Flooded Vs sealed rechargeable batteries

Sealed maintenance free and flooded batteries – both have excellent advantages in their applications, ranging from the cars to power supply grids.

Flooded rechargeable batteries
Flooded rechargeable batteries, also known as wet-cell battery, contains a liquid combination of sulfuric acid or lead and water.
It requires high maintenance and careful handling because the liquid is corrosive. It can be damaged due to forceful movement.
It requires regular care to perform well. It is prone damage especially in extreme climate because the water inside can evaporate or freeze. The battery should only be used with proper ventilation.
Despite these requirements, flooded rechargeable batteries are a good choice in reserve power applications and they are broadly used for power backup, utility, telecom and grid energy storage, among others.

Sealed rechargeable battery
This type of batteries are also known as maintenance free batteries. They do not contain liquid but incorporate in-built temperature-compensated hydrometer, which indicates the relative density and level of the electrolyte. Various colours are displayed to indicate the states of charge.
Green, means full charge and usable, green or black indicates recharging is necessary and light-yellow indicates an internal fault which requires change or testing of the battery.
When the battery is in this state, the engine must not be started with jump leads but a new battery must be installed and the alternator checked for correct operation.
There are two types of sealed rechargeable battery including Gel and AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat). Gel batteries contain a putty-like substance whereas AGM contains special acid-saturated fibreglass mats.
AGM batteries are quite powerful and more cost effective than gel ones, however, gel battery provides more longevity. The main advantage of a sealed maintenance free battery is that the electrolyte inside is completely absorbed in the separator and does not require water to be added.
It does not need regular maintenance or ventilation, and can resist different climates in a better way than flooded ones. This also tends to charge faster than flooded battery.
Sealed maintenance free (SMF) battery is often used as inverter battery. They are also used in off-grid power systems, robotics, and some ATVs and motorcycles.
Both flooded and sealed rechargeable batteries perform important functions and are highly advantageous. However, it is also true that using sealed maintenance free batteries is more easy and hassle-free. This is why they are increasing commonly used by motorist in worldwide. So, buy a rechargeable battery today, whether it is flooded or SMF, as per your need.