[RE-wrenches] Refractometer vs Hydrometer?

Sat Feb 13 11:38:47 PST 2010

Have any of us here ever heard of a "world renowned battery guru"? You have to wonder why, if they are world renowned, they have to do home shows.

Refractometers have been used quite commonly in labs, but those are in the $500 an up range. Some pretty decent ones for home use are in the $75-$150 range. I have seen some for sale for under $40 but have no idea how accurate they are. Refractometers are pretty commonly used in beer brewing and in salt water fish tanks. 

One thing you have to be very careful of with Refractometers is bubbles and/or any particles which will throw the readings way off. You also need to rinse them in distilled water between uses, but that goes for most hydrometers also.

But all that said, it kind of sounds more like a wiring, wire size, or connection problem with the widely varying amperage you are getting.

..................................................................................................
Northern Arizona Wind & Sun - Electricity From The Sun Since 1979
Solar Discussion Forum: http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: dan at foxfire-energy.com 
  To: RE-wrenches 
  Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 6:04 AM
  Subject: [RE-wrenches] Refractometer vs Hydrometer?

  I'm confoosed.. . I got a call from an old client complaining that their trace meter was wacky... seems it always read  like 80% or something -- never reset?.. (48V -- 4 strings of UL16 -- 5 years old -- Off Grid). I asked about the last time they equalized, and they proudly reported that they hadn't had to eq. in over a year and a half because "an industry renowned battery guru" they met at a home show advised them that they no longer needed to equalize because their new Desulphators (that he sold them), made equalizing unnecessary.. (One for every two batteries all neatly wire tied to the cables.. blinking LEDs and everything) .. .. and that their specific gravity levels were right on the money (as checked with their new refractometer Mr Battery guy also sold them)..  I asked them to check Batt. hi on the trace meter, and it read  like 57V .. I suggested they equalize with the Gen Set..to 61Volts.. which did make the trace meter reset.. but they never got the bank over 59 Volts.. in over 12 hrs... and the batteries were starting to get hot... so I suggested they shut down, and I planned a trip down.... Got on site, pulled the strings apart, and checked for dead cells.. everything checked out ok... didn't have a hydrometer with me (seems they threw theirs out .. on the advice of Mr. Battery guru).. so I took their word on the refractometer readings... reconnected everything and fired up the gen set... had 80 amp in (measured with a Fluke 337), 13 something on one string, 29 on one, 24 on another and like 14 on the last. (the two lowest were on the outside.. coolest? -- the bank was still kinda warm) ...  I suggested they let the bank cool completely, and try again in a few days... (Maybe even eq each string individually as a last resort). In checking thru the set points, I noticed many were wonky.. so I called tech support folks for the latest.... they told me that the factory defaults for gen start / stop often resulted in "Deficit Cycling".. and that proper settings were actually like 4 Volts higher (For both the 15 min. and the 2 hr start cycles).. they also told me small desulphators were a waste of money, and that refractometers were unreliable at best... now my customer is looking at me for answers... (I'm sending them a good hydrometer).. I'm hoping you folks might set me straight (er).. thanks db 

  Dan Brown
  President
  Foxfire Energy Corp.
  Renewable Energy Systems
  (802)-483-2564
  www.Foxfire-Energy.com
  NABCEP #092907-44

    -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] ecoSolargy PV modules
    From: Keith Cronin <electrichi01 at yahoo.com>
    Date: Fri, February 12, 2010 4:25 pm
    To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>

    Bob

    They have contacted me and seem eager to distribute their products.

    Keith

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: Bob Clark <bclark at solar-wind.us>
    To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
    Sent: Thu, February 11, 2010 5:02:17 PM
    Subject: [RE-wrenches] ecoSolargy PV modules

    RE-Wrenches:

    Does anyone have experience with ecoSolargy PV modules:  http://www.ecosolargy.com/# ?

    Bob Clark
    SolarWind Energy Systems, LLC
    P.O. Box 1234
    Okanogan, WA 98840
    (509) 826-1259

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