Exide for Safe and Eco-friendly Marine Batteries

by Jeni Bone on 9 Jul 2008 Experts recommend boat owners – whatever the shape, size, capacity or purpose of a vessel – do not make the mistake of using a car battery.

“It simply isn’t built to withstand the vibrations and shocks of boating,” says Denis Dwyer, Marketing Director Australia Pacific.

A familiar brand manufactured in Australia since the 1950s, Exide provides a diverse range of marine batteries customized for each application and with unique attributes for safety and longevity.

Exide Marine Starting comes with handles for safer handling, explosion-proof vents, anti-vibration design for longer life and three sizes to suit many popular applications.

Then for Marine Cycling, there is Exide Stowaway, which also comes with sturdy handles for safer handling, explosion-proof vents, Multiple Terminal connectors, anti vibration-design for longer life and three sizes, as well as extra-thick plates and triple separation for multi-cycling use to power up high accessory loads.

For Marine Deep Cycle/Starting, there is Exide Orbital, which boasts faster discharge(starting) and recharge, sealed and maintenance free, Absorbed Glass matt/ VRLA, safe to operate and handle, AFY approval to operate immersed and upside down, longer shelf life and vibration-resistant for longer life.

In keeping with the eco-concerns of today, all Exide lead acid batteries are totally recyclable with over 90% reclaimed by the industry.

“Exide is the only company to own its own smelter in NZ that recycles the spent batteries and returns the lead and plastic for the manufacturing of new products,” says Dwyer.

Boat owners should consider multiple batteries due to modern day very high accessory loads, says Dwyer. “One starting, one accessory with a dual battery management system.

“For the larger applications, Exide produces a range of Exide Industrial Deep Cycle products to suit larger boats with high electrical loads, as well as requiring very high starting loads required by inboard diesels.

“This range can accommodate the full gamut of lifestyle needs as well as the critical voltages required by modern computer controlled engine management systems.

“For even larger installations, the full resources of the Exide Industrial division is at hand with electrical engineers to fully specify any application including the charging systems onboard and onshore.”

His other tips include:

• Before leaving boat in storage, make sure batteries are fully charged and then check every 3 months, recharge if under 12.4Volts.
• Accessory loads are usually performed with higher reliability with Deep Cycle batteries, they are designed to be discharged and recharged many times over which is opposite from a starting battery, designed to provide high current quickly to start and then go back on charge.
• Conventional lead acid batteries produce hydrogen gas on charge and while discharging, can be explosive and dangerous. Salt water mixed with battery electrolyte creates a toxic gas that can be dangerous to your health.
• Not all “Maintenance-Free” batteries are also sealed, even though they have a flat top, they vent to the atmosphere through a side valve and have free electroltye inside and will spill.
• Exide Orbital and other batteries classified as AGM/VRLA are sealed and have no free electrolyte and cannot spill. They are however valve regulated to protect against overcharge.

Exide Technologies is a global leader in providing stored electrical energy solutions. It is the world’s foremost supplier of lead-acid batteries for network power, motive power and automotive applications with an increasing presence in emerging battery technologies.

Exide Technologies operates in 89 countries, with 17 Automotive manufacturing plants, 11 Industrial manufacturing plants and 12 Recycling facilities.

Respected brands such as Exide, Champion, Exide Select Orbital, Marshall, Vortex, Sonnenschien, Marathon, Stowaway are market leaders.

More at www.exideworld.com