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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions? We have answers! Below are the answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you don’t see what you need, simply contact us and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.Contacting Braille
Battery Technology
Instead, all our cells have a current interrupt device (CID) integrated into the top of the cell to mechanically disconnect the current flow through the cell if it experiences abnormal operating conditions.
Battery Safety
Instead, all our cells have a current interrupt device (CID) integrated into the top of the cell to mechanically disconnect the current flow through the cell if it experiences abnormal operating conditions.
Battery Maintenance
Battery Terms
BCI has established testing procedures for battery specifications of CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) and CA (Cranking Amps).
At this time all of Braille’s ratings are determined by using a conductance tester and not the draw down
BCI is the authoritative source of battery-related information in many areas. Through its committees and research arms, it researches, develops and publishes technical data, engineering standards, marketing practices, trade issues and governmental and legislative initiatives.
BCI has established testing procedures for battery specifications of CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) and CA (Cranking Amps).
Higher ratings do not necessarily reflect how fast current can be drawn, rather, how long a current can be drawn. For example, a 20Ah battery will sustain a 1-amp draw for approximately 20 hours before dropping to a voltage level that is considered discharged. A 40Ah battery will sustain an 8-Amp draw (or load) for approximately five hours. Capacity is influenced by other factors such as temperature, depth of discharge and speed of discharge.
In a lead-acid battery, the amount of the load will greatly affect the battery’s usable capacity, which is based on the Peukert equation. The ability for lead-acid batteries to sustain a load is relative to the specific battery’s capacity. A typical lead-acid battery will experience an extreme voltage drop when a heavy load is placed on the battery. Often, if the load exceeds the battery’s sustainable ability, the battery’s voltage will drop to an unusable level and the battery will fail.
Due to vast improvements in electrical ability found in Braille’s Lithium Battery Technology, the usable capacity of Braille’s lithium batteries are able to sustain over 10.2 volts under load. This is, on average, the same as lead-acid batteries with 3 times the standard capacity rating. This usable power rating, represented by voltage under load, is called a Lithium Amp Hour rating (LAH).
The Lithium Amp Hour rating can be used as a guide to help determine the correct battery when attempting to achieve premium weight and size benefits using Braille Lithium Batteries. For example, if a 30 AH, lead-acid battery is currently being used, it may be upgraded with a 30 LAH rating Braille Lithium Battery, which under equal loads, will deliver similar draw down performance. While the Lithium Amp Hour (LAH) rating is very useful for providing an insight into the advanced performance of Braille’s Lithium Batteries, it is not a replacement measurement for the traditional AH rating, which should be used to determine charging rates, total discharge performance, and long-term storage calculations.
The C-Rate of the battery, both in relation to charging and discharging, is important as it tells us about the speed at which we can charge and discharge a battery without causing damage to the cell internals. For total-loss systems (no alternator), this means either a shorter or longer recharge time between races.
Cranking amps and impedance are inversely proportional, so decreasing the impedance of a battery increases the cranking amps.
One of the key aspects of a starter battery is its ability to provide a large number of amps to turn over the engine (usually between 250 – 600 amps), and to provide energy for the electrical systems of the car.
Lithium-ion batteries do not accept a charge at <32°/0°C, so their use at this extreme temperature in not recommended. Since lithium-ion batteries do not perform well in extreme cold and can actually be damaged through use in this weather, cold cranking amps (measured at 32°/0°C) do not apply to measuring lithium-ion batteries.
The BCI rating is the number of amps a new, fully charged battery can deliver at 0° Fahrenheit for 30 seconds, while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts, for a 72 volt battery using a draw down test. Since this type of testing can shorten the life of a battery, Braille’s batteries are individually tested prior to shipping using the conductance method. This method is much faster and less destructive to batteries.
Many electrical systems require a certain voltage to continue operating. If the voltage drops below a certain threshold, the electrical system will shut off. This is especially important for capacity-based batteries.