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The battery for electric start-up
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THE BATTERY FOR ELECTRIC START-UP
Tired of not understanding anything and continuing to spend money without knowledge of the facts on the battery of your TaG (touch-and-go) engine? So, here is a complete analysis that focuses on 12V accumulators, the most used in karting. Not a simple technical in-depth analysis, but a real practical buying guide with the explanation of acronyms, codes, strengths and weaknesses of the various types and technologies for starting BMB/Easykart, IAME X30, Rotax MAX and ROK engines...
A battery is a device that serves to store electrical energy through a chemical process and release it in a controlled manner. The release takes place in the form of direct current and is used to power a circuit to which an electric motor or electrical utility is usually connected. All types of batteries contain a positive electrode (cathode) and a negative electrode (anode), as well as a series of plates, positive and negative, in contact with each other via an electrolyte (a substance that dissociates into positive and negative ions which can conduct electricity). The electric discharge occurs through the passage of electrons (negative electric charges) from the positive to the negative pole. Conversely, if a DC generator is connected to the battery poles (as in the case of charging), the passage of electrons is reversed, causing the electrons to shift from the positive to the negative plates resulting in the restoration of the initial chemical compounds and the difference in electrical potential.
Finally, the components of a battery are assembled inside a monobloc, a plastic container (polypropylene) resistant to acids and mechanical shocks. In the present day the market is basically divided into two main types: lead-acid batteries with AGM technology, the best in terms of performance and safety, and lithium batteries, in particular LiPo, which are having enormous success thanks to their lightness and compactness (for an overview of the main products for the karting sector, read "Must Have | Kart battery, which one to buy? the seven models to choose from"). Then there are gel batteries and the more common lead-acid batteries with liquid electrolyte, which, however, are not used in karting. Let's find out why.
Nominal voltage [V]
The nominal voltage of a battery is the difference in electrical potential between the two poles (the positive and the negative). It is measured in Volts and is the main feature of any battery, which determines its "size" (6 V, 12 V, 24 V, 48 V etc.), but it is also able to provide indications on the state of charge. For example, a 12V battery, by definition, is said to be discharged when it reaches 10.5V, although this is variable and depends on the type of application.
In fact, while 10.5 V may still be sufficient for a lighting system, in the case of an electric motor with a nominal voltage of 12 V (for example, a starter), a battery with a measured voltage of 10.5 V will not be able to operate it. All batteries used for electric starting have a voltage rating of 12 V. In fact, it is the best sizing, given the reduced power absorbed by the starter motor.
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