E-meter [RE-wrenches]

[David Palumbo, Independent Power & Light]

-----Original Message-----
From: John Blittersdorf, Cent. VT Solar & Wind [mailto:cvsolar at aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2000 8:43 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: E-meter [RE-wrenches]


Bob-O,
    Now that I know there is another installer partial to E-meters, maybe
you
will be the one to answer this question.  Are there any scenarios of loads
(ie high amp draws by multiple large loads) where the E-meter is unable to
correctly track and show percent of battery remaining.  I  am seeing a
situation with a customers system where the batteries appear to be at a
lower
s.o.c. than the emeter is indicating.   The amp hours down from full and the
percent displayed seems to agree.  My own system is also showing the same
symptoms and I have seen it on a system I installed last winter.   All
summer
when I had surplus solar at my house it seemed to be tracking fine but now
when we are stretching the batteries to make it to the next sunny day, I am
seeing low battery voltages (22.8 to 23.6) in the morning when we had only a
12 watt total load plus the SW4024 running during the night.
Battery voltage was about 24.6 with a 10 amp load during the late evening
and
the % charge displayed and amp hours down looked correct.   The owners of a
new system I just completed (1200 watt PV array, 16 L16PF batteries) are
questioning the performance of the batteries as they are seeing the same
thing..... batteries down 250 amp hours out of a 1400 amp hour battery and
voltages below 24 volts with only one compact fluorescent on.  I have an old
BCM from SunAmp Power that was my only meter for years with my bank of
T105's
and I tried to keep the batteries at 40% or above on that.  Now I am seeing
10% on the BCM when the emeter says 85% ???    Any ideas?  I still have 12 e
meters in stock to sell and I like how they look... I just need my faith
restored in them.

John Blittersdorf
CVSolar

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John,
	My best guess, if the amp hour metering is correct, is that the battery
bank has unequally charged cells
, and, or, there is sulfation on the plates. One, or both, of these maladies
would explain lack of capacity in a battery bank.
How are the hydrometer readings cell to cell? Are there desulfator devices
on these batteries?
	I never have tried the E-Meter because I found the Cruising Equipment
company difficult to deal with when I used their early meters. I have been
very pleased with the TriMetric meters and the service I receive from Ralph
is excellent.

David Palumbo
IP&L

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 RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

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 www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine: 
 www.homepower.com

For info contact list moderator by email:
 michael.welch at homepower.com

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