equalizing and exercising [RE-wrenches]

Darryl Thayer daryl_solar at yahoo.com
Thu Aug 24 23:22:15 PDT 2006


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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