[RE-wrenches] Trojan L-16s

[Tom Duffy]

Drake

I calculate 4.6 hours absorb time given the solar you have here. So the charge rate at 29.3 is OK you could bump it to 29.6. It looks like decreased capacity because of improper charge parameters. You have to bring batteries to full charge at least once every 10 days and the only way to achieve full charge is by holding in the absorb mode through the proper time 4.6 hours.

With that said when looking here at this the bulk time (based on where the batteries were left off the previous night) bulk it typically at least one or two hours. If you add this to the 4.6 it's 5.6 or 6.6 hours total charge time... this will work in New Mexico or Arizona most of the year but if this is in Ohio let's say, the real problem is not enough solar!

It's not the batteries! Yes you have a problem now with them and it could be fixed but that's a different discussion. Call me 888-503-6772

Tom Duffy
Senior Solar Design Engineer
[Real-logo-X-195]
Toll Free 888-895-8179
tom at thesolar.biz<mailto:tom at thesolar.biz>
Customer Service and Accounting 888-895-6810
Grid tie sales 888-895-7847
Off Grid sales 888-895-4058
Other Product Sales 888-895-9612
Central America Sales (Panama) 507-6-126-1253
Shipping and Receiving 888-895-6497
Tech Support 888-895-8179
SKYPE:  thesolarbiz

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Drake
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 4:07 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Trojan L-16s

Hi Tom,

These are Trojan L-16E batteries, 370 AH.  They have a 2 hour absorb cycle at around 29.3 V.  There is one series string of 4 batteries in a small, off grid cabin that is used  3 or 4 days a week.  The system has 980 Watts of PV with an Outback FM 60 CC and an Outback 3524 VFX inverter.

I was concerned to read that John and Bob have been seeing more problems with the Trojan L-16s lately. They have been a standby for this type of system. If they truly are not lasting as long as previously, what other options do we have for a reasonably priced, decent quality battery in that amp hour range?

Thanks,

Drake


At 09:54 AM 7/16/2013, you wrote:

Content-Language: en-US
Content-Type: multipart/related;
         boundary="_004_66ba8ba32edb46a18046d46a3a83c95cBLUPR05MB165namprd05pro_";
         type="multipart/alternative"

Hi Drake

The first thing I would look at is how the batteries are being charged... Can they even be charged by the present equipment? What is the Bulk/Absorb voltage and time? Equally important is the design of the bank... series or series/parallel and if parallel how many strings. Lastly which Trojan L-16 are these?

Tom Duffy
Senior Solar Design Engineer
[Real-logo-X-195]
Toll Free 888-895-8179
tom at thesolar.biz<mailto:tom at thesolar.biz>
Customer Service and Accounting 888-895-6810
Grid tie sales 888-895-7847
Off Grid sales 888-895-4058
Other Product Sales 888-895-9612
Central America Sales (Panama) 507-6-126-1253
Shipping and Receiving 888-895-6497
Tech Support 888-895-8179
SKYPE:  thesolarbiz

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> [ mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Drake
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2013 8:59 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Trojan L-16s

Hello Wrenches,

A 1 1/2 year old bank of Trojan L-16s had a battery with a dead cell. I have heard that there have been some complaints about the L-16s lately.  Has anyone had experiences with Trojan L-16s (or the RE series), good or bad?  Are they still a good choice to use in off grid systems?

Thanks,

Drake

Drake Chamberlin
Athens Electric LLC
OH License 44810
CO License 3773
NABCEP Certified Solar PV
740-448-7328
http://athens-electric.com/



_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Home Power magazine

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>

Change email address & 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<http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>

Check out participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org<http://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/20130718/b1fdedac/attachment-0003.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.png
Type: image/png
Size: 17364 bytes
Desc: image003.png
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20130718/b1fdedac/attachment-0012.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image004.png
Type: image/png
Size: 17363 bytes
Desc: image004.png
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20130718/b1fdedac/attachment-0013.png>