[HH] UPS batteries

[Tom Metro]

Phil C. wrote:
> I'm not positive of the composition but I think the ups batteries are some
> sort of lead acid gel type. 

Yes. From the manufacturer:

  The state-of-the-art lead-acid battery is the valve-regulated type
  (sometimes called "sealed" or maintenance-free), which fixes the acid
  electrolyte in a gel or in an absorptive fiberglass mat. The advantage
  of this design is that the battery needs no water additions, can be
  operated in any position, and can be used in close proximity to people
  and sensitive equipment.


> Unfortunately the only way to tell what happened would be to dissect
> the battery and look at the electrodes and the electrolyte.

Yes, and not particularly practical. Aside from the hazards of hacking
apart a battery containing a caustic gel, I wouldn't have the experience
to visually spot the root failure cause, or perform a chemical analysis
of the gel. At best, I could spot physical damage to the plates, and
maybe identify whether the lead was oxidized (another failure mode).

 -Tom