Hi again wrenches,<div><br></div><div>I wanted to clarify a couple of things regarding this discussion in the interest of not tarnishing any reputations undeservedly. Apollo had nothing to do with the design of this system, other than showing me how to hook their equipment up with a positive ground. For that matter, we didn't either, we were replacing what was there and working, previous to a catastrophic lightning strike. The client had no interest in replacing the batteries at that time, and after some unsophisticated testing, we had no reason to believe that they had been damaged in the lightning strike. The Apollo equipment has worked flawlessly since the installation. The trouble has been with starting faults at the generator itself, once because it was vandalized, and a ground fault in the telecom equipment itself, which took our solar equipment off-line. No complaints whatsoever with the Apollo gear or their tech support.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I am still waiting to hear back from GNB and will post when I learn anything about the Absolytes.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 9:27 AM, Joel Davidson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:joel.davidson@sbcglobal.net">joel.davidson@sbcglobal.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<u></u>
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div><font face="Arial">Chris,</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">Look for hair-like cracks around the cell
terminals. The cracks are failure indicators caused by temperature
swings. In Malibu California, a 75 kWh, 48-volt Absolyte battery
bank failed after 4 years. Malibu has a very mild climate but temperature
in the uninsulated equipment room ranged from 40 F in winter to 90 F in
summer. The PV system is grid connected with battery backup. Absolytes were used
to replace an IBE battery bank because no one was watering the IBE cells. Two
years ago, the Absolytes were replaced with a new IBE battery bank that is
inspected and watered every 6 months.</font></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial">Joel Davidson</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>
</font></span><blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT:#000000 2px solid;PADDING-LEFT:5px;PADDING-RIGHT:0px;MARGIN-LEFT:5px;MARGIN-RIGHT:0px"><div><div class="h5">
<div style="FONT:10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial;BACKGROUND:#e4e4e4"><b>From:</b>
<a title="maclewis1@gmail.com" href="mailto:maclewis1@gmail.com" target="_blank">mac Lewis</a>
</div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a title="re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">RE-wrenches</a> </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 17, 2012 7:08
AM</div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Absolyte
recovery</div>
<div><br></div>Hi Chris,
<div><br></div>
<div>I suspect that the charger in the Apollo Inverter/Charger is undersized,
especially since all of the loads are -48V. Conversely, the array is
very oversized and the controllers float most of the time. The charge
controllers were working fine last I checked. It's difficult to access
the site right now, it includes a 30 mile snow mobile ride. We intended
to put a comprehensive remote monitoring system but it didn't get put in
before the snow came. I want to get up there and help the system limp
along until snow melt when we can do a thorough assessment.</div>
<div>The generator guy went up there and someone had pulled the stop switch on
the genset. The battery voltage was around 5V on a 48V bank.
Yikes!</div>
<div><br></div>
<div> Thanks for the contact info.<br><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Feb 16, 2012 at 2:13 PM, Chris <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:chris@solarwindworks.com" target="_blank">chris@solarwindworks.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT:#ccc 1px solid;MARGIN:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;PADDING-LEFT:1ex" class="gmail_quote">
<div lang="EN-US" vlink="purple" link="blue">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">Hi
Mac,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">We
had a cell failure on an Absolyte system we inherited and
contacted;<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">Jeff
Lambert</span><span style="COLOR:navy"> <br></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">Product
Support and Warranty</span><span style="COLOR:navy"> <br></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">East
Penn Mfg. Co., Inc. - Unigy Battery Division</span><span style="COLOR:navy"> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Wingdings;COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">(</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:8pt">Office:
<a href="tel:%28610%29%20682%20%E2%80%93%206361%20ext.%202848" value="+16106826361" target="_blank">(610) 682 – 6361 ext. 2848</a></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt"> </span><span style="COLOR:navy"> </span><span style="COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">| </span><strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Webdings;FONT-SIZE:14pt">È</span></strong><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:8pt">Cell:
<a href="tel:%28484%29%20955%20%E2%80%93%202899" value="+14849552899" target="_blank">(484) 955 – 2899</a> </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:7.5pt"> </span><span style="COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">| </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:7.5pt"> </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Webdings;COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:14pt">Ç</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:8pt">Page:
<a href="tel:888-797-8039" value="+18887978039" target="_blank">888-797-8039</a> </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:8pt">(If
no answer on Cell)</span><span style="COLOR:navy"> </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:7.5pt"> |
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Wingdings;COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">*</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Wingdings;COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:8pt"> </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:8pt">Email</span><span style="COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">:</span><span style="COLOR:navy">
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:8pt"><a title="blocked::mailto:jlambert@eastpennunigy.com" href="mailto:jlambert@eastpennunigy.com" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR:navy">jlambert@eastpennunigy.com</span></a></span><span style="COLOR:navy"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">Jeff
was very helpful.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt">I
do wonder if your charge controllers are getting the array power out to the
battery bank, was there any damage to them too? Is the Apollo 4048
inverter/charger doing its job, is it undersized for the size of battery
bank?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt"><u></u><u></u></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">Sincerely,<br><br>Chris
Worcester<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:navy;FONT-SIZE:10pt">Solar
Wind Works<br>NABCEP Certified PV Installer<br>Phone: <a href="tel:530-582-4503" value="+15305824503" target="_blank">530-582-4503</a><br>Fax: <a href="tel:530-582-4603" value="+15305824603" target="_blank">530-582-4603</a><br>
<a href="http://www.solarwindworks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR:blue">www.solarwindworks.com</span></a><br><a href="mailto:chris@solarwindworks.com" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR:blue">chris@solarwindworks.com</span></a><br>
"Proven Energy
Solutions"</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri','sans-serif';COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:11pt"><u></u><u></u></span> </p>
<div style="BORDER-BOTTOM:medium none;BORDER-LEFT:medium none;PADDING-BOTTOM:0in;PADDING-LEFT:0in;PADDING-RIGHT:0in;BORDER-TOP:#b5c4df 1pt solid;BORDER-RIGHT:medium none;PADDING-TOP:3pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of
</b>mac Lewis<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 16, 2012 12:43
PM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Absolyte
recovery<u></u><u></u></span></p></div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Wrenches,<u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have inherited a Telecomm system in which the
batteries have had a very hard life. A lighting strike knocked the
system off line for about 5 months, and ground fault dragged the batteries
way down about a month ago. Now, we are seeing about 10h of generator
run time/day indicating to me that the batteries are not holding voltage at
all.<u></u><u></u></p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> I am uncertain of the exact specs at this
moment, but it is a 24 Absolyte IIP batteries (5 years old), with a 5 kW
array, two Apollo T80HV charge controllers and an Apollo 4048 inverter
charger.<u></u><u></u></p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>I don't have experience with these batteries.
Is there any way to try to recover these batteries? Any good
contacts with GNB would be useful.</span><u></u><u></u></p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Thanks</span><br clear="all"><u></u><u></u></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p>
<div>
<blockquote style="BORDER-BOTTOM:medium none;BORDER-LEFT:#cccccc 1pt solid;PADDING-BOTTOM:0in;PADDING-LEFT:6pt;PADDING-RIGHT:0in;MARGIN-LEFT:4.8pt;BORDER-TOP:medium none;MARGIN-RIGHT:0in;BORDER-RIGHT:medium none;PADDING-TOP:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wrenches,<u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have inherited a Telecomm system in which the
batteries have had a very hard life. <span style="COLOR:#888888"><br clear="all"><span><u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="COLOR:#888888">--
</span><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#888888"><u></u><u></u></span> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#888888"><u></u><u></u></span> </p></div>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM:12pt" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="COLOR:#888888">Mac Lewis</span></span><span><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:#ff9900"><u></u><u></u></span></b></span></p>
<p><span style="COLOR:#305a78">"Yo solo sé que no sé
nada." </span><b><span style="COLOR:#686868">-Sócrates</span></b><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div></blockquote></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br><br clear="all"><u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">-- <u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM:12pt" class="MsoNormal">Mac Lewis<b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:#ff9900"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p><span style="COLOR:#305a78">"Yo solo sé que no sé
nada." </span><b><span style="COLOR:#686868">-Sócrates</span></b><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial','sans-serif';COLOR:#ff9900"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u> </p></div></div></div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>List
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<p align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE:small"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:arial;COLOR:rgb(48,90,120);FONT-WEIGHT:normal"><font face="'times new roman', serif">"Yo solo sé que no sé nada." </font><span style="COLOR:rgb(104,104,104);FONT-WEIGHT:700"><font face="'times new roman', serif">-Sócrates</font></span></span></span></font></p>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div><br></div><div><font color="#305A78" face="'times new roman', serif"><br></font></div><div><br></div>Mac Lewis<br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:medium;color:rgb(255,153,0)"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3"><p align="left">
<font color="#000000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;color:rgb(48,90,120)"><font face="'times new roman', serif">"Yo solo sé que no sé nada." </font><span style="font-weight:700;color:rgb(104,104,104)"><font face="'times new roman', serif">-Sócrates</font></span></span></span></font></p>
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