GS Yuasa US subsidiary introduces line of lead-acid batteries for renewable energy markets
10 September 2011
GS Battery (USA) Inc., a US subsidiary of GS Yuasa Group of Japan, introduced the ECO R line of advanced storage batteries targeting the renewable energy market. The ECO R product line consists of four advanced lead acid, VRLA (Valve-regulated Lead-Acid Battery) products.
ECO R SLC70-4V is a 70 Ah, 4 volt design with nano-carbon technology using tubular plate and patented granular silica technology. This robust design provides up to 4,000 deep discharge cycles. The ECO R SLC70-4V is UL listed. This battery can be used in both residential and commercial storage applications.
ECO R SLE is a 2 volt, design for large capacity applications, providing up to 3,000 deep discharge cycles. Two models are available, the SLE-500, rated at 500Ah and the SLE-1000, rated at 1,000Ah. Each model can be deployed in multiple modules to make up a 48 volt system for larger PV systems.
ECO R SLX is a 246 Ah, 12 volt, compact AGM design which can provide up to 1,000 deep discharge cycles. The SLX246-12 is a 10-year design life and is UL listed. This value priced battery can be used in most residential and small commercial systems.
ECO R SNS Series is an AGM line of 2 volt (8 models), 6 volt and 12 volt, (1 model each) designed for high energy UPS storage in wind and photovoltaic applications. Capacity ranges from 50 Ah up to 3,000 Ah and can be used in larger residential and commercial systems.
GS battery has not caved in to the expensive lithium technology, but provides energy storage for electricity from various sources. Lead technology cells are adequate for plug in hybrids and smaller two volt cells can be distributed into random empty spaces and can be replaced easily upon failure. Calcars demonstrated that lead cells could be used in plug in hybrids. Adding lead cells to a Prius that retained its original battery was invented by Ron Gremban of Calcars and allowed longer life for the lead batteries without any diminishing power to the wheels as the batteries wore out.
Batteries with separate two volt cells can remain functional with the replacement of failed or weak cells. Failed or weak cells can be eliminated automatically from a chain with modern cheap electronics until it is replaced or recharged.
Until NGK, ZEBRA, and GE DURATHON get their batteries into high production, lead will be the effective low cost choice for electric storage for plug in hybrid automobiles where large amounts of energy storage is not necessary. Six kilowatts or less from a range extender alternator permits unlimited range city travel for a Prius size automobile.
GS should also get the lead technology from both Firefly and EFFPOWER and make a long life high rate high voltage bipolar battery to protect their standard batteries from short duration high power demands and give them longer life. The positive plate protection of Firefly was overshadowed by the foam negative plates and the proposed foam positive plates. EFFPOWER eliminates much of the chance of positive and negative plate failures but trades high power for low capacity.
The GS 2 volt cells eliminate the hidden battery failures cause by through the wall cell connections which represent a large percentage of all 12 volt battery failures. GS can now introduce its own version of pulsing anti-large-sulfate-crystal cell conditioners.
ATRAVEDA also has valuable technology that may be used by GS. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 11 September 2011 at 12:52 PM
Yuasa has been around for decades. When I was a kid I heard that in Japanese, "Yuasa" is pronounced like "U.S.A.", and that name was chosen / created intentionally to try to trick people into thinking "Made by Yuasa" was actually "Made by U.S.A.".
Posted by: ejj | 15 September 2011 at 05:10 AM