U.S. Battery And Energy Products Team Up To Help Keep A Michigan Based VFW Auxiliary Post Spotless

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U.S. Battery teamed up with its distributor Energy Products, to donate two US 31DC XC2 deep-cycle batteries to the Veterans of Foreign War Auxiliary Post #1136 in Wyandotte, Michigan. The 1,300 square-foot hall at the VFW is a chore to keep clean after every event, so Senior Vice Commander Orville Beachamp purchased a refurbished battery-powered floor scrubber. He quickly found out, however, that the batteries wouldn’t hold a new charge. “When we bought the floor scrubber, it had a two-year warranty and a set of batteries,” said Commander Beachamp. “We didn’t know the condition of the batteries or how well they’ve been maintained. After some investigation, we found that the cells were damaged.”

US31DC XC2 deep-cycle battery Commander Beachamp contacted U.S. Battery and working with its local distributor Energy Products, they decided to donate two US31DC XC2 12-volt batteries for the VFW’s floor scrubber. “We’re happy to help get their floor scrubber back into action and provide them with the resources they need to keep the VFW spotless for weddings and other community events,” said Don Wallace, U.S. Battery CMO/Executive VP Sales and Marketing.  “The VFW does so much for veterans in the area, and the hall is used by the community, making it a place where many memories are made for families and friends.”

The batteries were delivered to Commander Beachamp by Bob Bowman at Energy Products. “Energy Products was very excited and eager to help the veterans that have served in the armed forces for our country,” said Matt Cybulski, Energy Products SLI Sales Manager. “It is always a pleasure to be a part of something so great, and working with U.S. Battery is always an outstanding experience.”

U.S. Battery’s US31DC XC2 deep-cycle battery is a 12-volt, BCI Group Size of 31, deep-cycle battery that features a 20-rate at 130 amps. The battery is a good choice for electric utility vehicles such as floor scrubbers, because they are engineered and proven to provide the fastest cycle-up to full rated capacity, and have the highest total energy delivered over the life of the battery. For more information on U.S. Battery Products, visit www.usbattery.com.

Photo: Bob Bowman of Energy Products delivers U.S. Battery products to Commander Orville Beachamp.

 

Keep Batteries At Full Charge During Winter

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One of the most common mistakes during winter months is storing golf car batteries in a discharged state. A discharged battery in extremely cold temperatures will allow the electrolyte to freeze, causing it to expand. Electrolyte expansion can crack the battery case, causing a leak or complete battery failure. A fully charged battery has a freezing point around -80 °F while a discharged battery has a freezing point around 20 °F. By keeping the battery fully charged during the winter months, the electrolyte is less likely to freeze and cause unexpected failures.

U.S. Battery Collects 204 Christmas Boxes For Needy Children As Part Of Operation Christmas Child

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U.S. Battery Manufacturing is part of Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a program run by the Samaritan’s Purse International Relief Organization. The Christian organization collects shoe boxes filled with various items such as toys, toothbrushes, soap, and books for children and sends them to pastors and community leaders in more than 100 countries. From there the boxes are distributed to children as part of a Christian outreach program.

“This is U.S. Battery’s second year participating in the program where boxes are filled according to the guidelines of the OCC,” said Ron Anderson, Executive VP at U.S. Battery. “These Christmas boxes reach children in remote areas where they are often taken by boat, walked through jungles, or even travel via camel-back to their remote destinations.”

U.S. Battery Manufacturing employees and their families participated in creating 204 Christmas Boxes that were sent to a local OCC facility for shipment overseas. Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that has been providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world since 1970. For more information on Samaritan’s Purse, visit www.samaritanspurse.org. Additional information on U.S. Battery products, visit www.usbattery.com.

Photo: U.S. Battery employees Sebastian Gonzales and Alex Jauregui prepare gift boxes for company workers and their families to fill for Operation Christmas Child.

 

Lead Acid Batteries Offer Better/Safer Energy Storage Solution According to Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium

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During a seminar by the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC) held in London, England last November, the lead battery industry was encouraged by the positive response from end-users in the utility and renewable energy storage markets made at the seminar.

Speakers during the event stressed that lead battery technology solutions meet all the requirements for energy storage installations while providing the most affordable option. “There are five essential reasons for utility operators to consider lead batteries in new energy storage systems they commission,” said Dr Geoffrey May of ALABC, “The new generation of this technology meets all the technical requirements of energy storage applications, it is the most cost-effective, safest, most reliable and most recycled, sustainable technology available today.”

Discussions during the seminar pointed out that lead battery systems better rival technologies in lifetime and operational costs, and are not subject to the same inherent safety issues with other systems. In addition, speakers during the seminar pointed out that 99 percent of lead batteries are collected and recycled at their end of life in Europe and North America, higher than any other battery technology.

Dr. May explained during the seminar, that lead batteries are available which will provide up to 5000 deep cycles. This has a major impact on the total cost of ownership of a lead battery for energy storage and is more than a match for other battery energy storage technologies. In addition, research work carried out by ALABC has improved lead battery performance in the special conditions that are seen with renewable energy sources, particularly solar photovoltaic sources, where the battery is not fully charged at all times. This has focussed on the addition of special carbons to the battery electrodes and has now been widely adopted by many major battery suppliers. For more information on the seminar visit www.ila-lead.org. Additional information on U.S. Battery’s RE batteries for energy storage can be found on the company’s website, www.usbattery.com. 

Retail Stores Now Testing Autonomous Battery Operated Sweeper Scrubbers

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According to a FOXBusiness report, Walmart is in the process of testing autonomous floor scrubbers. These electric vehicles are built by Brain Corp and utilize four six-volt flooded lead-acid batteries. Brain Corp reports that these vehicles feature multi-layer sensors that control navigation and their internal systems also learn from users to replicate multiple scrubbing routes.

A Walmart spokesperson in the FOXBusiness report says this is a pilot program that is currently being tested in some of the company’s Arkansas retail stores. According to Brain Corp, these vehicles are currently working in approximately 50 malls and big-box retailers across the U.S.

Industry Investment And Closed-Loop Collection Increases Battery Recycling Rate

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The Battery Council International released its National Recycling Rate Study which shows that lead batteries have a recycling rate of 99.3 percent. The industry’s state-of-the-art closed-loop collection and recycling system, along with industry investment, helped create the nearly perfect recycling rate for flooded lead-acid batteries.

The study points out that in addition to keeping 1.7 million tons of batteries out of landfills (annually), lead batteries sustainability reduce CO2 emissions in vehicles through start-stop battery technology, hybrid/electric vehicles, and smart grid technology that improves the reliability of wind and solar farms.  “Our goal is to recycle and reuse as many batteries as possible as part of our commitment to provide an environmentally-friendly source of energy storage,” said Mark Thorsby, executive vice president of BCI. “On average, a new lead battery is comprised of more than 80 percent recycled lead battery material. Every component of the battery, from lead and plastic to sulfuric acid, is recyclable which reduces waste, ensures that they are properly disposed of and decreases the need for virgin ore mining.”

The state-of-the-art closed-loop process that ensures lead batteries’ high rate of recycling is recognized by the World Economic Forum and MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics as the world’s most successful example of a circular economy-featuring the design, production, transportation, recycling and recovery of vehicle batteries. For more information on battery recycling and batteries used in a variety of industries, visit www.usbattery.com. 

U.S. Battery Manufacturing Switches To New Look With A Red Case And Cover

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U.S. Battery Manufacturing is changing the appearance of its flooded lead-acid line of deep-cycle batteries to a bright red case and cover. The decision to move to an all red battery will eliminate the various colored cases and covers seen on several U.S. Battery models. This change will further help to streamline their wide-ranging product line into one recognizable brand.

“The change to the new red case and cover is only aesthetic,” says Don Wallace, U.S. Battery CMO/Executive VP Sales and Marketing. “Current model configurations, internal structures, initial capacity advantages, and cycle-up to full capacity ratings are unchanged, and remain the highest in the industry.”

U.S. Battery dealers and distributors will see the new red/red batteries as a rolling change as the previous color options are slowly phased out. Initially, the case/cover color change will only affect these U.S. Battery models: US250 XC2, US250HC XC2, US305 XC2, US305HC XC2, USL16 XC2, US L16HC XC2, US185 XC2, US185HC XC2, US24DC XC2, US27DC XC2, and US31DC XC2.

U.S. Battery products are manufactured and assembled by hand in the U.S.A. The company’s exclusive XC2 formulation ensures the highest initial capacity, fastest cycle-up time to full-rated capacity, improved recharge-ability, and the highest total energy delivered compared to any battery in their class. For more information on sizes, ratings, and applications for a variety of electric powered vehicles and markets, visit www.usbattery.com.

Fire Safety Concerns Around Lithium Battery Powered Golf Cars

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Concerns over fire safety around lithium batteries used in vehicles such as golf cars, particularly when used on public streets (LSV’s and NEV’s), are prompting firefighters to share information on extinguishing fires involving lithium batteries. While there have been no reported cases of fires from lithium powered golf cars, examples of automobile fires have given rise to this concern.

In an article published on MSN Autos, firefighters in Germany issued a press release to other firefighters about an accident on a highway in Austria where an electric vehicle equipped with lithium-ion batteries crashed and the batteries caught fire. The German firefighters reported that while they were extinguishing the fire, they had to wear extreme respiratory control equipment because of the toxic fumes emitted from the lithium batteries.  Also, the vehicle fire repeatedly re-ignited after apparently being extinguished and had to be extinguished repeatedly. They indicated that it was only after cutting the power to the lithium-ion batteries, that it was possible to finally put out the fire*.

Vehicle manufacturers utilizing lithium-ion batteries caution firefighters that lithium-ion battery fires can take up to 24-hours to fully extinguish. They also advise firefighters to inform second responders (law-enforcement, tow personnel) that there is a risk of the battery re-igniting

This concern has crossed over into golf cars, as some manufacturers are now utilizing lithium-ion battery systems. Any battery powered golf car that is not operated properly or charged in a closed environment (without proper ventilation), runs the risk of a potential fire. Although it is not very likely that lithium-ion powered golf cars will catch fire, it is important for consumers to be aware of the differences among battery types and the hazards that can occur in order to provide the highest level of safety possible.

*-MSN Autos – Here’s What Firefighters Do To Extinguish A Battery Fire On A Tesla Model S

European Battery Summit Concludes Electric Vehicles Will Continue To Use Lead Batteries

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The European Union Battery Commission hosted a summit in Brussels, Belgium, that shed some light on the use of lead-acid batteries used in virtually all electric vehicles in Europe.

The EU Battery Commission is a world leader in lead battery innovation, manufacturing, and recycling, employing over 25,000 people. According to the Battery Council International, the summit addressed the transition to zero-emissions vehicles, and the continued use of lead-acid batteries for the near future. The EU pointed out that sixty percent of all vehicles sold in Europe in 2016 incorporated stop-start, lead battery technology. It also acknowledged that lead batteries are also present in micro-hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles and that virtually every vehicle on the road in Europe today relies on a lead battery. The summit concluded that the demand for lead-acid batteries will continue into the foreseeable future for transportation and critical industrial applications.

The International Lead Association (ILA) agreed that there is an urgent need for a clear European framework that supports innovation in battery technology and strongly supports that the framework must recognize and support the future potential for all battery types, including lead and lithium batteries. The summit concluded on the following steps to ensure the goals of clean energy with meeting increasing demands for lead batteries.

It suggested that the Commission remain technology neutral to support all battery chemistries, as well as meeting the demands of a growing electric vehicle market, in which all of the vehicles on the road utilize lead-acid batteries. The Commission also recognized that lead batteries play a vital, cost-effective and proven role in the reduction of CO2 emissions in all types of vehicles, including start-stop and micro-hybrids.

When it came to environmental issues, the Commission was quick to point out that there is presently no commercially available process to economically recycle lithium batteries, and that lead-acid batteries are the most recycled consumer product on the planet. From a sustainability standpoint, the Commission also stated that 80 percent of a new lead battery is comprised of recycled materials. This is a stark contrast to many of the newer battery technologies that rely heavily on substances that are considered critical raw materials.

How To Recycle A Flooded Lead-Acid Battery

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Recycling Deep Cycle batteries is one of the most important aspects of owning or using battery powered machinery and vehicles. Flooded lead-acid batteries used in golf cars, automobiles, floor cleaning machines, RV’s and more, are recycled at the highest rate of any commercial product; a rate greater than 99 percent.

Where to recycle batteries is the first critical step for this successful process to begin. According to the Battery Council International (BCI), a not-for-profit trade association formed to promote the interests of the international battery industry, batteries should first be identified. Flooded lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries are two very different types of batteries, and cannot be put into the same recycling process. Battery recyclers will indicate what types of batteries they can accept, so read the labels and make sure your batteries go to the right place.

The next step is to visit https://www.call2recycle.org. This website offers resources for individuals and businesses on where the best recycling locations are in your area. The website also helps to find recyclers that allow for drop-off or who offer pick-up services.

Doing your part to recycle batteries is key to continuing the success of the battery industry and its continued growth. For more information, visit www.usbattery.com.