Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: DanielCoffey on December 16, 2018, 20:33

Title: What chemistry of car battery is this?
Post by: DanielCoffey on December 16, 2018, 20:33

Please excuse me if this is in the wrong place but I have a question about the chemistry of a small 12V lead acid battery.

I have bought a second hand diesel riding mower and it has an unbranded 45Ah 12V battery in it. There are no brand labels anywhere. Since taking these pictures I have removed the battery, cleaned it properly and refitted the terminals and the pigtail for a battery tender. My battery charger/tender needs me to select the chemistry type to best look after the battery.

All I know for certain is what is on the label...

Battery Voltage : 12V
Description : SMF 51R
Part No : K3181-61144
Cold Cranking Amps : 430
Cranking Amps : 540
Reserve Capacity : 80 minutes
Amp Hours (at 20h rate) : 45

I assume SMF means Sealed Maintenance Free. As you can see from the picture it has a built-in hygrometer float so I don't know if that makes it a wet type or not.

I reckon I have choices of Wet, Sealed Wet, Calcium, Gel and AGM.

Thoughts?

Title: Re: What chemistry of car battery is this?
Post by: cressrt on December 17, 2018, 08:25

I would have though it is a Sealed Wet type, most likely type used in mowers and similar machines.

Title: Re: What chemistry of car battery is this?
Post by: JayG on December 17, 2018, 09:54

Agree, probably sealed wet - to err on the safe side I'd charge on that setting and if it doesn't charge properly try the calcium setting (calcium batteries are a type of lead-acid battery but need a higher charging voltage.)

Title: Re: What chemistry of car battery is this?
Post by: DanielCoffey on December 17, 2018, 10:22

Cheers folks - the float indicator made me think it wasn't in the gel family.

Title: Re: What chemistry of car battery is this?
Post by: cressrt on December 17, 2018, 11:10

From what I've read Gel batteries are not that common and are often found in deep discharge situations such as wheelchair and medical mobility batteries,

Title: Re: What chemistry of car battery is this?
Post by: jezza on January 18, 2019, 20:37

hello what make of mower is it  I have just googled the part number its coming up as Kubota this explains the high cranking power as it will need glow plugs on first to start   jezza

Title: Re: What chemistry of car battery is this?
Post by: DanielCoffey on January 19, 2019, 07:12

You are correct, Jezza - it is a Kubota diesel GR1600II.

Fortunately the battery passed with flying colours. I put it through one recondition pass on the charger.

When I took the battery out for cleaning I noted that there is quite a bit of leeway for size in the battery holder area. If I was fitting a larger battery in the future, the only dimension I would have to watch is the diagonal as it uses a bar across the top edge and two long diagonal threaded bolts to hold it down and the nuts are near the end of their threaded travel. There would be a good bit of extra width and a little extra height if I needed a bigger battery.