The lead–acid battery is a type of first invented in 1859 by French physicist. It is the first type of rechargeable battery ever created. Compared to modern rechargeable batteries, lead–acid batteries have relatively low. Despite this, they are able to supply high. These features, along with their low cost, make them attractive for us.
By David Rand Moving on from one iteration to the next in lead battery performance Gustave Planté's invention of the lead acid battery came at an opportune time, the availability of industrial-scale electricity was accompanied by a rapid expansion in lead acid manufacture.
What is a lead-acid battery?
The lead–acid battery is a type of rechargeable battery first invented in 1859 by French physicist Gaston Planté. It is the first type of rechargeable battery ever created. Compared to modern rechargeable batteries, lead–acid batteries have relatively low energy density. Despite this, they are able to supply high surge currents.
Who invented the valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery?
Success came, however, with the in-vention of the valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery. The first commercial units were introduced by Sonnenschein in the late 1960s and by Gates Energy Products in the early 1970s. These were, respectively, the gel and absorptive glass mat (AGM) technolo-gies.
How did lead acid batteries become more efficient?
Major advances were also made in plate design and production techniques that gave rise to more efficient batteries with high specific power. In the late 1960s, the injection-moulded polypro-pylene case and cover were introduced and gave the lead acid battery a dura-ble, thin wall, lightweight container.
With the advent of the internal-combustion engine, the lead acid battery was first employed in road vehicles for lighting, then later also for engine starting, and now ad-ditionally for the whole range of elec-trical duties expected in the modern vehicle.
September 21, 2016: The history of the lead acid battery has been one of constant improve-ments — very rarely has it been in huge leaps forward but mostly it's been slow and steady modifications. Or that was until the VRLA battery arrived and the challenges it threw up. By David Rand