Meeting the Requirements of Telecommunications Service with Valve-Regulated Lead/Acid Batteries

There is a continuing move in power provisioning for telecommunications to valve-regulated lead/acid (VRLA) batteries. Reductions in maintenance and an increasing need for distributed power have been key driving forces. The rapid extention of fibre optic networks is resulting in a wider distribution of power to a larger number of points in the system. This is creating a requirement for batteries with high levels of durability for a variety of applications that are often remote and highly dispersed. In order to enhance reliability an understanding of the special characteristics of VRLA batteries is required, and in this paper these factors are discussed to show how reliability can be assured. This is complemented by laboratory testing and field experience to validate battery designs. Consideration will also be given to the longer-term management of large in-service populations of VRLA batteries.