equalizing and exercising [RE-wrenches]

[Geoff Greenfield]

Thanks Darryl

I should have specified that I was dealing with Lead acid.  As an
off-gridder, the concept of batteries "needing" some cycling was pretty
foreign to me.  We are definitely adding an exercise regime to our
battery/grid tie customers instructions... A bit hard to set up as most of
them are techno phobic... Part of me wants them to watch voltage and part of
me wants to just look at "typical" (what is that?) back up loads and come up
with a time period (overnight).

So Outback has the auto equalize function on the mx-60, but a grid tie
system is held down by the inverter (and automated EQ is potentially
catastrophic as well)  BUT with the advent of the smart shunt could new mate
programming include a user initiated (or timed and reminded and user
allowed) exercise and equalize function?  One of the hardest things I do is
try and coach a technophobe through equalizing etc....


For a brighter energy future,

Geoff Greenfield
NABCEP Certified Energy Practitioner

THIRD SUN SOLAR & WIND POWER Ltd.
340 West State Street
Athens, OH 45701

www.third-sun.com
(740) 597-3111

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:22:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Darryl Thayer <daryl_solar at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: equalizing and exercising [RE-wrenches]



Hi Geoff
I have been reluctant to comment because I do not know
the answer, but it seems battery chemistry has an
influence.  I have a customer with lead calcium
technology batteries who went 3 years with only float,
I tested and then I equalized and now 1 more year and
the batteries seem to still have good performance.  (I
tested with a short term 100 amp load) I did not do a
discharge capacity test.

I have another customer with batteries that are lead
antimony technology and 3 years on float the batteries
were total loss. batteries were dry.

Both were set up at 54.0 volts float.

I have a third customer with 8d paralleled lead
calcium and float was set at 52.6 (customer changed
setting following others advice) after 3 years the
batteries were definitely low on charge and at first
refused to accept a charge.  but after perhaps 1 to 2
months at 57 volts they began to accept, and now they
seem functional.

I do not know if the chemistry is the culprit, it
seems unlikely, but is one of the biggest differences
in these systems.

--- Geoff Greenfield <Geoff at Third-Sun.Com> wrote:

>
> We are instructing our customers with grid-tie
> battery back up set ups to
> exercise 2 x a year with a "simulated" overnight
> grid outage to bring down
> battery voltage.  Then kick back into normal mode
> for a bulk charge cycle.
>
> Question #1 - how often?  2x per year is my gut
> answer but....
>
> For the same situation but with flooded lead acid I
> would like to add an
> equalize cycle right after.
>
> Question #2 - should we bulk, float and then EQ the
> next day?
>
> Question #3 - how often?
>
> Question #4 - how low SHOULD an effective exercise
> cycle be?  in AH% or in
> battery voltage?
>
> Thanks to all who share their time - and thanks to
> all of us in this
> industry in this important time!
>
> For a brighter energy future,
>
> Geoff Greenfield
> NABCEP Certified Energy Practitioner
>
> THIRD SUN SOLAR & WIND POWER Ltd.
> 340 West State Street
> Athens, OH 45701
>
> www.third-sun.com
> (740) 597-3111
>
>
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