Tutorials

If you have done any research on how batteries work or what you should look for when selecting a battery, you are probably buried in information, some of which is conflicting. At BatteryStuff, we aim to clear that up a bit.You have most likely heard the term K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). I am going to attempt to explain how lead acid batteries work and what they need without burying you with a bunch of needless technical data. I have found that battery data will vary somewhat from manufacturer to manufacturer, so I will do my best to boil that data down. This means I may generalize a bit, while staying true to purpose. read more

What is a bank of batteries? No, it’s not some kind of financial battery establishment. A battery bank is the result of joining two or more batteries together for a single application. What does this accomplish? Well, by connecting batteries, you can increase the voltage or amperage, or both. When you need more power, instead of getting yourself a massive super tanker of a battery, you can construct a battery bank. read more

More often than not AGM Batteries are mistakenly identified as Gel Cell Batteries. Both batteries have similar traits; such as being non spillable, deep cycle, may be mounted in any position, low self discharge, safe for use in limited ventilation areas, and may be transported via Air or Ground safely without special handling. read more

Sulfation (sul-fay-shun), the number one cause of early battery failures, can be safely reversed, using high frequency electronic pulses. Unlike other pulse type chargers that claim this or similar sounding features, VDC's BatteryMINDers® use a range of high frequencies. This ensures both old and newly formed sulfation will be safely dissolved in the shortest possible time. Using just one fixed frequency may remove some, but not all, especially long established–hardened sulfate crystals. read more

Approximately 50% of premature car battery failures is caused by the loss of water for normal recharging charging due to the lack of maintenance, evaporation from high under hood heat, or overcharging. Approximately 85% of premature deep cycle and starting batteries failures that are not recharged on a regular basis is due to an accumulation of sulfation. read more

A 12-volt motorcycle battery is made up of a plastic case containing six cells. Each cell is made up of a set of positive and negative plates immersed in a dilute sulfuric acid solution known as electrolyte, and each cell has a voltage of around 2.1 volts when fully charged. The six cells are connected together to produce a fully charged battery of about 12.6 volts. That's great, but how does sticking lead plates into sulfuric acid produce electricity? read more

One of the facts of life is that batteries fail. Some take years, but eventually they will all bite the dust. However, there are so many factors in electrical systems that can go wrong, that often times the battery takes the blame for other component's problems. The easiest and fastest thing to check for problems is the battery. Here is a simple test that can tell you a lot about what is going on inside a battery, and whether it is good or not. This is not meant to test anything other than the battery, but it is a great place to start if you are having electrical problems. read more

Shorai LFX batteries contain proprietary eXtreme-Rate Lithium Iron prismatic cells (chemistry LiFePO4). Shorai LFX batteries contain no poisonous lead, no acid, and do not create gasses during charge, as traditional Lead-Acid batteries do. Compared to lead-acid, Shorai LFX lithium are also extremely light, have much lower self-discharge, do not sulfate, and are environmentally friendly. read more

Lithium Based batteries are quickly becoming a reasonable replacement for the 150 year old technology of Lead-Acid batteries. In applications where weight is a consideration, Lithium batteries are among the lightest options available. In recent years Lithium has become available in several chemistries; Lithium-Ion, Lithium Iron Phosphate, Lithium Polymer and a few more exotic variations. read more

Lithium Iron Phosphate. At first thought, it sounds like a vitamin supplement that I should be taking to calm my nerves and keep the doctor away. While it won’t calm the nerves or help the joints, Lithium Iron Phosphate is actually a battery chemistry that allows for superior energy storage in a much lighter than lead package. read more

If this is not your first stop in the NiCd information trail I am sure the information that you have read, heard, or found on the internet is just about overwhelming. In this tutorial we will do our best at keeping is simple, accurate, and to the point. If you have questions that are not addressed, please let us know and we hopefully be able to help. read more

What does NiMH stand for?
The material is Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) which has many advantages over other battery construction materials.

What is meant by battery memory?
Older generation and batteries with other chemical make-up were subject to a memory effect. This is when a battery must be fully drained before recharge or their capacity is reduced. The New Generation of NIMH batteries do not develop a memory effect and can be recharged at anytime during usage cycle. When uncertain about battery charge level or condition, recharge it. read more

First, the notes: We hope this solar calculator will make sizing your panels and batteries a little less painful. Keep in mind that this is only a calculator, and it will directly reflect whatever you, the user, inputs into the fields. If your base calculations are off by even a little bit, the results reflected can be skewed by quite a bit, so view this as a guide, not an absolute. read more

I am not sure what information most folks think they will find in a solar tutorial. Rain or shine we get a huge number of calls about solar power each day. We will attempt to answer the questions most often asked so we can save you a phone call. read more

BatteryStuff Solar Panels use high quality Poly-Crystalline solar cells. Diodes contained within the junction box insure reliable operation and no drain during low light conditions. Anodized aluminum frames add strength and durability to the modules. Includes pre-drilled mounting holes. The modules have a 20-year, 80% power output warranty. read more

There are certainly other factors in selecting a battery charger, and it would be difficult to cover them all, but here a few. Input voltage, generally for use foreign countries. Exposure to elements, i.e. would you benefit from a waterproof charger? Perhaps you will need a charger that doubles as a power supply for a RV or some other application. Often people will need to charge multiple batteries simultaneously, so multiple bank chargers may be needed. read more

Sulfation (sul-fay-shun), the number one cause of early battery failures, can be safely reversed, using high frequency electronic pulses. Unlike other pulse type chargers that claim this or similar sounding features, VDC's BatteryMINDers® use a range of high frequencies. This ensures both old and newly formed sulfation will be safely dissolved in the shortest possible time. Using just one fixed frequency may remove some, but not all, especially long established–hardened sulfate crystals. read more

To check if something is draining your battery while your bike is turned off you need to test for current, not volts. To do so, you may need to use a multimeter. Do not start the engine of your vehicle when testing for parasitic drain. read more

More and more lately there has been a lot of talk about long term fuel storage and preservation. There are many situations where fuel storage and restoration need to be considered, like when equipment is put into storage more than a couple weeks, such as RV's, motorcycles, boats, classic cars, etc. read more

The first thing you must understand about today's fuels is that the environment is the first consideration and the engine performance comes second. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plays a heavy hand in today's Gasoline and Diesel fuels development. read more

By comparison, gasoline today is initially much cleaner than gasoline sold 10 or 20 years ago when it is first produced. However, today’s fuels are less stable today because they are produced through cracking processes versus the less efficient “straight-run” processes used years ago. As a result, today’s fuels deteriorate at much faster rates - resulting in excessive carbon build-up in your engine. Given the varying length of time it takes for fuel to be consumed after refining, it is wise to freshen fuels every tank full with PRI-G to ensure maximum combustion and performance. read more

Years ago environmental required cleaner burning engines and thus engine operating temperatures were raised in order to reduce exhaust emissions. Today's engines run on the borderline of overheating.

We have found that many people neglect their cooling systems until it becomes a costly problem. A properly maintained cooling system will provide excellent service for many years. There is more to maintenance than just changing the antifreeze every two years. Little things like replacing hoses and keeping the air flow clean and unobstructed are also very important. read more

There are a lot of options available when it comes to lubricants. We have mineral based (oil that comes from the ground), blends, a combination of mineral and synthetic, and full synthetic. We use these lubricants in engines, transmissions, gear cases, and hydraulics. read more

Given the fact that literally thousands of fuel additives are offered on the market, engine manufacturers have no way of monitoring or testing the claims of so many products - making it difficult to determine specific products that are safe to use. However, PRI chemistry does not alter any fuel specifications issued by engine manufacturers - specifications by which manufacturers judge whether or not a particular fuel affects safe engine operation. PRI has been safely used in thousands of engine types. read more

Because of their initial industrial intent, all of the liquid chemistry products we offer are very concentrated. We have found most ‘off the shelf’ automotive consumer products are diluted for retail sales. Can you tell which one will give you more value for you money? read more