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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Another person's opinion...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>With all due respect, Allan, if you understand how
the Hydrocap works (properly sized, removal when equalizing, as detailed in the
instructions) and use distilled (or equivalent) water to top off the
electrolyte much more infrequently than regularly, Hydrocaps provide a close
second to a recombinant battery at a fraction of the cost of the real
thing. Moreover, they are reusable (unless you blow them up).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I know of nothing, nothing that competes with the
Hydrocap. The yellow flip caps provide a marginal convenience in terms
of filling, however there is no comparison in performance. Have any
Homepower articles ever reviewed either of these things back in the Dark
Ages?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The use of a suitable battery enclosure to contain
the potential results of _any_ battery mishap should be defacto
procedure.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I will send George a copy of this thread and
will post his reply, if he chooses to comment. I believe it was Windy
who commented the biggest hassle of the Hydrocaps was dealing with George
and evidently Joel can echo that experience.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bill Loesch<BR>Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar<BR>314
631 1094</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>MO Licensed Professional Engineer</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Saint Louis County (MO) Licensed Water Heater
Specialist</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=allan@positiveenergysolar.com
href="mailto:allan@positiveenergysolar.com">Allan Sindelar</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, December 13, 2009 4:01
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery
Automatic Watering</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>One person's opinion, here...<BR>Avoid Hydrocaps. You need to
remove them to equalize. They can clog up and plug the battery up, leading to
an explosion from pressure. I have seen it.<BR><BR>
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<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=il><B>Allan</B></SPAN><B> Sindelar</B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><A href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"
target=_blank><SPAN
class=il>Allan</SPAN>@positiveenergysolar.com</A><BR>NABCEP Certified
Photovoltaic Installer<BR>EE98J Journeyman Electrician<BR><B>Positive Energy,
Inc.</B><BR>3201 Calle Marie<BR>Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<BR><B>505
424-1112</B><BR><A href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/"
target=_blank>www.positiveenergysolar.com</A></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV><BR><BR><A
class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated
href="mailto:Windsun@wind-sun.com">Windsun@wind-sun.com</A> wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid:DD1A0614D78D40FD85A1A0A66ADB2CF3@Warren type="cite">
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<DIV><FONT face=Calibri size=2>Hydrocaps - they run around $30 each last I
checked. We used to sell them but gave up when lead times went from weeks to
months.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>..................................................................................................<BR>Northern
Arizona Wind & Sun - Electricity From The Sun Since 1979<BR>Solar
Discussion Forum: <A href="http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/"
moz-do-not-send="true">http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/</A><BR>..................................................................................................</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">-----
Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: rgb(228,228,228) 0% 50%; FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial"><B>From:</B>
<A title=atruitt@gmail.com href="mailto:atruitt@gmail.com"
moz-do-not-send="true">Andrew Truitt</A> </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"><B>To:</B>
<A title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org"
moz-do-not-send="true">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"><B>Sent:</B>
Sunday, December 13, 2009 1:07 PM</DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"><B>Subject:</B>
Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Automatic Watering</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR>Has anyone ever used the recombination caps that
combine the released hydrogen with oxygen and return the pure water to the
cells? I am considering them for a large ([98] 2200Ah Surrettes)
battery system that we installed a while ago, but I think they run about
$200 a piece. <BR><BR><BR>Andrew Truitt<BR>Standard Solar
Inc.<BR><BR><BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 1:33 PM, Joel Davidson
<SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:joel.davidson@sbcglobal.net"
moz-do-not-send="true">joel.davidson@sbcglobal.net</A>></SPAN>
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote
style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">Than
you Roy, Jay, Jeff, and ...<BR><BR>I'm glad I checked my email before
going to Pep Boys to buy an automotive battery filler. Great idea! I've
been buying and selling batteries for over 35 years and this is the
first time I've heard about using a garden sprayer to fill batteries.
The RE-Wrenches knowledge base scores again!<BR><BR>Happy
Holidays.<BR>Joel Davidson<BR><BR><BR>----- Original Message ----- From:
"Roy Butler" <<A href="mailto:roy@four-winds-energy.com"
target=_blank moz-do-not-send="true">roy@four-winds-energy.com</A>>
<DIV class=im><BR>To: "RE-wrenches" <<A
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target=_blank
moz-do-not-send="true">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</A>><BR></DIV>Sent:
Saturday, December 12, 2009 5:50 AM
<DIV class=im><BR>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Automatic
Watering<BR><BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=h5>Joel,<BR><BR>I was waiting to see if others use my method
but I didn't see anyone<BR>post it.<BR>I've been off grid and having to
maintain my batteries since 1997. I grew to<BR>hate the battery watering
jugs for several reasons and finally came up with<BR>something that
works for me.....your results may vary!<BR><BR>I now use a pump up type
garden sprayer. I use a 1.5 gallon version with a<BR>plastic wand, spray
tip removed. I pump it up 6-8 times and that pressure<BR>allows me to
fill 3 to 4 cells, depending on the volume of water needed.<BR><BR>What
I like about this is that the wand reaches anywhere in the bank
and<BR>most important, I can watch the cells fill. I put a piece of
electrical<BR>tape around<BR>the wand and insert the wand into the cell
to the tape level. This is my<BR>water<BR>level and it's really easy to
tell when the electrolyte reaches the end<BR>of the wand.<BR><BR>About
1/2 of my customers are off grid and most use the sprayer method
with<BR>good results.<BR><BR>BTW, this was a brand new sprayer,
dedicated to distilled water and hidden<BR>away from my wife, who loves
to grab what ever is available in my shop.<BR>And at<BR>least here in
snow country, the sprayers are all on sale!<BR><BR>Roy Butler<BR>NABCEP
Certified Solar PV Installer®<BR>NYSERDA eligible PV & wind
installer<BR>PA Sunshine Program Approved PV Installer<BR>Four Winds
Renewable Energy, LLC<BR>8902 Route 46<BR>Arkport, NY
14807<BR>607-324-9747<BR><BR><A href="http://www.four-winds-energy.com"
target=_blank
moz-do-not-send="true">www.four-winds-energy.com</A><BR><BR>Although no
trees were killed in the sending of this message,<BR>a large number of
electrons were terribly inconvenienced.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Joel Davidson
wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote
style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">Wrenches,<BR><BR>Thank
you for your feedback that automatic watering is not automatic or
reliable. Valves can stick open (a flood) or shut (a dry cell) or not
seat properly (dripping that becomes a slow flood). I'll get a 2.5
quart watering can sold at auto parts stores - unless you all have a
better idea.<BR><BR>Thanks again,<BR>Joel Davidson<BR><BR>-----
Original Message ----- From: "Joel Davidson" <<A
href="mailto:joel.davidson@sbcglobal.net" target=_blank
moz-do-not-send="true">joel.davidson@sbcglobal.net</A>><BR>To:
"RE-wrenches" <<A href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org"
target=_blank
moz-do-not-send="true">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</A>><BR>Sent:
Wednesday, December 09, 2009 6:14 PM<BR>Subject: Battery Automatic
Watering<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote
style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">Wrenches,<BR><BR>We
installed 48 each IBE 1-85N-15 cells (24 in series in 2 Direct Power
& Water battery boxes). We do not want to use Hydrocaps. Your
suggestions for an automatic watering system would be most
appreciated. Thanks in advance.<BR><BR>Happy Holidays.<BR>Joel
Davidson<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>List
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clear=all><BR>-- <BR>"Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just
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enormous fusion reactor safely banked a few million miles from us. It
delivers more than we could ever use in just about 8 minutes. And it's
wireless!"<BR><BR>~William McDonough<BR><BR>
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