Abstract: A method of making battery plates for lead-acid batteries includes providing a strip of material comprising lead; and punching material out of the strip to form a grid comprising wires having a non-rectangular cross-sectional shape by utilizing a die set comprising a plurality of male die components and female die components, wherein each of the male die components comprises a first portion having a first cross-sectional shape and a second portion having a second-cross sectional shape. A single punch of the material creates a hole in the material and also forms the periphery of the hole.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a absorbed glass matt (AGM) valve regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery, comprising: a positive plate comprising a positive active material; a negative plate comprising a negative active material; wherein the negative active material comprises a composition comprising a carbon additive; an AGM separator; and an electrolyte; wherein the positive plate, the negative plate, the separator, and the electrolyte are disposed in a container comprising a valve; and wherein the electrolyte is present in an amount that ranges from 100 to 150% by volume based on the total pore volume of the separator.

Abstract: A method of making battery plates for lead-acid batteries includes providing a strip of material comprising lead; and punching material out of the strip to form a grid comprising wires having a non-rectangular cross-sectional shape by utilizing a die set comprising a plurality of male die components and female die components, wherein each of the male die components comprises a first portion having a first cross-sectional shape and a second portion having a second-cross sectional shape. A single punch of the material creates a hole in the material and also forms the periphery of the hole.

Abstract: A method of rating a battery includes providing a plurality of numerical values by removing units from standardized ratings or tests for the battery; assigning a pre-calculated unit scaling factor to each numerical value of the plurality of numerical values; and calculating a total rating by multiplying each pre-calculated unit scaling factor by each corresponding numerical value of the plurality of numerical values to obtain a normalized value for each numerical value of the plurality of numerical values, and adding each normalized value.