[RE-wrenches] Failed L16 with perfect Sp.Gr.

[Ray]

Here's a thermal image from a recent inspection of 2 v Trojan L16REs.  
Notice the normal batteries above and below, they are cool blue, running 
around 75F

2 of the cells of the center battery are obviously shorted.  Cell 
voltage was 2.07 v compared to about 2.3 to 2.4 v for surrounding good 
batteries.  Dead cells are much easier to find on 6 v batteries.  I 
wouldn't have found this without the Flir 167.

About 1/4 of the batteries in this set had hot cells; 25 -30 deg F 
warmer. Obviously time for some fresh lead.   Owner couldn't recall how 
old the set was, he thought 2 to 4 years.  Rated at 1000 cycles to 80% 
DOD, these Trojan RE batteries should do much better than that.  I have 
never been impressed with L16s anyway. John, my experience has also 
been: higher Capacity = more premature cell failures.

R. Ray Walters
Chief Technical Officer, RemoteSolar.com
BS Mech Engineering, 1988
Former NABCEP Certified, 2004-2016
Licensed Master ELectrician, Colorado
303 505-8760

On 4/26/17 2:09 PM, John Blittersdorf wrote:
> Wallace,
>    I installed some Interstate RE batteries (green case) L16's that 
> supposedly are made by US Battery.  As with Trojan and other High 
> Capacity L16's I had several cell failures.  I have always felt that 
> gleaning more amp hours from the same box must lead to cutting corners 
> on robustness.  I have found that often when the batteries are full, 
> they work OK for awhile but as the voltage drops and the current flow 
> rises, the cell will eventually drop out.  Other adjacent batteries in 
> the string often overcharge to compensate.  In my case with the green 
> batteries, they were about 2 years old as well.  I took them back to 
> my distributor and replaced them with standard L16's at a special pro 
> rated price. I have found that all lead acid batteries that have 
> problems seem to first have a cell failure somewhere along the line 
> and finally the capacity diminishes to the point that it is an 
> annoyance. Seems  bad cells seem more numerous lately.
>
> John Blittersdorf
> Rob Stubbins Solar
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 11:54 AM, Wallace Stahle <wstahle at pacific.net 
> <mailto:wstahle at pacific.net>> wrote:
>
>     Hi Folks,
>
>     I was called by a customer with the complaint of the MS4024
>     inverter shut down and ME-ARC controller and Trimetric acting
>     strange, intermittent and even even showing 29 volts at times.
>
>     The batteries are four 2.5 year old US battery L16XC 380 AH and
>     checking each battery showed one at 4.8 v under charge while the
>     other three were at 7+ volts and no current.
>
>     Meanwhile the specific gravity was high on all cells and even a
>     week after removal are up at 1.275 on all three cells.
>
>     I suspect an open in the cell interconnects with enough continuity
>     to read volts but not conduct current.
>
>     My question is what have any of you seen n this regard and any
>     knowledge of cause of such a failure.
>
>     Your insights and experience are greatly appreciated.
>
>     They were installed by others and are out of warranty. I donated a
>     serviceable used USB L16 to get her back to a working system.
>     She did recall her Ex stating along the lines of "oh this one has
>     a problem but dont worry, it'll come around" as they were installed.
>
>     Many thanks,
>
>     Wallace Stahle
>     Future Electric Energy Co
>     P O Box 236
>     Willits, CA 95490
>     future at pacific.net <mailto:future at pacific.net>
>     CA Lic.# C10-762093
>     707-459-0474 <tel:707-459-0474>
>
>
>
>
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