Battery Life in Grid-Tie Systems [RE-wrenches]

Wed Nov 26 02:01:09 PST 2003

Hi Kurt,
Yes there is reason to believe that plate development is a fact.We had some
low maintenance LA cells that would not perform; when I dismantled them I
found that the neg. plate had not expanded properly.Plates have to expand to
get the chemical reaction to start.
Cell performance improved after several deep cycles.

90% of the batteries we supply are made up from traction cells. The cell
connectors are lead soldered  and the take- off posts are T type with a
thimble cable lug......rotate cells, I don't think so.

After over 20 years of  building batteries a couple of things I've
learned.....don't buy cheap'o batteries.......don't buy cheap'o
batteries..........don't buy cheap'o batteries

Cheers  Clive
----- Original Message -----
From: "sunwise" <sunwise at cheqnet.net>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 7:04 AM
Subject: RE: Battery Life in Grid-Tie Systems [RE-wrenches]

> Scott's battery guy wrote:  Minimum 20% - 30% discharge on a regular
> basis;
> Equalize once a year if hydrometer readings don't indicate to do it more
> Often.  The main (-) battery will use more water; and rotate battery
> positions once a year.
>
> Greetings -- Boy I sure wish there was more fact and less opinion about
> LA batteries.  I've lived with them in my house for something like 15
> years, sold them for almost as long, installed for the same period, etc.
> After all these years there are still 10 times more answers than there
> are questions about these critters.
>
> So similar to this thread, how important is the "plate development" deal
> with a new battery, whereby it is deeply discharged and then fully
> recharged a couple times when first put into service.
>
> Especially with smaller cabin systems without generators it seems like
> it could be a bad policy to tell people to discharge a battery deeply
> when first put into service (recharged when?).  The battery rotation
> question also seems to have lots of answers.
>
> Kurt Nelson
> SOLutions
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scott: Backwoods Solar [mailto:scott at backwoodssolar.com]
> Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 12:17 PM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: Re: Battery Life in Grid-Tie Systems [RE-wrenches]
>
>
> Todd and Richard,
>
> I have a 24v Harris hydro system which generates between 19 and 25 amps
> depending on the number of nozzles open. It charges 8 Trojan L16HC
> batteries
> which are four years old. These batteries have been faithfully monitored
> with an hydrometer and watered as needed with plates never being
> exposed. I
> have gradually lowered my bulk volt setting as regulated by a
> temperature
> compensated Trace C40 from 29.6 to 29.0 volts in order to reduce water
> consumed. Hydrometer readings on a daily basis reach 1275+ in all
> batteries.
> Depth of discharge is typically 10% with a 30% discharge having occurred
> perhaps 6 times in 4 years. Perhaps twice a year I have applied an
> equalize
> charge. A year ago, I rotated batteries in response to the battery from
> which all (-) leads originated using more water than the balance of
> batteries.
>
> Last weekend, one cell in the battery which is now my main (-), not the
> one
> using extra water, died. It would not respond to any charging input from
> the
> hydro nor a backup generator while the other two cells in this battery
> quickly attained a 1275 + hydrometer reading as did the other batteries
> in
> the bank. I spoke with a Trojan engineer at great length about this
> situation and after a careful review of my entire system's parameters,
> he
> concluded that I did not cycle my batteries deep enough.
>
> In summary, he said:
>
> Minimum 20% - 30% discharge on a regular basis;
> Equalize once a year if hydrometer readings don't indicate to do it more
> often;
> The main (-) battery will use more water; and
> Rotate battery positions once a year.
>
>
> So do I believe him?? and does anyone have other comments on my battery
> situation?
>
> Thanks
>
> Scott
>
> Backwoods Solar Electric Systems www.backwoodssolar.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Todd Cory, Mt. Shasta Energy Services"
> <toddcory at finestplanet.com>
> To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 6:34 AM
> Subject: Re: Battery Life in Grid-Tie Systems [RE-wrenches]
>
>
> > Richard Perez in a recent post about this said there is no reason to
> cycle
> a
> > floated, wet cell battery in a grid tie system. Equalizing is still
> > something worthwhile to do occasionally. Run the voltage up until all
> the
> > hydrocaps get the same (warm) temperature and you are done.
>
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