Frequently Asked Questions

  • General Informaton
  • Date Code Breakdown
  • Charging
  • Installation
  • Rules and Regulations
  • Safety
    • Can you send me spec sheets of the following batteries?

      Can you send me MSDS’s for each of the batteries we buy from you?
      Power-Sonic have the same MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) covering our complete range of PS, PSH, PSG and PG series batteries, they are not model specifc. And also have MSDS’s for our Powersport, NiCd and NiMH batteries.

      How are your batteries rated?

      Power-Sonic PS, PSH and PSG-Series batteries are rated at their 20 hour rate. Power-Sonic PG-Series long life batteries, in accordance with industry conventon, are rated at their 10 hour rate.

      Do your batteries have Natonal Stock Numbers (NSN)?

      Many of our batteries have NSN numbers.

      How can I fnd out what is the internal resistance of my battery?

      Power-Sonic publishes the internal resistance of all of our sealed lead acid batteries on page one of the individual battery specifcaton sheets.

      I am trying to send some of your batteries by air but the freight forwarder won’t take them because they say they are hazardous goods. What do I do?

      Power-Sonic sealed lead acid batteries can be shipped safely by air.

      What are the lowest and highest temperatures that your sealed lead acid batteries can operate in?

      Power-Sonic PS, PSH, PSG and PG batteries can be discharged at temperatures from -40°C to 60°C (-40°F to 140°F) and charged at temperatures from -20°C to 50°C (-4°F to 122°F).

      Will I get the same battery life from all of your PS-Series batteries?

      The life of a battery will depend upon a number of factors including applicaton, operatng temperature and the charging method.

      What are the diferences between AGM sealed lead batteries and Gel sealed lead batteries?

      Both kinds of batteries are sealed, valve regulated types allowing them to be used in any positon. The diference lies in the way the electrolyte is immobilized. In case of an absorbed electrolyte type (AGM), the electrolyte is absorbed by the glass fber separator who acts like a sponge. In a gel-type battery the liquid electrolyte turns into a gel right aier the battery is flled. Gel batteries use a diferent type of separators which are not absorbent. The internal design is otherwise similar.

      What is the diference between cycle use and standby use?

      When a battery is being used as a power source on a regular basis and it is being discharged and subsequently recharged, the battery is said to be in cyclic use. The determining factor in the life of this battery is the number of charge/discharge cycles that can be completed. In cyclical applicatons up to 1,000 charge/discharge cycles can be expected depending on the average depth of discharge.

      Standby batteries are meant to act as an emergency power source where the main power source has failed for some reason. Consequently standby batteries are kept fully charged so that they can “kick in” immediately. The batteries remain connected to a trickle charger that will keep the battery fully charged and ready for usec In standby use the batteries have a design life of up to five years. Please consult Power-Sonic Technical Manual and product specifcations to become aware of the many factors that efect product life.

      What is battery cycle life?

      The number of charge/discharge cycles that can be achieved before a battery reaches the end of its’ useful life. The number of cycles depends on the capacity taken from the battery (a functon of discharge rate and depth of discharge), operatng temperature and charging method.

      What is battery foat life?

      The life expectancy of a battery under contnuous charge. This depends on the frequency and depth of discharge, the foat voltage and the ambient temperature.

      How safe are your batteries?

      Power-Sonic batteries are extremely safe providing sensible handling, installaton and charging practces are followed.

      The MSDS contains important informaton relatve to safe handling, materials used and precautons to be takenc You should read this important informaton prior to use.

      What is the battery case made from?

      Power-Sonic AGM battery cases and lids are made from ABS plastc that complies with a specifc UL ratng. Depending on the applicaton, some cases are manufactured from ABS that has a higher resistance to fame than the standard model.

      Power-Sonic High Performance and Conventonal Powersport battery cases and lids are made from polypropylene, which allows for reserve electrolyte capacity for a cooler operatng temperature, as well as greater resistance to gas, oil and impact.

      Does Power-Sonic sell lead-calcium batteries?

      All our sealed lead acid batteries utlize a lead-calcium alloy free of antmony. The small amount of calcium (and tn) in the grid alloy imparts strength to the plate and guarantees durability even in excessive cycle service. The heavy duty lead calcium alloy grids provide an extra margin of performance and life in both cyclical and foat applicatons and give unparalleled recovery from deep discharge.

      What is the diference between SLA, VRLA and AGM batteries?

      SLA and VRLA are diferent acronyms for the same battery, Sealed Lead Acid or Valve Regulated Lead Acid. This battery type has the following characteristcs: Maintenance-free, leak-proof, positon insensitve. Batteries of this kind have a safety vent to release gas in case of excessive internal pressure build up. AGM, Absorbed Glass Mat refers to a specifc type of SLA/VRLA where the electrolyte is absorbed into separators between the plates consistng of sponge like fne glass fber mats.

      How do I add acid to the battery?

      You should never seek to add acid to our sealed batteries. Power-Sonic VRLA batteries are a closed system that works on a recombinaton principle. To produce a truly maintenance free battery it is necessary that the gasses generated during overcharge are recombined in a so called “oxygen cycle”. The theory is explained on page 4 of Technical Manual.

      Are your SLA batteries recombinant?

      Yes, detailed informaton can be found in our Technical Manual on page 4.

      What is the country of origin for your batteries?

      Most of our batteries come from China. Due to the need for special sizes etc., some of Power-Sonic batteries are sourced from Taiwan or Vietnam.

      In which directon does current fow in a battery?

      The conventonal directon is from positve terminal (anode) to negatve terminal (cathode). This is the directon of the electric feld within the wire.

      Do your sealed lead acid batteries develop a “memory”?

      Due to the nature of the materials used, this type of battery does not develop any memory.

      What is the price of lead?

      Power-Sonic batteries are manufactured from lead purchased on the Shanghai Metals Exchange (SMEx).

    • How do we read the date code on your batteries?

      PS, PSH, PSG and PG Series Product Date Codes- The frst fve numeric characters represent the month, day and year of manufacture (MM/DD/Y)

      • The frst two numbers identfy the month, from 1 to 12. For example, March is 03 and November is 11.
      • The second two numbers specify the day of the month, from 01 to 31.
      • The fih digit identfes the year from 0 to 9. This digit is repeated every 10 years. For example, 1 = 2000, 4 = 2004 etc. For example: 09016 would be broken down to September 1st, 2006 There may be additonal alpha-numeric characters at the end of the date code. These are internal lot numbers or injecton mold numbers and they have no bearing on the date of manufacture.

      Powersport Battery Date Codes- The frst three leter/numeric characters represent the year and month of manufacture (Y/MM).

      • The frst leter identfes the year of manufacturec For example, the leter “N” represents 2014.
      • The second two numbers specify the month of manufacturec For example, the numbers “01” would represent the month of January.
      • The remaining sequence of numbers represents the factory code and line which the battery was manufactured on.

      L= 2002
      M= 2003
      N= 2004
      O= 2005
      P= 2006
      Q= 2007
      R= 2008
      01= January
      02= February
      03= March
      04= April
      05= May
      06= June
      07= July
      08= August
      09= September
      10= October
      11= November
      12= December

    • I have purchased one of your batteries Where can I purchase a suitable charger?

      Power-Sonic ofers a wide range of chargers suitable for batteries up to 100AH. These chargers can most likely be purchased from the same source that sold you the battery. If your battery source does not ofer chargers, our customer service department will be able to direct you to a suitable distributor.

      How can I determine how many hours will it take me to fully charge one of your batteries?

      Charging tmes can vary substantally depending upon so many variable factors including:
      • Depth of discharge
      • Charging temperature
      • Size and efciency of the charging equipment

      Does overcharging damage batteries?

      As a result of too high a charge voltage excessive current will fow into the battery, aier the battery has reached full charge. This will cause decompositon of the water in the electrolyte and premature aging. At high rates of overcharge a battery will progressively heat up. As it gets hoter it will accept more current, heatng up even further. This is called thermal runaway and it can destroy a battery in as litle as a few hours.

      Can I charge Power-Sonic sealed lead acid batteries with an auto charger?

      The electrolytes in an auto battery and a sealed lead acid battery have diferent specifc gravites. Diferent chargers are required for each type. Using an auto charger could result in heat being generated inside a Power-Sonic battery; this in turn would shorten the battery life.

      What is thermal runaway?

      As a result of too high a charge voltage excessive current will fow into the battery, aier reaching full charge, causing decompositon of water in the electrolyte and premature aging. At high rates of overcharge a battery will progressively heat up. As the battery gets hoter it will accept more current heatng up even further. This is called thermal runaway and it can destroy a battery in as litle as a few hours.

      I have purchased a 4 volt battery from you, how can I charge it?

      Power-Sonic only ofers 6 and 12 volt chargers and as such we do not have a suitable charger available for charging a single battery.

      For assistance in locatng a suitable charger please contact our Technical Department.

      Can I open the charger case to make modifcatons?

      Chargers do not contain any customer serviceable components and should not be opened under any circumstances. Doing so would void the warranty and could lead to damage to property and/or result in personal injury.

    • Can we install a battery in a sealed enclosure?

      Batteries must neveer be charged or discharged in a sealed enveironment. Batteries generate a mixture of gasses internally. Given the right set of circumstances, such as extreme overcharging or shortng of the battery, these gasses might vent into the enclosure and create the potental for an explosion when ignited by a spark. Generally, ventlaton inherent in most enclosures is sufcient to avoid problems.

      We have just purchased some of your batteries from a supplier and they are not performing as well as the older Power-Sonic batteries that they replaced. Any ideas why?

      The most likely reason is that they have not come up to full capacity yet. A brand new battery will have a capacity (AH) 5-10% lower than the rated capacity. The full amp hour will be reached when the battery has been cycled 10 -30 tmes.

      Can your batteries be laid on their side?

      Power-Sonic sealed batteries can be operated in virtually any orientaton without loss of capacity or electrolyte leakage. However, upside down operaton is not recommended. Before undertaking installaton please ensure that you are familiar with Technical Manual, partcularly with the Important To Dos and the do nots detailed on pages 20 and 21.

      Can I bend the terminals of the battery in the opposite directon?

      The terminals of any sealed lead acid battery should not be bent. They are bonded in place with epoxy and bending the terminals may crack the epoxy and allow electrolyte to leak out and air to take its place. This will shorten the life of the battery, may cause damage due to the electrolyte spillage and will void the warranty.

      How do I connect your batteries in parallel? (Increases capacity)

      When charging batteries in parallel (positve terminals are connected to the positve terminal and negatve terminals to the negatve), all batteries in the string will receive the same charge voltage but the charge current each battery receives will vary untl equalizaton is reached.

      I want to use your batteries in series, what are the consideratons?

      In connectng batteries in series (increases voltage) the positve terminal of the frst battery is connected to the negatve terminal of the second battery and so on down the string. The interconnectng cables must be of equal length and resistance to insure equalizaton of the load. All batteries in the string will receive the same amount of charge current, though individual battery voltages may vary. High voltage strings of batteries in series should be limited to twenty 6 volt or ten 02 volt batteries when a single constant voltage charger is connected across the entre string. Diferences in capacity can cause some batteries to overcharge while others remain undercharged thus causing premature aging of batteries. It is, therefore, not advisable to mix batteries of diferent capacites, make, or age in a series string.

      What is the AH supposed to be right out of the box?

      A brand new battery will have a capacity (AH) 5-10% lower than the rated capacity. The full amp hour will be reached when the battery has been cycled 10 -30 tmes.

      As you do not make 24 volt batteries can we use 12 volt instead. If so, how do we hook them up?

      Yes you can use two 12 volt batteries by connectng them in series. Positve is connected to negatve and negatve is connected to positve. It is important that you access Technical Manual page 17 for further informaton.

    • Are your batteries CE compliant?

      CEx certfcaton of electrical/electronic devices relates to electromagnetc compatbility (EMC). The certfcatons and tests related to this are designed to ensure that electromagnetc radiaton (which are really radio waves) from components do not interfere with other devices such as TV, radio, computers, medical equipment and mobile phones.

      Types of devices that do not radiate electromagnetc radiaton, such as batteries, are not required to undergo the tests.

      Are your batteries in compliance with EU Directve 2006/66/EC?

      Power-Sonic Corporaton Sealed Lead Acid Batteries do not contain any of the substances contained in artcle 4 of the directve: (a) All batteries or accumulators, whether or not incorporated into appliances, that contain more than 0.0005% of mercury by weighty and (b) Portable batteries or accumulators, including those incorporated into appliances, which contain more than 0.002% of cadmium by weight.

      Page one of the document lists all the materials that are contained in our sealed lead acid batteries. It will be noted that the EU directve clearly states ’ lead ban ’ It is certfed therefore, that Power-Sonic sealed lead acid batteries are in full compliance with this directve. There is a requirement for sealed lead acid batteries to be labeled with the WEEE symbol (a crossed-out wheelie bin and the appropriate chemical symbol). This is designed to inform the end user to separate batteries from other waste. Power-Sonic batteries do carry this label. NiCd batteries are not compliant with the EU directve and should not be exported. U.K. subsidiary, Power-Sonic Exurope, do carry NiCd batteries that are compliant.

      Are your batteries RoHS compliant?

      The ROHS directve (Restricton of Hazardous Substances in Electrical Equipment) covers the same scope as the WEEE directve. Therefore, Power-Sonic appropriate response is to declare that range of products is outside the scope of each of these directves.

      Do your batteries contain any of the substances that the ExU has listed as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)?

      Power-Sonic batteries do not contain any substances that fall within the EU directve.

    • Can you please send me MSDS for each of the batteries we buy from you?

      We have the same MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) covering our complete range of PS, PSH, PSG and PG series batteries, they are not model specifc.

      I have dropped one of your batteries and it has split open. What should I do about cleaning it up?

      Please refer to Power-Sonic Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Sectons 6, 7 and 8 for full informaton. Please follow these instructons and always ensure that you are wearing acid-resistant clothing, boots, gloves, and face shield.

      Does overcharging damage batteries?

      As a result of too high a charge voltage excessive current will fow into the battery, aier the battery has reached full charge. This will cause decompositon of the water in the electrolyte and premature aging. At high rates of overcharge a battery will progressively heat up. As it gets hoter it will accept more current, heatng up even further. This is called thermal runaway and it can destroy a battery in as litle as a few hours.