<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">IF those L 16s are much over 5 years old, they could be gone. L16s (of any brand) have less cycle life than a golf cart battery, just check the charts.<div>They also don't fair very well long term in float charge.</div><div>You can probably EQ them back to life as already mentioned, but then after 6 months to a couple of years, you'll start seeing dead cells.</div><div>The variation in SG is already heading that way.</div><div>Do your best now, and make sure the customer knows they should start saving up for their next battery bank.</div><div><br><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div>R. Walters</div><div><a href="mailto:ray@solarray.com">ray@solarray.com</a></div><div>Solar Engineer</div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></span>
</div>
<br><div><div>On Jun 29, 2010, at 9:16 PM, Darryl Thayer wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">That is a tough one to diagnose, but I think you have some sulfation, I have used interstates and had reasonable luck. They act more like a traction battery than a RE battery. This might be a job for a desulfator or a very long slow charge. It takes a long time to get sulfur to leave the plates. I charged a set on low EQ rate for over 30+hrs to get the capacity back and the SG back up. I would not charge to vigorously as you can loosen plate material. <br><br>I have not used the ETDA product, but have had success on a long charge.<br><br>Darryl<br><br>--- On <b>Tue, 6/29/10, Dave Palumbo <i><<a href="mailto:dave@independentpowerllc.com">dave@independentpowerllc.com</a>></i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br>From: Dave Palumbo <<a href="mailto:dave@independentpowerllc.com">dave@independentpowerllc.com</a>><br>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches]
Interstate UL-16 HC problem<br>To: "'RE-wrenches'" <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br>Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 7:58 PM<br><br><div id="yiv1480818695">
<style>
<!--
#yiv1480818695
_filtered #yiv1480818695 {font-family:"Cambria Math";panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
_filtered #yiv1480818695 {font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
_filtered #yiv1480818695 {font-family:Tahoma;panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
#yiv1480818695
#yiv1480818695 p.MsoNormal, #yiv1480818695 li.MsoNormal, #yiv1480818695 div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"sans-serif";}
#yiv1480818695 a:link, #yiv1480818695 span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;text-decoration:underline;}
#yiv1480818695 a:visited, #yiv1480818695 span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;text-decoration:underline;}
#yiv1480818695 span.EmailStyle17
{font-family:"sans-serif";color:windowtext;}
#yiv1480818695 span.EmailStyle18
{font-family:"sans-serif";color:#1F497D;}
#yiv1480818695 .MsoChpDefault
{font-size:10.0pt;}
_filtered #yiv1480818695 {margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
#yiv1480818695 div.WordSection1
{}
-->
</style>
<div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Bob,</span></p><div><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Sulfation, I’d say. Try EDTA.
Trailhead Supply. See Home Power marketplace ad for contact info. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">If it’s not sulfation then
maybe it’s simply diluted electrolyte(accidental, or intentional) which
would make the batteries have lower performance AH wise but should last a long
time (plates hold up better in a less acidic solution). Years ago I received
some Hoppecke lead acid batteries direct from Germany to make good on a bad batch
of NiCADS. The Hoppecke LA’s intentionally have a max SG of 1.240. Very
big cells (330lbs for a 2v cell) and evidently have a very long life, as I am
using them still in my barn/shop 16 years later and they act like new despite a
pathetically low charge rate. These cells are rated at 2,000 AH @ 100h rate. I
am charging them with 35 amps of PV with the occasional 75 amp charge when the
gen is on. </span></p><div><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">I have never heard much good
said concerning Interstate deep cycle batteries. </span></p><div><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Dave</span></p><div><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>
<div style="border-right: medium none; border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "sans-serif";">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "sans-serif";">
<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>bob<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 29, 2010 6:53 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] Interstate UL-16 HC problem</span></p>
</div>
</div><div> <br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I have 2 systems that I am
trying to correct that another local dealer has installed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This one is 2 strings of (8)
UL-16 HC Interstate Batteries, 16 batteries total.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We cannot get the batteries
to charge over 1.225 despite discharging them and generator charging them till
everything shut down.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This is a 48 volt system with
a Magnum 4448 inverter.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">He also has (6) 175 watt
Solar World panels on a manual tracker. (spends all day tracking the sun) He is
adding 2 more this summer. The controller is an MX-60.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I have moved the Magnums
settings to 1600 AH battery bank size to allow for the inverter to have a
longer absorb time to help it finish charging and get to a full battery.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It’s not working; we
have 1 cell at 1.240 and the rest at 1.225.</span></p><div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">These have not been cycled
hard if at all, I am going to suggest that he cycle them several more times to
see if anything improves after that</span></p><div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The other system has the same
problem with a different inverter! So it’s not inverter related, but I am
at a loss. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I have not used Interstates
before and want to stay away from them in the future.</span></p><div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Any other suggestions?</span></p><div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Thanks,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Bob Ellison</span></p>
</div>
</div><br>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----<br><br><div class="plainMail">_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address: <a ymailto="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" href="x-msg://52/mc/compose?to=RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>Options & settings:<br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List rules & etiquette:<br><a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br><br>Check out participant bios:<br>www.members.re-wrenches.org<br><br></div></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table><br>
_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>Options & settings:<br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org<br><br>List rules & etiquette:<br>www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm<br><br>Check out participant bios:<br>www.members.re-wrenches.org<br><br></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>