[RE-wrenches] Trojan L16RE-2V set-points

[Sindelar Solar]

William and all,

While I too have avoided Trojan in recent years due to multiple reports 
of poor performance on this list, I want to note that in my experience, 
battery distributor experience will vary according to the individual 
branch. My local Albuquerque distributor is very good - prompt to 
respond, remembers my specific preferences (e.g. VRLAs left in their 
awkward boxes to avoid scuffing cases on our rough roads), gave me 
2%10Net30 terms at my request, and even delivers to remote customer 
sites or meeting points near me.

Batteries are the main component that I buy that's outside of solar 
distributor familiarity, and I have had to learn over many years how 
best to work with them. It's a quite different industry.

Allan

On 9/12/2018 12:31 PM, William Miller wrote:
> Friends:
>
> I used to buy Trojans. My vendor told me about 3 years ago that Trojan 
> had been acquired and the chemistry in the plates had changed. Later 
> they denied making that statement.
>
>  I had a set of L16s vastly underperform. Trojan suggest a 
> bulk/absorption voltage higher than any other manufacturer, a value 
> hard to achieve and maintain in a small off grid system. I replaced 
> them with US Battery and system performance improved.
>
> Due to the decline in quality I stopped using Trojan. Due to the 
> varying stories, I stopped using Battery Systems. We prefer the 
> MK/Deka brand.
>
>
> William
>
>
>
> On Sep 12, 2018, at 11:33 AM, Ray <ray at solarray.com 
> <mailto:ray at solarray.com>> wrote:
>
>> Unfortunately I'm seeing premature failures of the 2 v models even 
>> more.  You have paralleled cells in each battery, and it can be 
>> difficult to even identify the failures.  I found the infared camera 
>> to be invaluable, as you can see the shorted cell clearly in a 
>> thermal image.
>>
>> Ray Walters
>> Remote Solar
>> 303 505-8760
>> On 9/12/18 9:53 AM, Drake wrote:
>>> I agree with the comments that followed on this thread, and would 
>>> also like to add that Trojan L-16 batteries have a high rate of 
>>> premature failure. Possibly the 2 V cells are better, but the 6 V 
>>> cells seem very prone to dying early. Trojan batteries were robust 
>>> in past decades, but seem exceedingly fragile now.
>>>
>>> At 08:44 PM 9/11/2018, you wrote:
>>>> Hello wrenches,
>>>>
>>>> I inspected a system that another company had installed. It had 
>>>> single string of 12 x Trojan L16RE-2V batteries about 2 years 
>>>> old.  They had experienced a battery melt-down.  It looks as 
>>>> though the meltdown had occurred internally, not from a bad connection.
>>>>
>>>> The system was dual stack Outback VFXR-3524A inverters (to be 
>>>> precise one was a sealed unit).  The set-points were as follows:
>>>> Absorb Voltage was 29.8V
>>>> Absorb Time was 6.0 hours
>>>> Float Voltage was 27.0V
>>>> Rebulk Voltage was 27.0V
>>>> End Amps was 0A
>>>>
>>>> These settings extended similarly to 2 x FM80 charge controllers.
>>>>
>>>> I was able to jumper the melted battery and get her power in 15 
>>>> minutes.  Her installer had left her without power for 2 weeks.  
>>>> My clients will kill me if that happened!
>>>>
>>>> Anyway, I believe these set-points are way out of whack and too 
>>>> aggressive.  The voltage is OK (Trojan recommends ~29.6V for this) 
>>>> but the Absorb time seems way too long, Rebulk is too high and end 
>>>> amps isn't helping.  However, Im not finding a definitive article 
>>>> from Trojan that describes typical Absorb times or even how to 
>>>> adjust towards a good Absorb Time, based on specific gravity 
>>>> measurements or amperage absorption. Â
>>>>
>>>> My diagnosis is that these batteries have been cooked over the past 
>>>> 2 years.  In the electrolyte, there is noticeable "floaties".  
>>>> The client said that the original installer had accused her of not 
>>>> using distilled water, but I don't believe that would cause her 
>>>> symptoms.  I believe the floaties are plate material.
>>>>
>>>> I'd be interested in wrenches opinions familiar with these 
>>>> batteries if these are appropriate settings for a low energy 
>>>> user.  I will attempt to get through to Trojan as well.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks in advance
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Mac Lewis
>>>>
>>>> *"Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates
>>>> *_______________________________________________
>>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>>>>
>>>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>>>
>>>> Change listserver email address & settings:
>>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>>
>>>> List-Archive: 
>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html 
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> List rules & etiquette:
>>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm 
>>>> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>>>>
>>>> Check out or update participant bios:
>>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>>>
>>> List Address:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>> Change listserver email address & settings:
>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>> List-Archive:http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>>>
>>> List rules & etiquette:
>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>>>
>>> Check out or update participant bios:
>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>>
>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org 
>> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>
>> Change listserver email address & settings:
>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List-Archive: 
>> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>>
>> List rules & etiquette:
>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm 
>> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>>
>> Check out or update participant bios:
>> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out or update participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
-- 

*Allan Sindelar*
allan at sindelarsolar.com <mailto:allan at sindelarsolar.com>
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
*505 780-2738 cell*

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches_lists.re-wrenches.org/attachments/20180912/79ecb437/attachment.htm>