Battery types & distribution, over time [RE-wrenches]

Ray Walters remotech at taosnm.com
Sat Jun 29 19:01:22 PDT 2002


Andy;

You can't beat the bang for buck advantages of the golf cart batteries. The
Trojan T105 is definitely outlasting the competition in some cases 2 to 1.
I've got old timers limping along sets that are 10 years old. You can't let
them go dry though, so I suggest L16s for the less maintenance minded
customer. The down side of any battery storage is that you are going to
spend at least 10 cents/ KwH. This is fairly independent of depth of
discharge.(run the numbers yourself from manufacturers cycle life vs. depth
of discharge chart) People that think off grid PV is cheap or free after
the initial cost are sadly mistaken.
L16s are not as good as they claim either.(regardless of brand) I'd derate
their amp- hr ratings 25 to 40%. Many customers complained that they were
out of power, when the Trimetric was reading 40%. I haven't had that
problem with the T105s, but you can only parallel so many batteries, before
you run into trouble. (I never install more than 3 or 4 parallel strings).
Also, don't forget to get the temperature compensation sensor with your
charge controller, unless the batteries are going to stay a consistent 70
to 80 degrees.
If you really want to compare batteries, break it down to $/KwH. Even when
you factor in extra maintenance and replacement costs,                 the
AGM, gells, and 2 v open cells cost a fortune. They have their benefits,
but cost/ KwH isn't one of them.
 
Ray

PS I don't reccommend Wrenches throwing that 10 + cents/ Kwh battery cost
into their sales pitch, unless your pushing batteryless grid intertie.  

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