<html><body><span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#000000; font-size:10pt;"><div><span><div><span>.... try disconnecting all strings from each other... (check all electrolyte levels and Specific Gravity).. let them rest for a while... and compare individual battery voltages... you're looking for about 2 volt differences... (bad cells)... basically you're up against an ohm's law thing... higher Resistance (Impedance is an AC thing), less current.... I'd be looking for sulphation or a bad connection.... you may be able to eq each string individually, then recombine them... (Be sure to do your homework).. might be an aging battery thing... depending on, depending on, generally if they're over like 5 years old, their number may well be on the board. good luck. db<br></span></div><div style="clear: both;"><span><br></span></div></span><br></div><div><br>Dan Brown<br>Foxfire Energy Corp.<br>Renewable Energy Systems<br>(802)-483-2564<br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.Foxfire-Energy.com">www.Foxfire-Energy.com</a><br>NABCEP #092907-44</div><div><br><br></div><blockquote id="replyBlockquote" webmail="1" style="border-left: 2px solid blue; margin-left: 8px; padding-left: 8px; font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana;"> <div id="wmQuoteWrapper"> -------- Original Message --------<br> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Imbalance In Multiple String Charging Current<br> From: "Mark Frye" <<a target="_blank" href="mailto://markf@berkeleysolar.com">markf@berkeleysolar.com</a>><br> Date: Thu, July 22, 2010 1:30 pm<br> To: "'RE-wrenches'" <<a target="_blank" href="mailto://re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br> <br> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Folks,</font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">I have three strings of batteries cabled in parallel to a common buss bar.</font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">During charging, one string takes significantly less current than the others.</font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">What can I infer from this? Is the low current string healthier, presenting higher impedance due to a higher state of charge? Or is there a single bad cell with high impedance in this string? Both, neither, something else, or can't know without further information?</font></div> <div><font face="Arial"> </font> <br><font face="Arial" size="2">Mark Frye</font> <br><font face="Arial" size="2">Berkeley Solar Electric Systems</font> <br><font face="Arial" size="2">303 Redbud Way</font> <br><font face="Arial" size="2">Nevada City, CA 95959</font> <br><font face="Arial" size="2">(530) 401-8024</font> <br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.berkeleysolar.com"><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">www.berkeleysolar.com</font></u></a><font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <hr>_______________________________________________<br> List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br> <br> List Address: <a target="_blank" href="mailto://RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br> <br> Options & settings:<br> <a target="_blank" 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><br> <br> List-Archive: <a target="_blank" href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br> <br> List rules & etiquette:<br> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br> <br> Check out participant bios:<br> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><br> <br> </div> </blockquote></span></body></html>