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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Tom,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I have seen many Surrette
battery banks of two series strings in parallel last 10 to 12 years. Also have
had a few with three string banks go that long. All were well designed systems
with homeowners providing good maintenance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Dave<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>The
Office of Tom Duffy<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 30, 2010 10:56 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Interstate UL-16 HC problem<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>Jay<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>Higher charge settings, proper absorb times (do the math) and
absorb voltage settings, diligent maintenance and twice yearly good EQs, on a
single series connected, properly sized string, of quality L16s, will yield at
least 10 to 12 years. Maybe not on a Deka, Exide or even Interstate which have
thinner plates than Trojan or Surrette. I have seen some 14 year strings in
use, though they were pretty well exhausted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>Now I’m only talking about single series banks. There is no hope
for parallel banks without a lot of extra time and work and even then not the
life were talking about here.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>Remember that 8 400 AH L16s in a 48 volt string is a rather
small-small cabin, for three days autonomy, so proper sizing is a must for good
life. It’s really about cycles because the positive plate is finite and at the
hoped for end to its life there is really no positive plate left. Most of the
batteries out there however will die from sulfation suffocation long before
this end.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> Tom Duffy</span><span style='color:green'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:#99CC00'> Systems Design Engineer</span><span style='color:#99CC00'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'><img width=218 height=80 id="_x0000_i1026"
src="cid:image001.jpg@01CB18E9.4FD8DC90"></span><span style='color:green'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> <a href="mailto:tom@thesolar.biz">tom@thesolar.biz</a></span><span
style='color:green'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> 575-539-2111 X 301</span><span
style='color:green'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:teal'>Although no trees were killed in the sending of this message, a
large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.</span></em><span
style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:green'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:green'> </span><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:green'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#993300'>Confidentiality Notice</span></strong><span style='font-family:
"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#993300'>:</span><span
style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:green'> This
message including any attachments is for the sole use of the intended
recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are
not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete any copies of
this message.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>jay
peltz<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 30, 2010 7:20 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Interstate UL-16 HC problem</span><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>HI Tom,<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Are you saying that you are seeing 14 years on a single
string of L-16's?<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>If so I would like to hear your charging
recommendations.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>thanks,<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>jay<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>peltz power<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>On Jun 30, 2010, at 9:32 AM, The Office of Tom Duffy wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>Bob</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>Yes the problem is hard sulfation due to chronically under
charging. The absorb time and voltage is the most critical charge mode for
charging batteries. The default settings on inverters and charge controllers
are always way too short, so they hold the batteries in absorb for a little
while, then go to float, leaving the batteries under charged forever, thus we
get hard sulfation. This is what you have here. Typically two parallel strings
will yield about 6 ½ years of life in a system that is used off grid. While a
single series string will yield 10 to 14 years (properly maintained) 14 years
is not the rule however. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>A bit of due diligence is now required to get these back, (and
they may not be worth it). Separate the two strings and give them 62 volts for
10 hours; you’ll have to watch them so they don’t get too hot. Set the absorb
settings below and give them about three weeks. If there is some improvement in
capacity, another EQ; 61 volts for two hours may just do it. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>With the Magnum 48 volt inverter I calculate the absorb time at 5
hours, now typically the absorb charge should be about 58.8 volts but, most
batteries die because of under charge so I would set the absorb voltage at
59.4. You may have to update the software for the Magnum control panel to get
more programming flexibility.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'>The MX60 with 6 of the 175s should be set to absorb for as long as
possible, I think the last software version allows 4 hours. I calculated absorb
time with this setup is 19.6 hours which is not possible, so just keep the
controller from going to float for as long as you can.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif"'><ns0:city><ns0:place><span
style='color:green'>Concord</span></ns0:place></ns0:city><span
style='color:green'> makes a real nice 915 AH 2 volt cell which should give a
decade plus life, for the next bank. I would avoid parallel strings at all
cost. If you feel this is too large a bank then use the 660 AH 2 volt. You can
always call me 575-539-2111 if you have questions. I have been in the battery
business almost 45 years.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> Tom Duffy</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:#99CC00'> Systems Design Engineer</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> <a href="mailto:tom@thesolar.biz">tom@thesolar.biz</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:green'> 575-539-2111 X 301</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";
color:teal'>Although no trees were killed in the sending of this message, a
large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.</span></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:green'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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