Matthew Park house wrote:
I just priced the cost of a replacement set of ten lead-acid RV-type batteries
(12 volt) for my VW Van conversion (It is FOR SALE, by the way!).
Came to right about $1,800. This is from a local battery supply. Is there a
less-costly way to buy these? What is the recommended source these days? (It's
been four years and I'm a bit staggered by the increase in cost!)
When you're buying $1000+ worth of batteries, it pays to shop around and
negotiate. I've had very good luck getting them to come down in price.
Besides, you really don't want ten of whatever they have in stock. They
will be of random ages and conditions, and not particularly well
matched. Have them order a batch just for you, so they are all in fact
new, and of the same date code.
Another reason to order is that you can get exactly the terminals you
want. The batteries in stock will probably have "universal" terminals,
with a 5/16" stud, a smallish automotive post, and maybe a thru-hole for
flag-type terminal. These are terrible terminals for high current EV
use! The stud is useless for high currents. The shortened automotive
post makes poor connections to normal automotive terminals. And the
thru-hole takes away cross sectional area, while offering sub-standard
contact area if you choose to bolt on a ring terminal.
What you want is a single-purpose terminal. Either a solid full-size
automotive post without the stud or hole, or a true L-type "flag"
terminal with a large contact area and a thru-hole for a bolt.
--
Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong
reasons. -- R. Buckminster Fuller
--
Lee A. Hart, http://www.sunrise-ev.com/LeesEVs.htm
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