Mac, David Smead of Ample Power has many years experience with gel batteries and has published this about charging gel batteries:
http://www.amplepower.com/gel/index.html Larry Liesner On Aug 3, 2013, at 9:46 PM, Mac Lewis wrote: > Ray, > > Yes, this is an off-grid applications. I think you are right, the battery > guy sold him what he had. Pretty pricey battery lesson twice! > > > On Sat, Aug 3, 2013 at 6:42 PM, Ray Walters <[email protected]> wrote: > Mac; > > Is this off grid? The Intimidator is not a high cycle life battery. I've > had trouble finding exact ratings, but its probably in the 250 to 300 cycles > at 80% DOD. I'd expect 3 years max in an off grid application. Also the > Intimidators I've seen are actually AGM, not Gel, but I don't know. I > looked on Deka's website but didn't find any good charge set points. This is > basically a sealed RV/ Marine battery. Definitely not a top choice, but its > what the battery guys have on the shelf, so that's what they sell. > You're on to the biggest problem, pulling off opposite corners of the bank to > balance the connector resistance between all the strings. > I go out of my way not to poo poo the customer's choice, but to make sure and > let them know you can't guarantee the performance of the system. I had > almost the exact experience just a few months ago, where the customer had > just bought a new set of Intimidators. I just told him to use them up, no > sense in worrying about it, and when they were worn out, we'd get him > something better. I used AGM setting on the Midnite controller on that > system. Voltage set points should be his responsibility to track down, if > their gel. It keeps you from being responsible for anything to do with the > battery performance or life. When he needs a new set, you sell him the right > stuff, set it up right, and low and behold you'll look good when they outlast > his previous sets. > R.Ray Walters > CTO, Solarray, Inc > Nabcep Certified PV Installer, > Licensed Master Electrician > Solar Design Engineer > 303 505-8760 > On 8/3/2013 5:31 PM, Mac Lewis wrote: >> Hello wrenches, >> >> I am looking for guidance with charging setpoints for a battery that I don't >> have experience with. This system was put in by another solar company and >> this battery bank failed after 1.5 years. He bought these batteries without >> consulting us, but now we are stuck with them. >> It is a Deka Intimidator Gel Sealed Battery 12V 225 Ahr. It is set up as 3 >> strings of 4 batteries to give a 675Ahr bank at 48V. The batteries were not >> wired at opposite corners, but inverter/charger leads were connected to the >> middle string. We will fix that and other things but I don't use Deka >> batteries. >> What charger setpoints would you recommend for this battery bank? Does >> anyone have a good tech contact at Deka? Anyone have any results to report >> about this type of battery in a solar application? >> >> Thanks in advance >> >> -- >> >> >> >> Mac Lewis >> >> "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Home Power magazine >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > > > -- > > > > Mac Lewis > > "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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