Can this happen???? [RE-wrenches]

[Bob Ellison, Alternative Energy Systems]

At the very least if you want to put a meter on the battery bank, I bet you
will see the voltage drop through the floor under the pump load.
1 hour @ 20 amp charge puts 20 amps into a set of dead and probably sulfated
batteries that I assume are rated for at least 200 Ah.
(You might want to check my math, these complex calculations sometimes throw
me).

How long does he think the pump will run on a 20 amp charge? At the least
give them a 10 - 15 hour charge on a standard taper type charger then see
what happens.

My bet? Nothing until he replaces the batteries.
Then you can find out what else he has done incorrect / cheaply, or just
plain wrong!
I assume solar charging, has he got a working controller? What boiled the
batteries dry, or did the electrolyte evaporate in the heat???

"Was told by industrial electrician that it is *possible* for battery
banks like this one to have sudden voltage drop and current spike that
would blow a 10k resistor. Can this happen?"

I have to bet on the voltage drop, that's almost a guaranteed event.  Don't
know about the 10K resister but it might be possible... Is there one in the
pump?

Later,
Bob


RE. Ellison
Supplier of;
Alternative Energy Systems & Supplies
34642 Countryman Road
Theresa, NY. USA
                               13691-2076


-----Original Message-----
From: Holt Kelly [mailto:hkelly6 at msn.com]
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 3:34 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Can this happen???? [RE-wrenches]


Scenario:
 -Sunrise pump, 4-6v battery bank -golf cart (24v), home owner installed
all but pump(wince).
 -While prepping pump to drop, noticed home owner making several trips
to pump house with 1 gal. jugs of water. ("yup, they are bone dry"). My
guess is for atleast 6 mos. but not sure.
 -Found 1 battery to have hole in it. ("Uncle Gus has some new ones,
I'll be back in an hour".) Instructs me to go ahead and drop the pump
<should have walked away- but that's another story>.
 -Home owner "slam dunks" battery charging. About 1 hr. on 20a a/c
charger.
 -I recommend to check with battery mfg. about charge rate and mixing
new w/ old.("They're OK. Read 25.4v across the lugs")
 -Pump at 175', static is 132'
 -Pump runs for about 20 seconds and stops.
 -Meter reads no continuity between pump conductors.
 -Was told by industrial electrician that it is *possible* for battery
banks like this one to have sudden voltage drop and current spike that
would blow a 10k resistor. Can this happen? Any other ideas?



Holt E. Kelly
Holtek Fireplace & Solar Products
Waco, TX.

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