

Fellow Wrenchers,

A while ago I received some greatly appreciated advice from some of the members
here. I thank you all again, as well as Michael Welch and the others who help
keep this list going.

The issue at the time was a Y2K BBGT system with an SW4048 and a dead battery of
8 Trojan L-16s. The bank did last 7 years. The client is motivated and properly
maintained electrolyte levels. They also provided a relatively light cycling
every 3 months as recommended by the original installer.

After careful consideration I recommended and installed 8 Trojan T105RE
batteries and the relatively new to the market Trojan Hydrolink watering system.
My client wanted to retain some backup capability for the relatively rare and
brief grid outages we experience in this part of Vermont. They didn't care to
deal with the issues a new backup generator would entail.

If the watering system works as advertised, it should make this aspect of
battery maintenance dramatically easier, hopefully countering what seems to be
the greatest cause of premature failures in this type of system. Most of the
time the batteries are, of course, in float, controlled by the SW. The consensus
here is that flooded batteries should be cycled. The question remains, in this
application, what is optimal?

I have recommended a cycling regime to 20% DOD every 7 to 14 days, to be
followed by a PV supplied bulk charge and 2 hour absorption at Trojan's
recommended set points. Trojan rates the T105RE for 4000 cycles to 20% DOD. If
that was done weekly and everything else was good (watering, temperature, etc.),
in theory, that's about 80 years. Don't think that's gonna happen. Hopefully,
they last as long as possible.

Thoughts? Any experiences with the Hydrolink watering system?

Dick Ratico
Solarwind Electric


--- You wrote:
> I've been happy with Trojan batteries. They do say that they need up to 100
> cycles to reach full capacity.
 
so what does this mean for grid ties/battery back-up?
 
todd
 
 


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