[RE-wrenches] Battery load tester purchase advice?

[Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar]

This is a bare bones but easy method. I am not sure Trojan would approve.
You need a working bank and an inverter. A variac is used to set the AC
voltage on an electric heater. A clamp-on DC ammeter is used to set the
variac for the exact specified DC current (25A).
A descent Variac is not that expensive and this set-up did work for
Surrette, at one time. Interested to hear what is better and easier!

Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
"we go where powerlines don't"
http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
e-mail  offgridsolar at sti.net
text 209 813 0060

> Esteemed Wrenches; My customer's saga of failing Trojan LC-16s continues,
> unfortunately. It's 8 Trojan L-16 P AC in series/parallel for a 24v bank I
> think I have strong warranty claim on at least one battery. Trojan's
> warranty claim form requires a series of tests, including using a load
> tester "approved" by Trojan (whatever that means). to put a load of 25
> amps
> on each battery and time down to 1.75 volts per cell, specific gravity
> checks, etc.
>
> This situation is worth purchasing a load tester I think. I'd like one
> that
> can do 2v, 6v and 12v batteries. Searching online, 6/12v seems common, not
> seeing anything that can do 2v other than the Fluke BT series, which is
> way
> out of my off-grid price range. And I'm not seeing an automotive variety
> where you can set the load amperage.
>
> Anyone have product advice for something that they use and like? Any help
> appreciated.
>
> DAN
>
> PS---backgrounder and images.......................
>
> Numbering the batteries 1-2-3-4 left to right:
>
> ~Battery #2 was installed as a replacement only one month ago (July 2017)
> and has a late 2016 date code. The 2 hot cells have such low Specific
> Gravity that they don't register on the hydrometer or refractometer.
>
> ~Battery #3 was installed as a replacement in mid 2016. I found the cause
> of the problem that killed the original battery (the entire bank was
> installed 2014), an incredibly poorly crimped interconnect cable from
> AltEdirect (I posted here about it then). They offered to replace the
> cable
> (thanks, folks) but it's of more value to me in teaching my hands-on solar
> college classes.
>
> ~Battery #3 has a 2013 date code, implying to me that it sat on the self
> for almost 3 years before the distributor dumped it on me as a one-off.
> Next time, I will demand the same date code on each battery.
>
> ~Battery #1 has NO date code. First time I've seen that.
>
> ~In any case -- all the problems seem to be on only the outer parallel
> string. So the customer approved a complete re-cable, and I'm going to
> build them all myself after the expensive AltE cable fail.
>
>
> Dan Fink
> Professor of Solar Energy Technology, Ecotech Institute
> IREC Certified Instructorâ„¢ for:
> ~ PV Installation Professional
> ~ Small Wind Installer
> Executive Director, Buckville Energy
> NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providersâ„¢
> 970.672.4342
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Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
"we go where powerlines don't"
http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
e-mail  offgridsolar at sti.net
text 209 813 0060