Ampere-Hour                                                                                                    

One ampere-hour is equal to a current of one ampere flowing for one hour. A unit-quantity of electricity used as a measure of the amount of electrical charge that may be obtained from a storage battery before it requires recharging.

Battery Capacity        

The electric output of a cell or battery on a service test delivered before the cell reaches a specified final electrical condition and may be expressed in ampere-hours, watt-hours, or similar units. The capacity in watt-hours is equal to the capacity in ampere-hours multiplied by the battery voltage.

Battery Charger           

A device capable of supplying electrical energy to a battery.

Ci                            
 
The rated capa city, in ampere-hours, for a specific, constant discharge current (where i is the number of hours the cell can deliver this current). For example, the C5 capacity is the ampere-hours that can be delivered by a cell at constant current in 5 hours. As a cell’’’’s capacity is not the same at all rates, C5 is usually less than C20 for the same cell.

Cathode               

In a primary or secondary cell, the electrode that, in effect, oxidizes the anode or absorbs the electrons.

Constant-Current Charge

A charging process in which the current of a storage battery is maintained at a constant value. For some types of lead-acid batteries this may involve two rates called the starting and finishing rates.

Constant-Voltage Charge

A charging process in which the voltage of a storage battery at the terminals of the battery is held at a constant value.

Cycle Life

0 For secondary rechargeable cells or batteries, the total number of charge/discharge cycles the cell can sustain before it becomes inoperative. In practice, end of life is usually considered to be reached when the cell or battery delivers approximately 80% of rated ampere-hour capacity.

Internal Resistance

The resistance to the flow of an electric current within the cell or battery.

Parallel Connection

The arrangement of cells in a battery made by connecting all positive terminals together and all negative terminals together, the voltage of the group being only that of one cell and the current drain through the battery being divided among the several cells. See Series Connection.

Rated Capacity

The number of ampere-hours a cell can deliver under specific conditions (rate of discharge, end voltage, temperature) usually the manufacturers rating.

Series Connection

The arrangement of cells in a battery configured by connecting the positive terminal of each successive cell to the negative terminal of the next adjacent cell so that their voltages are cumulative. See Parallel Connection.

Short-Circuit Current

That current delivered when a cell is short-circuited (i.e., the positive and negative terminals are directly connected with a low-resistance conductor).