Hydrocaps in general [RE-wrenches]

[Allan Sindelar]

Fellow Wrenches,
I'm not a big Hydrocaps fan, and never have been. The recent postings
reinforce that. I want to make systems simple to live with and maintain, and
I want folks to equalize regularly. Some will, some won't, but to have to
remove Hydrocaps to EQ seems to defeat the whole advantage of reduced
maintenance by reducing watering frequency.

A point that has not been mentioned in this latest posting string: The SB50
charge controller has an acceptance (a.k.a. absorption) function the
duration of which is determined by threshold amps necessary to maintain
acceptance voltage. (By comparison, a C40 has a two-hour timed cycle.) I
have found that this cuts way down on water use, as the batteries are
adequately filled and destratified without being held longer than needed
above gassing voltage.

I suspect that the MX60 accomplishes the same result via use of a timed
absorption function that correlates to time spent in bulk, in order to
minimize absorption time when charging from a full battery, but I haven't
lived with one long enough yet to observe the results (I have both
controllers side by side in my system now, with a transfer switch to let me
flip back and forth. I'll post comparative observations eventually.)

My dozen little golf carts only get filled with water every six months, with
a one-kilowatt array and a SB50 set to charge to 29.6V. I'm generally right
above the tops of the plates about then. So I am wondering how big of a
problem watering batteries when they need it really is.

Allan at Positive E

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection" <econnect at snowcrest.net>


> Gang,

> The absolute WORST thing about Hydrocaps is the owner of the company,
> old George. George is like, 90 years old going on 5000 or something
> and in all those years he never learned that good charge cycles are
> required to maintain the battery, not his damn Hydrocaps! In the 15
> years that I dealt with him, he never admitted a fault EVER. I can
> remember one batch of 100 that I got from him where the glue job
> between the base and the cap failed in about 25% of them. It was MY
> fault for over tightening them, never mind that I bought about 1000
> of the buggers every year previously and had had few previous
> problems. That's just one example. I mean, hell, I'd like to get to
> be 90 and (more) crotchety myself some day, so I try to understand,
> but damn! it's frustrating.
> Bottom line, I still recommend and install them in many cases but I
> hold my nose while buying them. Kinda like they way I feel about
> Brand X these days. Education of the client as to what they can and
> can't do is the key. Just like the rest of the system, eh?
> Best, Bob-O

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html
--^----------------------------------------------------------------