Battery enclosures and NEC [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Yago]

We started out building tight battery boxes for all our projects which included a lock hasp on the cover door, but finally switched over to battery "rooms". 

We now work with the builder or architect on new construction to include a long and narrow room dedicated for only the batteries, with the inverter on a the outside wall surface for this room. The room is constructed of heavier fire-rated green-board drywall on the interior walls and ceiling, a concrete floor with floor drain, and a DC in line exhaust fan located at the highest point and powered from the inverter. We also add a fire extinguisher and safety signage on the access door which is locked. 

When we switched away from battery boxes, all our past battery and battery cable corrosion problems dis-appeared. The tight battery boxes were providing an very acid-rich environment that would destroy battery cables in less than 3 years, not to mention the piles of corrosion we had to clean off each year. Now when I check on an older battery room system, you could eat off the floor and the battery terminals are as clean as they day they were installed.

I think the days of site-built battery boxes are numbered, most likely when the NEC takes a look at the safety issues of many poorly constructed site built boxes that are out there now. It would not surprise me if battery boxes will someday need to be commercially made and tested to some kind of UL listing that addresses proper venting, door safety, drains, door seals, fire-rated materials, explosive containment, and include a certification label on the cover. Just my 2 cents.....

Jeff Yago, 
NABCEP Certified 
DTI Solar

_____________________________________________________________
Netscape.  Just the Net You Need.


- - - -
Hosted by Home Power magazine

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

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

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

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

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

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

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------