December 4, 2020: Lead acid battery technology company Canadus Power Systems, based in the US state of Ohio, has combined its battery reconditioning system with solar panels to maintain the health and charge of batteries in applications where they sit idle for long periods of time, the firm said on December 1.

Batteries only used intermittently in fleet or military vehicles and construction equipment, for example, slowly lose their charge when not being used, shortening the life of the battery.

By using the new system, the solar panels keep the battery charged, while the Canadus reconditioning technology desulfates it — avoiding one of the leading causes of lead-acid battery failure.

“The benefits of the solution will repay the initial investment many times over the long term,” said Canadus marketing director Jeff Scott. “Not only does it increase the battery life by up to five times, it also ensures that your equipment is ready when you need it. This reduction in downtime itself will save the end user a great deal of money.”

The company is using solar panels by the California-based Merlin Solar, which are sized to provide enough supplemental charging to prevent the discharge of any specific vehicle.

Merlin also activates the battery reconditioner — the Canadus HD-1224 — which cleans the build-up of hardened lead sulfate crystals from the battery’s plates.