[RE-wrenches] Ideal platform for flooded type batteries:opinions wanted

Sun May 2 06:57:23 PDT 2010

Very helpful replies, all~

Bill wrote: " I assume "duct seal" around the cables heading towards the
inverter is some high quality caulking?"

Mick replies: Duct seal is a gray putty which comes in a 1 pound brick or
"pug" from the electrical supply. Gardner Bender is one mfr and I'm sure
there are others.

This material is quite stiff when purchased but can be kneaded and worked to
soften it up a bit. It's still a challenge to get that stuffed into a
conduit around the wires tightly enough to seal against all gasses. It
probably makes a better rodent deterrent...

Jolliness,

Mick Abraham, Proprietor
www.abrahamsolar.com

Voice: 970-731-4675

On Sun, May 2, 2010 at 7:47 AM, frenergy <frenergy at psln.com> wrote:

>  Alan,
>
>         Thanks for sharing all that, pretty similiar to my take on offgrid
> batt pack install.  Though I really like the idea of sloping the top to keep
> folks from putting stuff on it and thus avoiding that maintenance we all
> love to do.  I know I've been caught a couple times with my pants down
> whilst (sp?) the electrolyte a bit too low (how did that happen so fast??)
>
>         I haven't had nearly as much luck getting batteries in kitchens,
> but have talked a few folks into building a battery "closet" to an exterior
> (uninsualted where the closet is) wall of a house...the other walls and it's
> exterior door of the closet being very well insualted.  Despite Bill
> Miller's thoughts about insulating a batt box, then venting being
> "pointless", well I don't agree.  The time when you need the batteries the
> warmest (winter) is when the powered vent would be on the least.  The vent
> is simply not venting that much in the winter, which of course will be
> determined somewhat by batt voltage settings to your powered
> vent, cross-sectional area of (adjustable?)vents and if you are relying on a
> non-powered venting system.  Personally, I've never set batts on concrete,
> that 2" rigid foam with plywood works like a champ.
>
>         My most common favorite is the Wellhouse/battery/inverter/ with
> genny under the overhang (or also inside) shed.
>
>         Also, clearly posting the requirements for maintianing the battery
> is critical with its partner - a calendar to document it, esp for those
> times when the customer, dumbfounded, fries their first pack and wants to
> blame anybody but themseves.  "and when was the last time you watered,
> bulked, EQ'ed your batteries?  I see, 2007"
>
>         I assume "duct seal" around the cables heading towards the inverter
> is some high quality caulking?
>
> Bill
> Feather River Solar Electric
> 4291 Nelson St.
> Taylorsville, CA  95983
> 530-284-7849/6544 fax
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Allan Sindelar <allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
> *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> *Sent:* Saturday, May 01, 2010 9:42 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Ideal platform for flooded type
> batteries:opinions wanted
>
> Each of us has developed our own solutions. I like to keep batteries in a
> tempered space, to maintain reasonable winter temperatures. Tempered doesn't
> mean thermostatic heat, but an insulated space with a trombe wall that holds
> 50F or more in winter is sweet. I often put batteries indoors in the living
> space and have never had a problem with either a homeowner or an inspector.
>
> We have cultivated a woodworker to build boxes for us. He knows what we
> want. I like plywood, because it's familiar, attractive, versatile,
> dimensionally stable, and strong. At my suggestion, our woodworker uses 1/2"
> "Baltic Birch" plywood from a woodworker's supply or better lumberyard. It
> has 9 thin plies, so is very stable, and it comes in 60" X 60" sheets, so it
> fits many battery sets without the waste created by 4' X 8' sheets. It's
> commonly used to make cabinet drawer carcases.
>
> The primary problem is that plywood rots in contact with acid, so the boxes
> are primered on all the inside surfaces to form an acid barrier, and a liner
> of 40 mil EPDM rubber, pond liner, or shower pan liner is placed in the
> bottom and about 7" up the sides with folded corners. Above this level we
> put inlet ventilation holes, typically 3 1-1/4" holes across the front. The
> exterior is painted or given a clear finish, or left for the homeowner.
>
> The box is caulked and carefully weatherstripped, using RCI neoprene. The
> lid is sloped, partly to draw vapors up toward the vent but mostly to
> discourage the owners from storing things on the box and forgetting
> maintenance. We build the carcase on a 3-1/2" high toe kick, like a kitchen
> base cabinet, so it's easy to lean over to add water. We use a piano hinge
> for the hinged top, with a level top rear portion as a surface to drill for
> the vent stack. If there are kids or grandkids, a lockable hasp is easy to
> add.
>
> With this approach we always include a 12V Power Vent inline in a 2" white
> PVC vent pipe to the outside. A shower drain hair screen gets trimmed down
> and used as an insect screen. The Power Vent runs off of a charge
> controller's auxiliary circuit.
>
> I use two concentric hole saws from opposite sides to create a 1/4" thick
> flange to fit a lock ring around a 1-1/2" or 2" battery conduit, with duct
> seal around the cables to keep gases out of the electrical equipment.
>
> I teach people (and post an instruction sheet inside the box lid) battery
> care, including where to fill cells to to avoid spillage or splattering.
>
> To each his own; this has worked well for us and our customers.
> Allan
> .
>  <![endif]-->
>
> *Allan** Sindelar*
> Allan at positiveenergysolar.com
> NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer
> EE98J Journeyman Electrician
> *Positive Energy, Inc.*
> 3201 Calle Marie
> Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
> *505 424-1112*
> www.positiveenergysolar.com
>
>
> Mick Abraham wrote:
>
> Hi, Mechanix~
>
> My "customer du monde" has a dirt floor in the battery space but he's
> willing to build something on which we could place his "wet" type batteries.
>
>
> Concrete is strong but it also tends to begin dissolving when battery acid
> gets on it. Been there, seen that, didn't like it.
>
> Wood could be strong but what about the dissolving problem? Would pressure
> treated wood be better than white wood, redwood etc.?
>
> OR: what else would the group advise for a support structure?
>
> ************************************************************
>
> The above questions assume that whatever we do will probably get wet, but
> that may be too pessimistic. Could someone give me a mini-review of plastic
> trays which would protect whatever goes beneath?
>
> I'm pretty sure polypropylene is the right type plastic but short of custom
> welding by a plastic fabricator...where can I find trays which fit OK with
> floor scrubber type battery case dimensions?
>
> Thanks all around,
>
> Mick Abraham, Proprietor
> www.abrahamsolar.com
>
> Voice: 970-731-4675
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Options & settings:http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>    ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Options & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>  ------------------------------
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2848 - Release Date: 05/01/10
> 18:27:00
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Options & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20100502/5375f2a2/attachment-0004.html>