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GEL battery is a lead plate, and sulfuric acid chemistry battery, just like AGM or flooded lead acid batteries. The chemistry here is the same. However, the difference for a GEL battery is in the acid. The acid is immobilized by adding "fumed" silica to the sulfuric acid solution and then sealing the battery. After the silica is added to the sulfuric acid, a jelly type substance remains. This jelly contacts the plates, and keeps them "WET" and also makes these batteries sealed so they can recombine the H2 and O2 generated during charging and discharging. Gelled electrolyte battery designs are generally quite old and few engineering options are left to improve them.
I think gel battery can be used although will has much shorter life than wet battery because radiant charger tend to produce more gas than conventional way. On wet cell water can be replenished to add the released molecule. We should be more careful with overcharging and over discharging and also be more careful with amp of use and charging.
The sealed lead acid batteries are what are referred to as "starved electrolyte." The amount of liquid electrolyte in each cell is just sufficient to permit good chemical reaction (charge/discharge) without causing leakage problems when the batteries are installed upside down or on their sides. As a result, these batteries can "dry out" if they are overcharged too often. Excessive gassing will deplete the electrolyte of water and the battery then seems to be "dead". It is possible to add distilled water very carefully to the cells with a hypodermic needle when the cell tops (valves and filler holes) are exposed.
So long as the battery doesn't develop any internal faults it will respond well to desulfation and pulse charging. I have several such cells which are more than 25 years old which are still working quite well. The lead acid battery is truly remarkable when it is well made.
Comparing to flooded lead acid battery,
gel battery is safer as the kid cant get at the acid most of the time and they dont generate the acidic mist under charge or discharge. However, comparing with AGM battery, gel batteries are not safer and they can not push the amperages that flooded and AGM batteries can. Besides, gel battery doesnt last as long as AGM or flooded batteries will.
Source:
www.leoch.com
