Power-Sonic Batteries
Need to Know Information
The batteries on this page are called "sealed lead-acid" (SLA)
batteries. They are commonly incorrectly referred to as "gel-cell"
batteries.
12 V vs. 14 V
There have been many discussions on the rec.aviation.soaring newsgroup in
regard to whether it is better to use a 14V or 12V system in a glider.
Those in favor of 14V systems seem to like the extra power - especially for
aircraft radios which can have degraded performance as the voltage drops.
I, however, am not a fan of 14V systems. I prefer to install 2
12V batteries in my gliders. I switch to the backup battery if the
first one gets low. The downside to using a 14V system is that it
is difficult to balance the batteries. Putting a 12V and 2V in series
will get you to 14V, but charging them while connected in series seldom
works well. Ideally you should balance the batteries so that they have
the same Ah (Amp x hour) rating. For example, I sell a 2V battery (for
anyone that insists on using them) that is a 6 Ah battery. The Ah
rating is close to the 7 Ah battery I sell, but not quite the same.
Charging the 12V, 7 Ah battery and the 2V, 6 Ah battery in series with a 14
V charger may work OK, but the battery with the smaller Ah rating will die
prematurely. If you use 2 of the 2V, 6 Ah batteries in parallel
(giving 2V and 12 Ah) and put the combination in series with a large 12V, 12
Ah battery, it may work OK, but it is likely that one battery will get the
majority of the charger's current and die prematurely. I am not an
expert on batteries, but I have seen this problem first hand. In my
case the 2 Ah batteries died in less than a single soaring season.
They were then pulling down the 12V battery. Therefore I strongly
recommend 12V systems. The other disadvantage of using 14V systems is
that 14V chargers are less common and therefore more expensive. I
don't offer any.
Charging Rates and Times
A standard overnight recharge is normally recommended for typical
lead-acid batteries. This is based on a C/10 charge rate. (C=Ah capacity
of your battery). For example. The recommended charge rate for a
7 Ah battery is 700 mA. Battery manufacturers publish maximum in rush
rates for their batteries.
If a faster recharge time is required, the
following formulas can be used to determine either the correct charge rate
or the time required to recharge your battery to 90% of capacity. The
Ah rating of the battery x 1.2 divided by the charging circuit max
current, equals the amount of time (in hours) required to recharge the
battery to 90%. These times are based on a fully discharged battery. For
100% recharging, add 3 hours "float" time to the charging time. If the
battery is only partially discharged, the recharge time will be shorter.
|
Recharge Time (hours) = |
1.2 x Battery
Capacity (Ah)
Charging Current max (Amps) |
(add 3 hours for
100% charge) |
The rule of thumb is approximate however and
battery data from the manufacturer is the best way to determine the maximum
charge rate for a given battery. The 800 mA charger from
Xenotronix has been
"blessed" by the battery manufacturer for use with the 5 Ah and 7 Ah
batteries on this page.
Storage
It is best to keep sealed-lead acid batteries charging when not in use.
If it sits on the shelf for many months without charging it may be damaged.
How to Order
To order a product, click on the
button next to the product.
When you are ready to complete your order, click on the
button.
Click on the small images to view larger versions.
|
Part # |
Description |
Photo
Click on image to view larger version |
Price |
Lead-time |
|
| PS-12120 |
Power-Sonic PS-12120 Battery,
Sealed Lead-Acid, 12V, 12.0 Ah
This is a nice large battery for use in gliders with many electronic
gadgets or pilots who like to talk on the radio a lot.
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) technology for superior performance.
Connectors: "FASTON" quick disconnect tabs (0.250" x 0.032"),
mate with AMP. INC. FASTON "250", See the
AMP-FASTON-250.
Dimensions:
Length: 5.95 inches (151 mm)
Width: 3.86 inches (98 mm)
Height" 3.70 inches (94 mm)
Height over Terminals: 3.94 inches (100 mm)
Approximate Weight: 8.5 pounds (3.86 kg)
Charging
Cycle Applications: Limit initial current to 3.6A. Charge until battery
voltage (under charge) reaches 14.40 to 14.70 volts at 68º F (20º C).
Hold at 14.40 to 14.70 volts until current drops to approximately 120mA.
Battery is fully charged under these conditions, and charger should
either be disconnected or switched to "float" voltage.
"Float" or "Stand-by Service": Hold battery across constant voltage
source of 13.50 to 13.80 volts continuously. When held at this voltage,
the battery will seek its own current level and maintain itself in a
fully charged condition.
NOTE: Due to self-discharge characteristics of this type of battery, it
is imperative that they be charged after 6-9 months of storage,
otherwise permanent loss of capacity might occur as a result of
sulfation.
Data Sheet:
ps-12120.pdf |
 |
$49.95 |
In
Stock |
|
| PS-1290 |
Power-Sonic PS-1290 Battery,
Sealed Lead-Acid, 12V, 9.0 Ah
This is the standard battery size used in most gliders. Fits
into the Dittel Battery Box.
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) technology for superior performance.
Connectors: "FASTON" quick disconnect tabs (0.250" x 0.032"),
mate with AMP. INC. FASTON "250", See the
AMP-FASTON-250
Dimensions:
Length: 5.95 inches (151 mm)
Width: 2.56 inches (65 mm)
Height" 3.7 inches (94 mm)
Height over Terminals: 3.86 inches (98 mm)
Approximate Weight: 5.70 pounds (2.59 kg)
Charging
Cycle Applications: Limit initial current to 2.7A. Charge until battery
voltage (under charge) reaches 14.4 to 14.7 volts at 68º F (20º C).
Hold at 14.4 to 14.7 volts until current drops to approximately 90mA.
Battery is fully charged under these conditions, and charger should
either be disconnected or switched to "float" voltage.
"Float" or "Stand-by Service": Hold battery across constant voltage
source of 13.5 to 13.8 volts continuously. When held at this voltage,
the battery will seek its own current level and maintain itself in a
fully charged condition.
NOTE: Due to self-discharge characteristics of this type of battery, it
is imperative that they be charged within 6 months of storage,
otherwise permanent loss of capacity might occur as a result of sulfation.
Data Sheet:
ps-1290.pdf |
 |
$34.95 |
In
Stock |
|
|
PS-1251FP |
Power-Sonic Battery,
Sealed Lead-Acid, 12V, 5.4 Ah
This is the perfect battery for a "portable" system including a
Pocket PC and GPS flight recorder. I use one to power my
Cambridge 302A which then powers my iPAQ. I have another one that
I use to power GPS-NAV and Compaq Aero 1550.
Connectors:
- Positive terminal: "FASTON" quick
disconnect tab (0.250" x 0.032"), mate with AMP. INC. FASTON "250",
See the AMP-FASTON-250.
- Negative terminal: "FASTON" quick
disconnect tabs (0.187" x 0.020"), mate with AMP. INC. FASTON "187",
See the AMP-FASTON-187.
Dimensions:
Length: 5.50 inches (139.7 mm)
Width: 1.89 inches (48 mm)
Height" 4.02 inches (102 mm)
Height over Terminals: 4.06 inches (103 mm)
Approximate Weight: 4.20 pounds (1.9 kg)
Charging
Cycle Applications: Limit initial current to 1.6A. Charge until battery
voltage (under charge) reaches 14.40 to 14.70 volts at 68º F (20º C).
Hold at 14.40 to 14.70 volts until current drops to approximately 54mA.
Battery is fully charged under these conditions, and charger should
either be disconnected or switched to "float" voltage.
"Float" or "Stand-by Service": Hold battery across constant voltage
source of 13.50 to 13.80 volts continuously. When held at this voltage,
the battery will seek its own current level and maintain itself in a
fully charged condition.
NOTE: Due to self-discharge characteristics of this type of battery, it
is imperative that they be charged after 6-9 months of storage,
otherwise permanent loss of capacity might occur as a result of
sulfation.
Data Sheet: ps-1251fp.pdf |
 |
$24.95 |
In
Stock |
|
| PS-1229 |
Power-Sonic Battery,
Sealed Lead-Acid, 12V, 2.9 Ah
This is the perfect battery for a "portable" system including a GPS
only, or Pocket PC only. I don't recommend it for a system with
both a GPS and Pocket PC.
Connectors: "FASTON" quick disconnect tabs (0.187" x 0.020"),
mate with AMP. INC. FASTON "187". See the
AMP-FASTON-187.
Dimensions:
Length: 7.01 inches (178 mm)
Width: 1.38 inches (35 mm)
Height" 2.38 inches (61 mm)
Height over Terminals: 2.60 inches (66 mm)
Approximate Weight: 2.60 pounds (1.18 kg)
Charging
Cycle Applications: Limit initial current to 900mA. Charge until battery
voltage (under charge) reaches 14.40 to 14.70 volts at 68º F (20º C).
Hold at 14.40 to 14.70 volts until current drops to approximately 29mA.
Battery is fully charged under these conditions, and charger should
either be disconnected or switched to "float" voltage.
"Float" or "Stand-by Service": Hold battery across constant voltage
source of 13.50 to 13.80 volts continuously. When held at this voltage,
the battery will seek its own current level and maintain itself in a
fully charged condition.
Data Sheet: ps-1229.pdf |
 |
$23.95 |
In
Stock |
|
|
