Lead-acid standby-power batteries in telecommunication — ‘horses for courses’

TLDR: In this paper, a review of the battery applications in the Telecommunications Industry and of the various types of lead acid battery currently in use is made, and a case is made out, in certain circumstances, for selecting the Plante cell for the optimum battery system.

Abstract: A review is made of the battery applications in the Telecommunications Industry and of the various types of lead acid battery currently in use. Network Switching applications use all the three basic types of lead acid battery (Plante, Tubular and Pasted Plate) and this situation is accounted for in terms of the mutual development of the system and its battery in close co-operation between user and manufacturer. Performance selective applications such as Engine Starting and Uninterrupted Power Supplies requiring fast rates of discharge are discussed and a case is made out, in certain circumstances, for selecting the Plante cell for the optimum battery system. Design selective applications are discussed and the Tubular cell battery is identified as the natural choice for Maritime Installations (Oil Rigs) and cells with large electrolyte reserves to be used in batteries for Solar Power systems. Trends for the future of lead acid batteries are considered and this is related to the need for International Standardisation.