BTW, the useful life of a lead acid battery charge cycle is 50% state of
charge (~12.1V).  Repeatedly discharging below this will shorten battery
life.  Discharging below ~11.6V will permanently damage a lead acid
battery.  So, even tho your batteries are probably already shot, you might
load test it only down to ~12.1V.

Gus

On Tue, Mar 2, 2021 at 2:46 PM Gus Bernard <[email protected]> wrote:

> What Rick & John said.
>
> If those 3 batteries have been sitting there since 2012, they're likely
> past their end of life and no longer reliable.  A "run of the mill" marine
> battery will last only 5yrs.  A cheap (Walmart) marine battery, maybe
> 3yrs.  I'd replace them and/or do a load test on them (with a heat gun or
> hair dryer).
>
> To operate reliably, the system you describe requires decent quality
> "storage" batteries.  Even a *deep cycle* marine battery is not a good
> solar system *storage* battery.  The cheapest (in the short run) reliable
> solution is to use flooded lead acid golf cart or forklift batteries.  The
> cheapest (in the long run) solution is LiFePO4.
>
> For solar system storage battery info, see DIY Solar Power with Will
> Prowse <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoj6RxIAQq8kmJme-5dnN0Q>, or
> hundreds of others on YouTube.
>
> Gus
> K5GMB
>
> On Tue, Mar 2, 2021 at 3:05 AM Gayle Dotts via BVARC <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> My emergency contingency consists of 3 solar panels totaling 200+ watts
>> charging 3 Marine 12v batteries, then hooked up to an 2000 watt inverter.
>> All to run a 7 cubic foot chest freezer a couple of fans and some lights.
>> Had this since 2012 "end of the world scare" but never actually used in an
>> emergency until our BIG freeze.  It failed!!
>> Everything was charged up and working except my inverter.  When hooked up
>> it made a beeping sound and then shut down.. I read somewhere that they
>> might have an internal battery that might have failed.  Any thoughts?
>>
>> Gayle
>> WB5DOT
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