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Occurring each year on the fourth Saturday of September, National Hunting & Fishing (NHF) Day will fall on September 23 this year. NHF Day launched in 1972 to recognize the role outdoor sportsmen and sportswomen plays in conserving natural resources. NHF Day is an opportunity to encourage more people to participate in hunting, target shooting and fishing and foster more awareness of the connection between outdoor sports and wildlife conservation.
A day of hunting, target shooting or fishing in the wilderness requires gear, tackle and camping equipment, but most outings also require the appropriate vehicle. Examples include powersports vehicles, like All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs) and snowmobiles; Recreational Vehicles (RVs); motorboats; and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and trucks outfitted for off-road driving.
While some ATVs and UTVs are powered with a stator and do not require a battery, most vehicles need a power source for Starting, Lighting and Ignition (SLI) and hotel loads. For boats, the additional function of trolling also requires the support of a battery with deep-cycling capacity. This range of vehicles requires a wide selection of batteries that are designed to handle the extreme conditions in the wilderness. One manufacturer that provides a portfolio of batteries to meet these needs is EnerSys®.
The ODYSSEY® battery from EnerSys® is an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery, which is a lead acid battery that features spongey fiberglass separators to contain the sulfuric acid electrolyte. The battery is sealed, and the separators pack the lead plates tightly to keep them in consistent contact with the electrolyte. The seal prevents leaks and spills, making AGM batteries resistant to high-impact shock and mechanical vibration. The rugged AGM construction of ODYSSEY® batteries allows it to withstand the rough conditions found when riding ATVs and UTVs on designated trails in the wilderness.
The seal also makes AGM batteries virtually maintenance-free by eliminating the need to periodically fill the cells with distilled water to replace what has been lost from the electrolyte.
ODYSSEY® batteries improve upon AGM design with proprietary Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) technology. Pure lead enables plates to be made thinner, so more fit in the same battery footprint as a comparably sized conventional lead acid battery. This increases surface area for more electrochemical reactions to generate cranking pulses of at least 2,250 amps for five seconds, which is double that of equally sized conventional lead acid batteries. The deep cycling reserve power of 400 charge/discharge cycles at 80 percent depth of discharge enables ODYSSEY® batteries to provide enough power to support numerous hotel loads, as well as long-lasting trolling power for marine applications.
For excursions with exposure to intemperate weather, such as the extreme cold encountered on snowmobiles or the scorching heat on an ATV during a hot summer day, ODYSSEY® batteries tolerate temperatures that range from -40ºF
(-40ºC) to 176ºF (80ºC).
As seasons change, many of the vehicles and vessels used for hunting and fishing are decommissioned and put into storage. In addition to charging the battery before decommissioning, the battery should be stored at a full State of Charge (SOC). The electrolyte in a lead acid battery, which is a solution of sulfuric acid and water, may freeze if the battery is stored in a discharged state. Storage is hotter temperatures will accelerate self-discharge.
Lower temperatures slow the self-discharge rate of batteries, but if parasitic loads are present, the discharge rate will accelerate. The lower the SOC, the closer the electrolyte gets to water, which freezes at 32°F (0°C). If the battery is stored in a cold environment, periodic charging or connection to a trickle charger or battery maintainer will ensure batteries are kept at a full SOC.
ODYSSEY® batteries can be stored for up to two years at temperatures of 77°F (25°C) or lower before they need recharging. They also discharge more slowly than conventional lead acid batteries, and recharge in as little as four hours when being recommissioned.
NHF Day seeks to encourage more people to participate in outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. ODYSSEY® batteries offer the performance and resilience that hunters and anglers need in their vehicles to enjoy the wilderness.
To follow the latest ODYSSEY® battery news, visit our website at www.odysseybattery.com or connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook by using the hashtag #MYODYSSEY.
ABOUT ENERSYS®
EnerSys, the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, manufactures and distributes energy systems solutions and motive power batteries, specialty batteries, battery chargers, power equipment, battery accessories and outdoor equipment enclosure solutions to customers worldwide. Energy Systems, which combine enclosures, power conversion, power distribution and energy storage, are used in the telecommunication, broadband and utility industries, uninterruptible power supplies and numerous applications. Motive power batteries and chargers are utilized in electric forklift trucks and other industrial electric powered vehicles requiring stored energy solutions. Specialty batteries are used in aerospace and defense applications, large over-the-road trucks, premium automotive, medical and security systems applications. EnerSys also provides aftermarket and customer support services to its customers in over 100 countries through its sales and manufacturing locations around the world. With the NorthStar acquisition, EnerSys has solidified its position as the market leader for premium Thin Plate Pure Lead batteries, which are sold across all three lines of business. More information regarding EnerSys can be found at www.enersys.com.
Sustainability
Sustainability at EnerSys is about more than just the benefits and impacts of our products. Our commitment to sustainability encompasses many important environmental, social and governance issues. Sustainability is a fundamental part of how we manage our own operations. Minimizing our environmental footprint is a priority. Sustainability is our commitment to our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. Our products facilitate positive environmental, social and economic impacts around the world. To learn more visit: https://www.enersys.com/en/about-us/sustainability/.