<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote">On Jan 20, 2014 8:42 AM, "Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems" <<a href="mailto:larry@starlightsolar.com" target="_blank">larry@starlightsolar.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution">
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<div style="word-wrap:break-word">Jerry (and Chris),<div><br></div><div>I can't agree that there is nothing better than FLA batteries. It depends on may factors. For example, many of our customers are only using their system seasonally. When away for up to 6 months, an AGM or GEL battery will be far superior unless you have a knowledgable person servicing the bank every month. If your customer is not fully dedicated to understanding and then actually caring out all the requirements of owning a flooded bank (watering, equalizing, keeping a log book, testing, cleaning, …), then I would not suggest FLA. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Chris, designing and installing battery based systems require lots of understanding. You will likely be the one educating your customer and resolving problems for many years. The single most important item to install in any off grid system is a battery capacity meter. Its like a fuel gauge so you can see what you are doing with your battery bank. Check out Blue Sky Energy and Bogart Engineering.<br>
<div><br></div><div>Suggesting Rolls (very high quality) and Interstate (cheapest battery from JC) in the same sentence…well, that just made my teeth hurt. <div><br><div>Larry <div><br><br></div>
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<br><div><div>On Jan 18, 2014, at 7:21 PM, Jerry Shafer <<a href="mailto:jerrysgarage01@gmail.com" target="_blank">jerrysgarage01@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br><p dir="ltr">My mistake nothing better then FLA vented, I would stay away from centurians I have had a lot of premee failures, rolls, interstate and the big boys Hawker can last 20 years. Also nickel iron no not metal "iron" cost alot but you should never need to replace them my last set was 35k for 900 amps<br>
Jerry</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Jan 18, 2014 4:20 PM, "Chris Mason" <<a href="mailto:cometenergysystems@gmail.com" target="_blank">cometenergysystems@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr">This is for an off-grid system.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jan 18, 2014 at 8:07 PM, Jerry Shafer <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jerrysgarage01@gmail.com" target="_blank">jerrysgarage01@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><p dir="ltr">For for grid tie system l I would only use AGM weather it be interstate or rolls and amps per buck is better over time<br>
Jerry</p>
<div class="gmail_quote"><div>On Jan 18, 2014 3:16 PM, "Chris Mason" <<a href="mailto:cometenergysystems@gmail.com" target="_blank">cometenergysystems@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution">
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<div dir="ltr">We don't do a lot of off-grid systems so I am short on experience with battery systems. I have a 8KW Radian system for which I am considering Rolls Surrette or Outback 200RE AGM batteries. I know people like the Surrettes, what is the experience with the outback battery system? <br clear="all">
<div><br></div>-- <br>Chris Mason<div><br></div>
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<br></blockquote><div>Larry<br></div>There are allot of variables some of which I did not include. Rolls is good Interstate will also work, Hawker is even better, interstate is least expensive and available all over so that is where that came from. If the location is seasonal and small sealed will be OK and both need to be maintained over the Off season. I always try to teach my customers how to perform the service and it will usually fall somewhere between 3 and 4
months apart so if you are away for 6 months this can be an issue.
Sealed may be better if there are very low temps during the off season.
Most of my "off Grid" customers are full time and service is part of the
maintenance schedule. Education of the owner is very important as that will be there first line of defense of survival and monitoring of the system is always good, we use the Outback system Flex DC with the shunts, it does seam that bogart along with Outback both need to be cleared and reset on occasion. Sorry if I made your teeth hurt.<br>
</div><div class="gmail_quote">Jerry<br></div>
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