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Dan, Larry,<br>
<br>
I just had a S-460 do exactly the same thing, bank of 8,
good maintenance, light usage, one battery with 2 cells at 1.270,
one at "zero" Surrette was low hassle and prompt with free
replacement.<br>
<br>
As someone notable once said "excrement occurs".<br>
<br>
Bill<br>
<br>
<img alt="" src="cid:part1.03040404.04050707@frenergy.net"
height="103" width="306"><br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/23/2015 6:42 AM, Starlight Solar
Power Systems wrote:<br>
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Dan,
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Last week I had a 3+ year old Trojan L16H-AC with
one dead middle cell, SG shows water. The bank has 8 batteries
and the customer is diligent about maintenance and charging. I
wish I knew why this happens but it seems over the last few
years like there is a pattern with Trojan L16’s. </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class=""> Larry<br class="">
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<div class="">On Nov 22, 2015, at 7:49 AM, Dan Fink <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:danbob88@gmail.com"
class=""><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:danbob88@gmail.com">danbob88@gmail.com</a></a>> wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<div class="">
<div dir="ltr" class="">Esteemed Wrenches;
<div class=""><br class="">
<div class="">I'm looking for input on what could be
going on with a battery bank at the college I teach
for. It's a stand-alone system with 4 Trojan 12v
T-1275 in series / parallel for 24v, 660w of PV,
running only a drainback solar hot water system for
space heating. So, 3 pumps and 3 DTCs, max load 100
watts and doesn't run all that often, outback CC is
usually in float. The batteries are only 2.5 years old
and are regularly maintained.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">My lab class tested and maintained the
battery bank last week, and on one battery there was
one cell, in the middle of the battery, with a SG so
low it wouldn't even register on our refractometer or
midnite hydrometer. That battery reads about 0.2v
lower than the others. All the other cells in that
battery read reasonable SG, with 2 cells on the
downstream side reading SG slightly low, but still in
reasonable range. This was of course all before
topping up the electrolyte with distilled water.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Our troubleshooting exercise looked at:</div>
<div class="">~ Measurement error? Nope, I was right
there supervising and 2 different lab classes got the
same results with 2 different instruments;</div>
<div class="">~ Stratification? A suspicion especially
since the system is usually in float. We equalized
twice, no change in SG. I DID hear that likely this
was the first time the batteries had ever been
equalized, but no way to know for sure.</div>
<div class="">~ Spilled electrolyte from tipped battery
replaced with water by a previous instructor's class?
Can't see this, all the other cells would have lost
electrolyte too;</div>
<div class="">~ A student accidentally discharged
electrolyte into the bucket instead of back in the
cell, then was replaced by distilled water when
topping up? I can't see that either, the midnite
hydrometer needs only a small sample.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">So, I'm left with "likely we have a cell
that is failing for some reason" and students secretly
smug that the professor is also stumped.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Any ideas?</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
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<div class="">
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<div class="">
<div dir="ltr" class="">
<div class="">
<div dir="ltr" class="">
<div class=""><span
style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"
class="">Dan Fink</span>
<div
style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"
class="">Adjunct Professor, Ecotech
Institute</div>
<div
style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"
class="">IREC Certified Instructor™
for: </div>
<div
style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"
class="">~ PV Installation
Professional</div>
<div
style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"
class="">~ Small Wind Installer</div>
<div
style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"
class="">Executive Director,
Buckville Energy</div>
<div
style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"
class="">NABCEP Accredited
Continuing Education Providers™<br
class="">
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:970.672.4342"
value="+19706724342"
style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"
target="_blank" class="">970.672.4342</a></div>
<br class="">
</div>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Feather River Solar Electric
Bill Battagin, Owner
4291 Nelson St.
Taylorsville, CA 95983
530.284.7849
CA Lic 874049
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