Lead-acid hybrid light tower
A hybrid tower with a sealed lead-acid pack. Cheaper to buy and more forgiving to replace, at the cost of usable capacity and cycle life.
Features
- Only about half the rated capacity is usable without shortening life sharply, so the nameplate figure overstates silent run time.
- The pack must be returned to full charge regularly; habitually leaving it part-charged sulphates the plates and costs capacity permanently.
- Charge acceptance falls as the pack fills, so the last part of a charge takes disproportionate engine hours.
- Replacement cells are cheap and widely available, which keeps an out-of-warranty unit economic to repair.
- Pack weight is roughly double a lithium pack of the same usable capacity, so check the axle and towing figures.
Specifications
| Figure | Typical range | Unit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5 - 15 | kWh | Nameplate figure; usable capacity is lower. |
| Usable capacity | 50 - 60 | % | The number that actually sets silent run time. |
| Silent run time | 10 - 16 | h | Often one shift rather than a full night and morning. |
| Full-charge interval | every cycle | Skipping it permanently costs capacity. | |
| Pack weight | 120 - 400 | kg | Affects axle loading and manual handling. |