[RE-wrenches] Electrolyte Dilution vs Voltage

[Ray]

Interstate is not a long life battery.  5 years is probably getting near 
the end.  As they age, they start using more water which leads to 
running them dry, which leads to killing them even quicker.  The end of 
service for L16s is usually not pretty.  I'd be checking for dead cells, 
in addition to Steve Higgins's recommendations. Whether she can recover 
them or not, its time to at least start shopping for new batteries.  As 
this continues, they'll use more and more water, make more acid mess, 
and in general not work as well from here on out.  Then, cells will 
start dying left and right, and it will get really miserable.  Basically 
it comes down to how long she is willing to suffer.

Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760

On 7/18/18 9:38 AM, Mac Lewis wrote:
> Hello Wrenches,
>
> I have a homeowner client that takes pretty good care of her 
> batteries.  She has a 5 year old set of Interstate L16s (2 strings of 
> 8).  However, she recently didn't water them for longer than normal 
> and they gulped up more distilled water than usual (4 gallons).  She 
> was unsure if any of the plates were exposed.  She has reported that 
> since she added the water the battery bank has lost about 1.5-2V (48V 
> bank) of her bank voltage in the morning.  She reported ~49.5V in the 
> morning before she added the water and now she is below 48V.
>
> I have advised a good strong equalize charge to destratify the 
> electrolyte.
>
> Will diluting the electrolyte make the voltage sag like that?  Is 
> there any other advice you might give her until I can get up there?
>
> Thanks
>
>
> -- 
>
>
>
> Mac Lewis
>
> *
>
> "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates
>
> *
>
>
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