<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Really Ray:<br> Almost all of the L-16s I've installed or serviced, mostly Trojans, lasted 7-13 years. I have only seen one one bank of L-16s die in 5 years. On the other other hand, I have seen golf cart batts, such as the T-105s last 3-7 years, with only a few making it any longer. <br><div> </div>Nick Soleil<br>Project Manager<br>Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC<br>PO Box 657<br>Petaluma, CA 94953<br>Cell: 707-321-2937<br>Office: 707-789-9537<br>Fax: 707-769-9037<div><br></div><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> R Ray Walters
<ray@solarray.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tue, June 29, 2010 8:59:15 PM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Interstate UL-16 HC problem<br></font><br>
<meta http-equiv="x-dns-prefetch-control" content="off">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; 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-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div>R. Walters</div><div><a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:ray@solarray.com" target="_blank" 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>
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<br><div><div>On Jun 29, 2010, at 9:16 PM, Darryl Thayer wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font: inherit;" valign="top">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 rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:dave@independentpowerllc.com" target="_blank"
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 rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:dave@independentpowerllc.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:dave@independentpowerllc.com">dave@independentpowerllc.com</a>><br>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches]
Interstate UL-16 HC problem<br>To: "'RE-wrenches'" <<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank" 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">
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<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>
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<div style="border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); padding: 3pt 0in 0in;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank" 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>
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</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>
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