THE IRONCLAD EFFECT - Exclusively from EnerSys

The increase in work capacity between an Ironclad square tubular plate, a round tube plate, and a conventional flat-plate battery of the same six-hour rating is called "The Ironclad Effect". The effect varies with the duty cycle, but it typically delivers 15% more usable power, in some cases, considerably more.

The Ironclad square tubular plate battery exhibits significantly higher voltages, especially during the last two-thirds of the discharge cycle. Although all plates give the same current, the same voltage and the same drop curve on a standard six-hour discharge, the Ironclad square tubular is superior at the intermittent, higher-rate discharges of lift truck operation.

More Speed, More Trips, More Work!

The Ironclad Effect means better speed and more trips per hour or per day and fewer ampere-hours of discharge per trip since better speed shortens time per trip. This effect multiplies itself. The better the voltage, the faster the trip, the fewer ampere-hours used - and the better the voltage for succeeding trips.

As a battery is discharged, electrolyte at the plate surface is converted to water as the sulfuric acid molecule is decomposed. The sulfate ion penetrates the plate to form lead sulfate.

The sulfate layer on the plate surface and the water layer covering the plate surface tend to keep additional sulfate ions from reaching the plate and thus inhibit voltage. But because the Ironclad positive plate contains so much more plate surface area than other plate designs, the transfer of sulfate ions from electrolyte to the active material of the positive plate - the reaction that gives a battery it's voltage - is considerably easier with an Ironclad than it is with a round tube or flat plate. In a square tubular plate Ironclad, the ion has significantly less distance to travel. Plus, Ironclad construction gives the electrolyte far greater access to the positive plate.