VRLA and AGM Battery Definitions
Q: What is a VRLA battery? What is an AGM battery?
A:
VRLA — Valve Regulated Lead Acid. A sealed lead-acid battery that can be installed upright or on its side without leaking acid. The most popular and widely-used UPS battery technology — cost-effective, low-maintenance, and easily recyclable in South Africa (the only battery type currently recyclable in SA — Lithium and NiCad are not recyclable locally and are expensive to ship abroad as hazardous waste).
AGM — Absorbed Glass Matt. The technology used inside a sealed VRLA battery to hold the acid in suspension, similar to the gel in a baby’s nappy. If the battery is punctured, no acid runs out because it is not free-flowing. AGM batteries are also called “starved electrolyte” because the liquid volume inside is minimal.
Together, VRLA + AGM is the dominant chemistry across the Riello UPS portfolio for short-runtime, high-discharge applications.
Connections
- VRLA Batteries — referenced, source: https://standbysystems.co.za/ups-batteries-questions-and-answers/