How often should I equalize my Discover™ GEL and AGM Batteries?

Discover™ VRLA Batteries never need to be equalized. Here is why: One reason why batteries are equalized is to combat voltage separation from cell to cell within a battery. A 12-volt battery is composed of six 2-volt cells connected in series internally. A 12-volt battery reading 12.8 volts on a voltmeter should equal 2.133 volts per cell. However, when batteries are manufactured and activation or formation is done in a one shot process, where the plates are activated within the battery, one cell may receive more or less electrolyte than the other five cells of that battery. When this happens the battery’s individual cell voltages after formation may be unequal: 2.123 - 2.133 - 2.143 - 2.113 -2.123 - 2.14.... “The total battery voltage after formation (12.80) is fine, but cell by cell they are different.”

As a battery is discharged, the cells with the lower voltage will be drained further than the cells at the higher voltage. As the same battery is charged, the cells with the high voltage will be fully charged before the cells with the lower voltage. The more a battery is cycled, the more the cell separation takes place. Equalizing batteries helps to bring all the cells of a battery to the same voltage.

Discover batteries are manufactured and formed using a tank formation procedure to activate the plates. This process guarantees equally formed and voltage matched plates. The extra handling of the plates provides an additional inspection step in the process to verify plate quality. Plates for hundreds of batteries are formed in a tank all at once. This provides not only the opportunity for equality plate to plate within a batteries cell and cell to cell within a battery, but also a balance from battery to battery within a batch.