Alarm battery

[F]

Anyone aware of a source of sealed lead-acid burglar alarm batteries at sensible prices?

TIA

[Bob Eager]

[Andrew Gabriel]

I've bought a number from CPC, but I didn't search far and wide for cheaper ones (have seen them a lot more expensive elsewhere though).

[Roger Cain]

I got mine from a B&Q Warehouse.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you want a one off, a special offer powerful torch which uses an SLA can often be cheaper than any replacement. Makes no sense, but these things rarely do.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Yes. It costs less to buy one of those car starters with built in 24Ah battery, tyre compressor or 240V inverter, and charger, than it does to buy a 24Ah SLA battery alone.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I have one of those bought from Lidl for under 20 quid and didn't expect much of it, but some two years on and having started quite a few cars as well as being used for blowing up tyres and as a convenient source of high current 12 volt DC for testing some car electrics, it's still fine, and has proved an invaluable device. Perhaps there isn't the same spread of quality between SLA batteries as with Ni-Cad, etc, or it could be the chargers are rather better designed.

[Nick]

I bought one of these from Lidl and topped up charged for about 6 months then had a real life need to use it!

I clipped it on to the battery and ..... Click.... went the starter solenoid and that's all ! The battery meter was showing full charge volts as it had always done, but was unable to turn the engine at all - and this was a motorcycle engine ! I got the leads out and jumped it from the car.... still haven't taken apart to see what the problem is, but I don't think its lead / contact resistance....

Nick

[Dave Liquorice]

But be aware that those BFO lamps might be 6v rather than 12v that alarms commonly use. Last SLA batteries I got for the UPS came from CPC, previous set came from Bristol Batteries.

[Huge]

Beware, the batteries that come with those zillion candelpower torches in the DIY sheds are utter rubbish.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Dunno how much candlepower, but my 55 watt Homebase special works ok. Can't say it's had a hammering, though. But the battery seems to keep its charge.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I suspect it's the chargers that are rubbish.

[Huge]

Could be. Leaving one plugged in permanently certainly killed the battery in a couple of weeks. A new battery was about 4 times the price of a replacement torch, which made me suspicious.

I'd be reluctant to put one in an alarm, that's for sure.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Never a good idea if you're not sure about the charger. Applies to power tools also.

Often the case. Who knows these days what things should cost? However, the SLA battery in my el cheapo jump start pack has done well - and the charger switches off when the battery is charged.

I suppose it depends on the alarm. Some panels are extremely competitive in price so if including a battery the same might be said about it.

[Steven Briggs]

Was thinking the same - I'd won't something better quality backing up the alarm than the s**te in those torches. Anyway, as mentioned, the torches are mostly 6V.

A nice Yuasa or Genesis is want you want for reliable backup.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you look further down the tread, it may have been the charger that knackered the battery.

[Steven Briggs]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

I did see that. Crap unregulated chargers don't help matters certainly. But I was given one of these torches, its only _ever_ been charged on a regulated 3-stage SLA charger (not the POS charger it came with), hasn't been used much anyway, and still only gives about 8-9 minutes before the first cell in the battery dies.

4Ah battery into 25W bulb (i.e. ~4A load) should give about 30 minutes. (For those smart-arses about to say 4A from 4AH should last 60 minutes - go look at some battery discharge curves).