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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Allan,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>5 years in a scenario like that would certainly be a reasonable life expectancy for those cells. Deep discharges followed by inadequate recharging would cause sulfation in a short period of time and with many cycles due to the undersizing… 5 years sounds like fair performance given the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dave<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";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";color:windowtext'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Allan Sindelar<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, February 23, 2011 1:19 PM<br><b>To:</b> William Miller<br><b>Cc:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Quick Cote troubles<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I would prefer to use William's method, as it is certainly quicker if indeed it provides long-term protection. Bob-O recommends the same thing.<br><br>I forwarded all replies to Russ in Taos; his reply follows. Russ is a skilled installer.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks for forwarding this discussion to me. The connections were definitely tight, and the Quick Cote wasn't dirty.<br><br>We originally used Vaseline on the connections five years ago, so there was no old Quick Cote on the jumpers (which we reused), and the contact surfaces were clean (Vaseline does a good job of "spooging" out of the way when you tighten the bolts down). Curiously, this was a warm battery bank (when we came to remove the old batteries, they were quite warm from charging (insulated battery box)), but the vaseline didn't melt off and expose the cable lugs to corrosion, as I would have expected -- every cable was in perfect condition.<br><br>BTW, this was a set of Rolls series 5000, large 6 volt batteries, that the customer killed off in 5 years from deep cycling (he'd wait until the system shut down before turning on the generator) and inadequate recharging -- the size of the battery bank was designed before the house was finished, and the customer added a bunch of loads that weren't listed on the load profile (like a 3hp pump, instead of the smaller one anticipated by the homeowner). Andy looked into the warranty, but the folks at Rolls said they've never warranted an entire battery bank that was abused like that. He knew the customer wouldn't get warranty coverage for the whole bank, but he had to at least look into it. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span class=il><b>Allan</b></span><b> Sindelar</b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><br><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com" target="_blank"><span class=il><u>Allan</u></span><u>@positiveenergysolar.com</u></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"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><br>On 2/22/2011 11:33 PM, William Miller wrote: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Allan:<br><br>We have had problems if battery terminals are not absolutely clean and dry when mating to connectors. We use a wire brush, usually chucked in a small right-angle grinder. We apply no coating until connections are done and tested. We then apply a spray product we purchase at Napa Auto. It drys eventually to a non-sticky consistency.<br><br>William Miller<br><br>Hiya Allan & Roy, <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>I do the same thing Roy does. I prefer the connection to be "bright & tight", then put the gooey on. Seems like you would get a better connection without the gooey between and when the stuff spooges out during tightening, it seems like it might keep the bolt from getting completely tight. Different stroke for different folks, I guess.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hope you both are well. This getting older shit ain't fer sissies!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Best, Bob-O<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Feb 22, 2011, at 4:46 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br>On 2/22/2011 5:29 PM, Roy Butler wrote: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Allan,<br><br>I used Quick Cote for years until my local supplier had problems getting it in a timely manner.<br>I never had a problem with it but then again, I never put it on the lug/ terminal mating surfaces<br>prior to making the connections. Then I carefully coated the terminals, making sure to not<br>miss any spots.<br><br>I've had several opportunities to have a look at the mating surfaces years later and never found<br>any corrosion. I would imagine that grit would indeed create a connection problem. But you say<br>you've never seen this yourself?<br><br>I wonder if the formulation has been changed recently?<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p><pre>Roy Butler<o:p></o:p></pre></div></body></html>