[RE-wrenches] Battery Boxes

Exeltech exeltech at yahoo.com
Mon May 13 18:50:10 PDT 2013


Try:

Radiant Solar Technology

500 Milani Drive

Ukiah, California 95482

(707) 485-8359

http://www.radiantsolartech.com


Several years ago, they made two HDPE enclosures for me that each hold four
Rolls-Surrette batteries..  The enclosures have a deep bottom for containing
acid, and are ventilated in the sides and top.  The side vents are screened to
prevent critter entry.

Non-conductive.  Non-corrosive.  Extremely durable.


Dan




--- On Mon, 5/13/13, Maverick Brown <maverick at mavericksolar.com> wrote:

From: Maverick Brown <maverick at mavericksolar.com>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Boxes
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Cc: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Date: Monday, May 13, 2013, 7:54 PM

For FLA batteries, we only use plywood for the boxes. I'm worry about corrosion. 
For AGM, we use metal, usually AL. Stainless is more expensive. 

Thank you,
Maverick

Maverick BrownBSEET, NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer ®President & CEOMaverick Solar Enterprises, Inc.Office:     512-919-4493Cell:        512-460-9825
Sent from an iPhone. 
On May 13, 2013, at 7:30 PM, Jesse Dahl <dahlsolar at gmail.com> wrote:

After seeing this battery box and seeing the issues that can arise if a large battery bank is deployed I contacted a local metal fab shop and asked for a estimate on building one if I needed it.  A 45"x40"x 20" battery box with stamped louvers was about $1000.  This was made out of stainless because they said rubber wouldn't stick as well to aluminum.  
Any thoughts on cost and using stainless for this reason?


Sent from my iPhone
On May 12, 2013, at 9:10 AM, Dan Fink <danbob88 at gmail.com> wrote:

Jesse;I too have concerns about wooden battery boxes. Have seen a couple close calls with fires from thermal runaway, and acid doesn't treat wood kindly. But for a large bank, anything commercial is extremely expensive.

Our current solution is to caulk the wooden box, line with pink foam sheets if insulation is needed, then line interior with Du-Rock (cement board) and caulk. Don't forget mouse screens. 

I was always told that battery box lids must be slanted so the hydrogen accumulates at the top, but over the years have found the REAL reason -- it keeps the homeowner from using the battery box as a table for storing junk! LOL

For outdoor systems, I've seen some really nice battery boxes made from steel jobsite tool boxes lined with foam and cement board, and some are available with slanted lids.


Dan Fink,
Executive Director;
Otherpower
Buckville Energy Consulting

Buckville Publications LLC
NABCEP / IREC accredited Continuing Education Providers
970.672.4342





On May 11, 2013, at 10:16 PM, Jesse Dahl <dahlsolar at gmail.com> wrote:



> Hello,

>

> I visited a site on Friday to do some trouble-shooting on a system and noticed the battery box was homemade by the installer of the system. Made from lumber.  Seems to me like there may be some safety and liability issues with a homemade/lumber battery box. Maybe I'm getting gun shy after hearing sue stories.  Is this a common practice?  I did some looking and there really isn't a single box that would work for this system so it would've taken two boxes to do it, so that could be why they did it.




>

> Thanks as always,

>

> Jesse

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