How do lead batteries (rechargeable) supply both AC and DC power?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the nature of power supplied by lead batteries, specifically whether they provide AC or DC power, and the role of inverters in converting battery output. Participants explore the characteristics of lead batteries used in applications like cars and UPS systems, and the mechanisms involved in power conversion.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether lead batteries supply AC or DC power, noting the presence of an inverter in a UPS system that steps up voltage.
  • Another participant asserts that all batteries supply DC power and clarifies that an inverter is necessary to convert this to AC.
  • A follow-up inquiry asks for an explanation of how an inverter functions.
  • A participant provides a link to an external resource for understanding inverters.
  • Another participant explains that batteries produce voltage and current in a fixed direction due to chemical reactions, and describes how inverters switch the polarity to create AC waveforms.
  • It is noted that the rechargeable nature of some batteries refers to the ability to reverse chemical processes, not to the type of power supplied.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that lead batteries supply DC power and that inverters are required to convert this to AC. However, there is some exploration of the mechanisms involved, indicating a level of complexity and uncertainty in understanding inverter operation.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the operation of inverters and the specifics of battery chemistry may not be fully addressed, and the discussion does not resolve the complexities of AC waveform generation.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in electrical engineering, battery technology, or power systems may find this discussion relevant.

khurram usman
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lead battery(rechargeable)...?

i was just wondering that the common lead batteries (the ones used in cars) supply us AC or DC? i saw a battery attached to a UPS and it steps up the 12V to 240V. so what i concluded was that it must give us AC. but how does it supply AC? i mean its positive and negative terminals are fixed. also i remember reading somewhere that they supply us DC. please explain.
 
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All batteries supply DC. To turn it into AC you need an inverter.
 


russ_watters said:
All batteries supply DC. To turn it into AC you need an inverter.

ok...how does an inverter work?
 


Great link Borek :smile:
 


Batteries produce voltage and current in a fixed direction due to chemcial reactions. So one terminal of a battery is positive and the other negative as electrons and ions from chemical activity move between the terminals.

An inverter takes the fixed polarity battery energy (power) and switches it from positive to negative (a square wave is a simple result) via electrical components while more sophisticated electronic oscillators not only switch from positive to negative but also produce a sinusoidal waveform...like that from commercial power.

More here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_inverter#Circuit_description

It makes no difference that some batteries are rechargable...all that means is that the chemical processes can be reversed by application of external power which restores (most of) the battery chemical composition.
 

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