever increasing environmental protection requirements.

Safe to Transport
Lead crystal batteries are classified as non-hazardous devices and are safe to transport by land, sea and air, while lead-acid batteries may not be transported by air. This is primarily due to the electrolyte composition of the lead crystal battery which is non corrosive.

A couple of examples:
http://www.solar-we.com/lead_crystal_battery-4046.htm
http://www.bettalights.com/product_06.htm


This 1978 patent for "Lead crystal storage cells":
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4143216.html

with similar cycle and temperature etc claims was for lead-acid but also used cadmium...

Just curious whether anybuddy has heard about these...
tks
LocK

 

[x88x]

So they're twice the weight, more than three times the size, with a lower discharge rate and fewer cycles than cheap lithium batteries, though they wil work at a lower temperature...any ideas what they're asking for them? Better not be too much or I really don't see the point except some rare cases where the low temp operation would be useful.

 

[neptronix]

Hm.. perhaps they experience less of a peukert's effect?
No mention of a capacity increase..

Sounds like lipstick on a pig.. a good color of lipstick, nonetheless :lol:

 

[Lock]

Some of the sites promoting these mention SiO2 in a "solid polymer composite electrolyte" that replaces sulfuric acid...

Yah, understand these spec's don't compare to Li but the biggest market by far in China is still lead packs for heavy scooter-style ebikes w/Li (higher purchase price) almost all made only for export. So I can imagine mfgrs jumping on this (if true) where they can use existing assembly lines and processes to offer drop-in replacement batts at some small premium but double the number of useful cycles, faster charging, and better low temp performance...

Tks
Lock

 

[Lock]

This 1978 patent for "Lead crystal storage cells":
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4143216.html
with similar cycle and temperature etc claims was for lead-acid but also used cadmium...

I think this patent is watt the fuss is about... some excerpts:
View attachment 4143216a.jpg

...so this is the patent that actually coined the term "lead-crystal batteries"...

View attachment 4143216b.jpg
View attachment 4143216c.jpg

...so the cadmium is only used in the manufacturing process, but recovered in a later step... but:

View attachment 3

trace amounts of cadmium remain. That's not good. Wonder watt they mean by "trace" exactly? The last EU Battery Directive limits cadmium to only 0.002% by weight...

Finally, benefits claimed:
View attachment 4143216e.jpg
View attachment 1
View attachment 4143216g.jpg

tks
Lock