flooded v. sealed batteries [RE-wrenches]

[Richard Perez, Home Power magazine]

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Hello Wrenches

Joel's number are correct and represent an average lifetime.

What we shouldn't forget is that no system is "average." The number 
one factor in battery longevity is the user. Regardless of battery 
type and the balance of the system's design, it is the user is who 
determines if the battery lives long or fails in a few years (or even 
months).

A user who completely depletes the battery routinely without 
routinely returning it to full state of charge will have a short 
lived battery. A user who neglects the equalizing charges will have a 
short lived battery. A user who neglects proper battery watering will 
have a short lived battery.

Educate the user. Then nag them.

Richard

At 15:38 -0700 09/28/2003, Joel Davidson wrote:
>Bruce,
>
>No argument here. PV systems with good forklift batteries that are properly
>sized to start with and well maintained last 10 to 15 years as 
>compared to T105s
>and L16s maintained just as well that last 6 to 12 years.
>
>Bob Hammond's battery survey at 
>http://www.sandia.gov/pv/docs/PDF/IEEE2.pdf is a
>little dated but shows what batteries U.S. PV integrators were buying and
>selling.
>
>Best regards,
>Joel Davidson

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