From: Ron (rojoha@adelphia.net)
Date: Tue Jan 24 2006 - 12:44:41 PST
List and Sarge....
If your waiting with baited breath, see MCA (below) and stop slurping
out of the chum bucket!
Moving right along, Optima
http://www.milbatteries.com/optima/specifications.html is an AGM and the
Armasafe http://www.milbatteries.com/hawker/brochure.html is also. Open the
links in separate windows and resize them so you can read the tables on both
pages at the same time to compare apples to apples.
The different links available on the Military battery site show the
Armasafe batteries in Tactical and Combat vehicles, and shows Optimas in
artillery pieces and USAF ground support vehicles used to unload or start
and maintain cargo and combat aircraft at forward bases. USAF AGE (Air
Ground Equipment) probably get used more often and checked more often than
stored Army equipment, but that is why the army puts Solargizers on almost
everything now, since they come up short on Motor Pool troops who have
nothing better to do than go around starting vehicles once a week and
pulling battery maintenance as make work. Almost all USAF Motor Pools are
contractor operated as are a lot of over seas Army Equipment Storage Depots
and almost everything on the Maritime Prepostioning Ships.
To get everyone on the same page, some definitions are in order:
Nominal Voltage - The rated voltage of a battery.
Overcharging - The forcing of current through the battery after it is fully
charged. Overcharging reduces service life and can damage the battery.
*** Why tapping 12VDC off a 24VDC series battery setup is a no no. You
may get away with it for a while, but your gonna toast one of the batteries
eventually. If you have gotten away with it in the past, or are currently
(pun intended) getting away with it, congratulations. Like working under
your truck without jack stands or cribbing. You are lucky, but You're still
a dope!***
Series Circuit - A circuit in which the current has only one path to follow.
In this configuration, two batteries of equal rating are wired together
positive (+) to negative (-). In series, the battery voltage increases while
the RC (Reserve Capacity) and CCA (Cold-Cranking Amps) remain the same as
the weakest individual battery.
Self-Discharge - The discharge that occurs in a battery while it is not in
use. The higher the temperature, the greater the rate of self-discharge. ***
Can be as much as 1% of battery capacity per day. More if your battery top
is dirty or has lots of acid residue and is kept moist, allowing a path to
ground, via your rapidly corroding battery tray. Why the military started
changing to plastic battery trays and boxes when they lost all the make
work, battery cleaning motor pool troops. 30% of a batteries capacity gone
in a month by just sitting in the motor pool yard, which is why they have
slave start plugs on everything. "What has 800 wheels and goes 4 miles per
hour? An Army Guard unit on a duty weekend putting forth a maximum effort to
go to the range with only 2 sets of jumper cables." *****
Starting-Lighting-and-Ignition Battery (SLI) - A battery primarily
used to start a vehicle and to provide power for lights and accessories. SLI
batteries include automotive, deep-cycle and heavy-duty commercial starting
batteries.
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) - A separator technology used in some sealed
lead-acid batteries in which the glass-mat separator absorbs 100% of the
electrolyte. Because of the immobilized electrolyte, an AGM battery will not
leak or spill and does not require water addition. This battery is used in
deep-cycle and specialty applications such as telecommunications,
wheelchairs and security alarm systems, as well as in automotive starting
applications.
Immobilized Electrolyte - An electrolyte made motionless by use of a
gel additive or AGM separator. See also Gel-Cell Battery and Recombinant.
Rated Capacity (Flooded) - The CCA, RC or amp-hours that a battery can
deliver at a given rate of discharge, end voltage and temperature. These
ratings are often displayed on the outside of the battery.
Cold-Cranking Amps (CCA) - A rating that is used to define the battery's
ability to start an engine under low-temperature conditions. BCI (Battery
Council International) defines it as "the number of amps a lead-acid battery
at 0ºF (-17.8ºC) can deliver for 30 seconds and maintain at least 1.2 volts
per cell" (7.2 volts for a 12-volt lead-acid battery). See also CA and HCA.
Hot-Cranking Amps (HCA) - A rating similar to CCA that is used to define the
current output of a storage battery at 80°F (27°C). These inflated ratings
should not be confused with CCA.
Marine-Cranking Amps (MCA) - A rating that is used to define the number of
amps that a lead-acid marine battery at 32°F (0°C) can deliver for 30
seconds and maintain at least 1.2 volts per cell (7.2 volts for a 12-volt
lead-acid battery). This artificially high rating should not be confused
with CCA.
Reserve Capacity (RC) - BCI (Battery Council International) defines it as
"the number of minutes a new, fully-charged battery at 80ºF (27ºC) can be
discharged at 25 amps and maintain a voltage equal to or higher than 1.75
volts per cell" (i.e., 10.5 volts for a 12-volt battery). This rating
represents the time the battery will continue to operate essential
accessories in the event of a charging system failure.
Amp-Hour (AH) - The unit of measure for a battery's electrical storage
capacity, obtained by multiplying the current in amps by the time in hours
of discharge. Example: A battery delivering 10 amps for 20 hours = 10 amps x
20 hours = 200 AH.
Discharged - The state of a battery when it has less than a 100% state of
charge.
Shelf Life - The amount of time a cell or battery will retain a
specified percent of its rated capacity, typically under ambient storage
conditions.
1-16. Tactical Vehicles. Tactical vehicles generally are
defined as vehicles that have been designed and
manufactured specifically to meet the severe
requirements Imposed by combat and tactical operations
In the field. Whereas combat vehicles are defined as
vehicles designed to perform specific functions In
combat, tactical vehicles are designed specifically to
support the tactical play of the operation. Military tactics
Is that branch of the military that deals with the arranging,
positioning, and maneuvering of the forces In or near
contact with the enemy; also, the
maneuvering and positioning of materiel and supplies in
support of the forces in contact. Because the main
purpose of tactical vehicles is to give direct support to the
combat vehicles, they are required to have the same high
quality of mobility as do combat vehicles; and like combat
vehicles, they are designed to exacting military
characteristics to survive and perform satisfactorily In the
military environment. The majority of wheeled vehicles
fall into the tactical rather than the combat vehicle
category.
1-17. Combat Vehicles. Combat vehicles are defined
as land or amphibious vehicles, with or without armor or
armament, designed for specific functions In combat or
battle. The later Installation of armor or armament onto
other than combat vehicles does not alter their original
classification. They may be wheeled or tracked but In all
cases they are designed to have a high degree of
mobility In off-road operations. Some typical
combat vehicles are tanks, self-propelled artillery, missile
launchers, and armored cars. The majority of combat
vehicles at the present time are tracked vehicles, but this
is not a requirement of this classification. Due to their
missions, combat vehicles usually are equipped with both
armor and armament; however, certain antitank vehicles
are unarmored and depend upon their decreased
silhouette and increased speed and maneuverability for
protection. A continuing demand for
combat vehicles are tanks, self-propelled artillery, missile
launchers, and armored cars. The majority of combat
vehicles at the present time are tracked vehicles, but this
is not a requirement of this classification. Due to their
missions, combat vehicles usually are equipped with both
armor and armament; however, certain antitank vehicles
are unarmored and depend upon their decreased
silhouette and increased speed and maneuverability for
protection. A continuing demand for
greater firepower and mobility has resulted in an
increasing use of lightweight armor on vehicle bodies and
hulls. The reduction in vehicle weight enables some
vehicles that would otherwise be too heavy to take part in
airborne operations; it also improves their amphibious
capabilities. Weight reduction in the newer types of
combat vehicles is largely due to extensive use of
aluminum in their construction, including aluminum
armor.
greater firepower and mobility has resulted in an
increasing use of lightweight armor on vehicle bodies and
hulls. The reduction in vehicle weight enables some
vehicles that would otherwise be too heavy to take part in
airborne operations; it also improves their amphibious
capabilities. Weight reduction in the newer types of
combat vehicles is largely due to extensive use of
aluminum in their construction, including aluminum
armor. (NOW AIN"T THAT AN OXYMORON? Like Bullet resistant Saran Wrap. Armor
piercing Q-tips....)
Okay, now that we have the same frames of reference, let's beat this to
death and then see if we can come to a consensus of what US and USMC
markings mean on a Jerry/Gerry/fuel container and who named it and when.
Some of the folks on the list weren't around here a couple of years back
when it last surfaced..... ;->
Ronzo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sarge" <micdunn@ev1.net>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: 23 January, 2006 10:12
Subject: Re: [MV] Optima batteries
> Craig, I got a lot of e-mails about the Optima batteries. Most of them
> were
> posted on the MV list but a couple of very good ones were sent to my
> personal e-mail address. The best one so far came from Wayne Harris. He
> sent
> me this web site http://www.milbatteries.com/optima/applications.html
> showing optima's in high CCA military applications. If you click on the
> link
> "6TL Adapter Tray" or here you get an interesting page which shows how to
> put Optima's in a 6TL application. It also specifies which Optima models
> to
> use. In one sentence it says to use the Optima's in "non-tactical
> vehicles"
> but, later it specifies how critical it is to have enough reserve capacity
> in tactical vehicles. I'm confused. Are they currently being used in
> tactical vehicles or are they not?
> So with this in mind, I just sent them an e-mail asking if that specific
> application (M35A2) is suitable.
> I await a reply with baited breath......
> -Sarge
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