Yes, the "not above 52vdc" part sure makes it sound like some unfound corrosion or poor connection in between 2-3 cells. Hopefully they can be saved and you'll be a hero!
Nick On Sat, Dec 13, 2025 at 11:13 AM pieter offgridenterprises.org < [email protected]> wrote: > I couldn't agree more with Ray. Those batteries are tough. Assuming there > is adequate charging capacity the batteries have a very good chance of > recovering. That being said the renter has to be trained! Simply spending > more money to replace the Hup batteries wit a set of new LIPO batteries > will most likely trade one problem for another. As others have already > pointed out: If energy in is less than energy out the batteries will not be > able to make up the difference. Even LIPO batteries. > Pieter Huebner > Project Manager > Off Grid Enerprises > ------------------------------ > *From:* RE-wrenches <[email protected]> on behalf > of Nick Lucchese via RE-wrenches <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, December 12, 2025 11:41 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches <[email protected]> > *Cc:* Nick Lucchese <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] FLA battery problelm > > Are you able to get near the 75 amp charge rate with the SW's charger and > that 7.5 KW generator with a step down transformer maybe? Neither charging > combos can push the voltage above 52? All the bus bars and hardware have > been cleaned and reassembled recently or not since 2022? Have you made any > other observations looking over that 128 day logging menu? > > Battery banks prematurely heading to the smelter is the unfortunate > reality of our systems of the past. Chasing that mostly unrealistic goal > that the bank will do some dramatic turn around to redeem everyone's > efforts may likely result in more wasted time and money. Replacing with a > lithium pack that offer's it's own onboard SOC capacity meter is almost a > necessity with renters. Removing the unknown cloud around > understanding what the battery needs results in a much more enjoyable > homestead experience and engages the renter to be accountable for > recharging. Offerings from both Midnite and Rubix can be had for less than > $.28 a watt hour retail these days. Impressive times for folks storing > sunshine. The sooner it goes in the sooner the fuel savings and lack of > service calls can start paying it off. > > I always default to Midnite first for quite a few reasons and especially > for `UL9540 but Rubix might be a better solution in this case since that > volatile memory Steve mentions might become a concern if a trained > individual isn't frequently checking up on the system to make sure all the > settings are still in tune with the battery. Besides for LBCO, SW default > settings are quite ideal for all of the Rubix series. You also gain the > bonus of a digital net power meter on the battery to validate the SW's > meter screens along with the Outback logging menu. > > Nick > > > > On Fri, Dec 12, 2025 at 10:21 AM David Coale via RE-wrenches < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Wrenchers, > > I have a client with an old off-grid Trace system and he is having trouble > with the batteries. He has HUP Solar One FLA batteries that are about 4 > years old, so they should be in good shape. The last set lasted almost 20 > years with a fair amount of abuse. > > Here is he history and what I think is going on. 7/21 they got new > batteries after about 19 years of use. > > 7/22 I get a call saying the batteries are not charging up all the way. > When I check out the system, the batteries needed cleaning, and I found > three low cells, and the charger settings were back to default, not set > high enough to charge the batteries all the way (it’s always multiple > problems). The client (now a new renter, new to the system) said he was > filing the batteries once a month and experienced some overflowing when the > batteries were charged up. > > I cleaned things up, reset the charging parameters and set up an > equalizing charge to even out the cells. Hopefully this will fix things. > > 11/25. The client calls and said the batteries don’t charge up all the way > and he is running the generator a lot and worried about getting though the > wintertime. > When I check things out, there are three bad cells and there is soda on > the batteries. It is hard to get a good voltage readings because of the > soda. Most of the cells are reading 2.1 volts under about a 40 amp load. > > Yesterday I check things out, and all the cells are reading between 1.93 > to 1.98 under a 40 amp load in the morning, and I don’t find any bad > cells. The charging voltage is never going over about 52 volts so the > system is never getting fully charged up. The charge setting look OK, so > not sure what is going on. This is acting like an old battery pack but > these batteries are relatively new. > > My guess at this point is that maybe the batteries lost acid with the > overflowing event and lost capacity. Maybe adding acid back in would bring > them back up to working order. The SG measured at 1.150 or less. > > At this point the client (renter) has had enough of these battery problems > and is wondering every morning if the batteries will last long enough to > until the sun comes up. The renter is pushing for a replacement LFP > battery, but there should be lots of life left in this battery pack. > > Let me know what you all think. > > Thanks, > > David > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > >
_______________________________________________ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: [email protected] Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
