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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>We have been dropping the absorption setting from 29.2 vdc to 28.2-4 volts and raised the transition current setting for the “empty” houses we care for over the winter and have not seen any odd specific gravity variations and done an EQ cycle before putting back into service. The water usage during this setback time has dropped by 80-90%. I was very surprised and the trips to 10,000 ft elevation can now be reduced safely. When the client was there over the winter they had to water every 6-7 weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Dana Orzel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Great Solar Works, Inc<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>E - dana@solarwork.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>V - 970.626.5253<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>F - 970.626.4140<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>C - 970.209.4076<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>web - www.solarwork.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>"Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988"</span><span style='color:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Do not ever believe anything, but seriously trust through action.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><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 style='margin-left:.5in'><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> Tuesday, August 02, 2011 5:05 PM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Trojan RE Series Tech question<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in'>Dave,<br>My response is only part of the answer, but may help with your system setup. Both the SB50 and the FM60 have the ability to limit the absorption time, although by different methods. This may serve as a key setting to reduce gassing and water use when the homeowners are away.<br><br>With the SB50, you can adjust the float transition current to a allow the switch the batteries from acceptance (Blue Sky's term for absorption) into float sooner. The default recommendation is 2% of battery capacity per the manual; perhaps 3% would allow it to transition sooner. The FM60 has a setting to allow transition to float at a set current - that is, as long as the voltage is at the bulk/absorption setpoint (suggesting that the batteries are nearly full), rather than staying in absorption for the entire timed absorption period, if the current necessary to maintain absorption voltage drops below this threshold (of typically around 2% of battery capacity, or about 44 amps in your case) the controller will go into float. My understanding is that this is specifically to reduce daily absorption time when batteries are lightly cycled, as in this case.<br><br>What I don't know is how these two very different controllers (digital vs. analog, among other differences) will work as a team together. Other Wrenches may have more experience. My idea is to set the FTC on the SB50 high so that it will transition first, allowing the FM80 to regulate final transition. Maybe instead set the SB50 to a slightly lower bulk/acceptance setpoint voltage, so that the SB50 drops out a bit sooner and the FM80 completes the daily charge.<br>Allan<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b>Allan Sindelar</b><br><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><span style='color:#000099'>Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</span></a></span><br><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer<br>NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>New Mexico 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> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:722.25pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><br>On 8/2/2011 3:49 PM, Dave Palumbo wrote: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Our go to guy at Trojan, Ron Parades, is evidently gone. That’s what they said at his old phone extension at Trojan. I left a message for tech support there and have not heard back as of yet.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Is there another Trojan Tech person to specifically ask for now? And is there one on this list helping out as Ron did previously?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>I have a question on the Trojan RE Series charging voltage settings. I know the specific gravity is lower on this series and the bulk charge voltage is correspondingly lower than the old L-16’s.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>I have an off grid system for a remote home where the client is only there from June through October. He has 1,560 Watts of solar and a new battery bank rated at 2,220 AH at 12 volts (12 L-16 RE-2V batteries). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>That is a charge rate in the C/20 range. The homeowner uses the system reasonable hard when they are there but during the winter the load is only 15AH per day for a low voltage security system.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>He has previously serviced his Rolls CH-375’s (1,400AH with 450 Watts of PV on that system, about a C/33 rate) in October before leaving for 7 months and has not had a problem with the battery electrolyte boiling off too much over that time period. He got 10 years out of the Rolls batteries using it in this way. The charge voltage for that system was 14.6 through a Solar Boost 50.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>The new system will have 1,110 Watts charging through a Out Back FM 80 alongside the original array on the Solar Boost for the total of 1,560 Watts of PV.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>I am thinking of charging at 14.6 Bulk with a two hour absorption time period in the summer and then changing it for the 7 month period when the system is lightly used. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>My question is, how low should I set the two charge controllers for winter/spring use to minimize water consumption? I’m thinking of 14.2 or 14.3 Volts, with a reduced absorption time of one hour. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>And what should the float voltage setting be? The batteries are in a basement that is kept at about 55 degrees. There is temperature compensation on the battery charging.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Thank you,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>David Palumbo<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Independent Power LLC <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>462 Solar Way Drive<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Hyde Park, VT 05655<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><i><a href="http://www.independentpowerllc.com">www.independentpowerllc.com</a> </i></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>NABCEP Certified PV Installer<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Vermont Solar Partner<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>23 Years Experience, (802) 888-7194 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'> <o:p></o:p></p><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Options & settings:<o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><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><o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>List rules & etiquette:<o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Check out participant bios:<o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><o:p></o:p></pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></pre></div></body></html>