With the ever increasing use of stand-by power and consequently lead acid storage cells, the need for a clearer understanding of this device and it's components is necessary. No one battery is universal. Therefore, a basic knowledge of cell constructions and their corresponding performances are required. With this, one can then appreciate the manner in which batteries respond when exposed to various charge and discharge parameters. This paper will deal with the design and application characteristics one should be aware of when called upon to make a choice of today's available products.