Definitely agree and can't believe people still do multiple strings with so much choice out there. >From Red October, "one ping Vasili, one ping only" --Dave
> One of the biggest issues I find w/ battery installations is instead of > using larger capacity 2 volt cell batteries, there are âinstallersâ > that install string after string of 6VDC batteries and wire them without > buss bars, so the last string contributes very little during discharge & > gets very little charging. Who really wants to take service 144 battery > filler wells? (2100 Ahr when using L16s@ 350Ahr for 48 vdc.) Its no wonder > why battery banks suffer from neglect. According to Surrette's battery > installation and warrantee guide for # of maximum strings per battery > bank; Preferably 2 no more then 3 strings. ( Steve please correct me > here). Buss bars are cheap, when amortized over the life cycle of an > installation and are easily configured W/ shunts if one choses to install > multiple strings. Buss bars also improve battery performance both during > discharging & charging, & they also facility the installation of an inline > class âTâ fuse >> On Jul 18, 2018, at 9:33 PM, William Miller <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> Colleagues: >> >> I believe that circulating currents in multi-string battery >> installations are a major cause of premature failure of such a system. >> I think it is important to monitor these currents. Most telling would >> be checking these currents in an at-rest scenario. It would be helpful >> to have a baseline at install and then check periodically. >> >> Measuring these currents with any type of DC clamp-on meter can be >> inaccurate at best. In a conversation with Steve Higgins at a recent >> trade show I came up with this idea that may have some merit: If an >> install has more than one string of batteries, install an appropriately >> sized shunt in the negative lead of each string. At any later date you >> can apply any decent voltmeter with a millivolt scale and check for >> battery string imbalance with some degree of accuracy. Shunts are cheap >> and readily available and if you avoid the brand that Outback uses in >> the Radian GSLC cabinets, they are relatively rugged. >> >> We will be trying this in any future install with multiple strings, >> although we avoid this if at all possible. >> >> William Miller >> >> <image002.jpg> >> Lic 773985 >> millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/> >> 805-438-5600 >> >> From: RE-wrenches [mailto:[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>] On Behalf Of John >> Blittersdorf >> Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 6:24 PM >> To: RE-wrenches >> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Electrolyte Dilution vs Voltage >> >> Mac, >> I was about to ditto Ray with his more common than I would like >> scenario of battery death when I saw your mention of the 2nd string >> not connected. It is always nice to see >> a solution that is simple and should have been considered, but wasn't. >> The assumption with battery issues usually is that they are actually >> hooked up! I often thought that it would be worth the money to supply a >> cheap AC/DC clamp meter with every installation so that a phone >> consultation could quickly determine if the strings were unbalanced and >> what might be the reason. Bad cells and bad connection will usually >> show up in a current check and then a quick voltage check of each >> battery with a load on the system will show the culprit if a bad cell >> and corrosion present might find the bad connection. I use Interstate >> L16's most of the time and find that the life is typically 6 years. I >> used to call them a 7 to 10 year battery but kept racheting back the >> claim until I now call them a 5 to 7 year battery with more if properly >> maintained. I have seen 10 years but it is rare. >> >> John Blittersdorf >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org> >> >> List-Archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/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/> >> [email protected] >> <blocked::mailto:[email protected]%22%20%5Co%20%22blocked::mailto:[email protected]> >> www.SWNL.net >> <blocked::http://www.swnl.net/%22%20%5Co%20%22blocked::http://www.swnl.net/> >> Solarwinds Northernlights >> Serving Mid Coast Maine & Northern California >> 207-832-7574 Cl. 610-517-8401 >> Blair "TUMP" May >> ******** MAINE'S CHARTER ******** >> NABCEP "Certified PV Installer" >> >> ******** MAINE'S CHARTER ******** >> Trace Xantrex "Certified" Dealer / Installer" >> > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail [email protected] text 209 813 0060 _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance List Address: [email protected] Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
