This shows I have been away from PbSO4 pack swaps for quite awhile. The second of three group-24 12V deep-cycle batteries went belly up. The ones that died were generic Kragen (an auto parts store) 12V Deep-Cycle Marine, and the remaining is a Sears Die-Hard 12V Deep-Cycle Marine Starting battery. I am thinking there is some additive in the electrolyte of the latter, that is making it so tough.
In the past, I have tried two new ~100minute 6V golf wet-cell batteries in series, and then connected that string in parallel with that 12V Die-Hard. The Die-Hard has out lasted several batteries. It's rather disappointing when despite your experience and best efforts a battery dies before its time because of cheap design and manufacturing. I thought this time I would stick with a winner, and go with two Die-Hard batteries as replacements (I am not recommending this battery) http://www.sears.com/diehard-marine-deep-cycle-rv-battery-group-size/p-02827494000P with all three in parallel (yea, yea I know deep-cycles do not last like 6V golf batteries do). These are my backup-house batteries for when the power goes out and I am running off a PC I built that only draws 50W. So, that is one used 12V deep-cycle Marine Starting, and two new Marine (non-starting) in parallel. I figure I can still putter around on the net for hours drawing so little power even though the batteries total capacity is not that great (I would not be discharging below 60%SOC). The purchase of these Sears batteries was a painful process (had to burn a gallon of fuel to take the dead cores with me to turn in, stand in line for an hour, etc.). When I noticed that I was being billed a "Core Value Tax" of $1.85 each ... Huh?!? What's that? The not-too knowledgeable, nor interested sales rep (I had to educate him on group 24's to get what I wanted) said, "Oh, it's like the tax on each old tire you turn in when you replace them ... because the batteries are made of petroleum". Thinking to myself, 'OK, yea sure'. I was not going to contest a 'tax' that I could-not, 'not-pay-for'. I did a search and found http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100125093536AAAtunz "... charge a core fee which allows them to resell your dead battery (not dispose)? It's interesting how they charge disposal fees for something they go and re-sell or manufacture themselves rather than actually "disposing" of it like the cash for clunkers required dealers to do with engines and trannys. " So, I did get the ~$10 credit on each dead core I turned in, but was charged a $1.85 tax on each so Sears can resell my dead-core for a profit (?!? ... there is logic in there somewhere). It's like 10 steps forward, and 2 steps back ... If I still had my Blazer, that would be 22 "Core Value Tax" charges ($40.70) I would have to tack on to the price of a replacement pack. I will be taking a surface voltage reading of these new batteries, putting each on a light finishing charge, installing them, and then watering them with distilled water. Let's hope I do not find a faulty one and have to pollute back to Sears, so I can wait in line, ... to get another possibly faulty battery, etc. The rainy season is upon us, and it does flood where I live. So, I will get this system up and be prepared for a power outage. {brucedp.150m.com} -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Accessible with your email software or over the web _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
