A lead-acid battery is one of the most recycled consumer products on earth — over 99% of lead in spent batteries is recovered and reused. Here's how the cycle works at Crown Accumulator.
1. Raw Materials. Lead ingots (often from recycled sources), sulfuric acid, and polypropylene for cases arrive at our facility. Separator paper and grid alloy additives are sourced from certified suppliers.
2. Grid Casting & Plate Making. Lead alloy is melted and cast into positive grids on automated machines. Negative grids are expanded from lead strip. Active material (lead oxide paste) is applied, cured in controlled humidity chambers, and assembled into cells.
3. Assembly. Plates are stacked with separators, inserted into cases, and heat-sealed. Cells are connected in series to achieve 6V or 12V configurations.
4. Formation. New batteries are filled with electrolyte and charged for the first time — a process called formation that converts lead oxide to active sponge lead and lead dioxide.
5. Life in Service. A well-maintained automotive battery lasts 2–4 years. Solar deep-cycle batteries can exceed 5 years with proper charging.
6. Recycling. At end of life, batteries are collected, crushed, and separated. Lead is smelted and returned to ingot form. Acid is neutralized. Plastic cases are pelletized for new battery production.