Author Topic: Battery advice request  (Read 9410 times)

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Offline solarnewbee

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Re: Battery advice request
« Reply #15 on: May 05, 2016, 12:44:23 am »
They've put in gas turbine gennys in South Carolina run on compressed natural gas for use during peak use times but they sure don't pass that on to the customer they still charge peak time adjust and raise the per kWh after so many kWh. The customer I mentioned before when I went back with the CORRECT motor cap, said his bill was over $500 May to September and as low as $175 the rest of the year, so $79 average is great relief. If he had a lithium battery rack or batteries at all, he would  easily go off grid with just those 34 panels.

He said tho that something about the grid tie wasn't to his advantage but I forgot what that was.

Adios Muchachitos!
SN

Any day above ground is a day for potential mishaps

Offline lighthunter

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Re: Battery advice request
« Reply #16 on: February 15, 2017, 06:53:16 pm »
old thread but why start a new one when subject is correct.
 :)
Acquired a forklift batt thats been sitting for a year. 48v 510AH Looks to be in great shape though charge level was at 11.7v per 12v section. Sg wouldnt even float bulb. Recently got 48v pj inverter working with a grid tie. 12kwh have now been pumped into it. SG is rising at 12.25 now (12.85) is full. Today while i was at work my sweetie went in garage and freaked out, she said "its boiling" and it smells like acid! Charge rate couldnt have been more than 38A as the solar its connected to rarely generates over 2kw.  This battery is probably capable of a 70A charge rate. No bad cells all normal.

Do i need to install a vented hood over this battery? How do you guys put these in your basements and survive? I know some of you have rolls surrette and trojan etc they must gas too.. do i need to just put the monster in an outshed and let it get cold??

Your thoughts greatly appreciated.
Health Warning: May contain traces of nut!
LH

Offline solarnewbee

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Re: Battery advice request
« Reply #17 on: February 15, 2017, 07:32:26 pm »
Hey there Light,

Me being a HVAC contractor I would probably run a ceiling or floor register boot with some 6" duct and a duct fan to the outdoors, maybe on a timer so it doesn't run all the time? Use the vent boot like a hood (of course after you plasti-dipped the leading edges for insulation. Don't know where you live but some HVAC suppliers will sell ductwork supplies to non-contractors. tell what you need, they like money. ask for the biggest vent boot they have.

I finally got my LFP's and battery monitoring system. I did not plan properly for space for 32 LFP's and monitors, those things took up some room since the factory packed them in 24v packs, wide and tall. Had me super nervous with all those expose bus bars so I plasti-dipped everything with a brush.

Evening!

SN
SN

Any day above ground is a day for potential mishaps

Offline MadScientist267

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Re: Battery advice request
« Reply #18 on: February 16, 2017, 06:57:13 pm »
Doing the indoor thing with lead acid is a PITA. I toiled for what seemed an eternity trying to decide "in or out" with the truck's bank. I eventually settled on "in" for mainly a couple of reasons... 1, to keep the runs short since I was basically forced to go with 12V ("free" and "decent inverter" can carry a lot of weight, despite the density of lead lol)... and 2, in an effort to give them some level of climate control.

I succeeded in the short runs effort, but even just the hydrogen alone has proven to be an annoyance at best... the fuming during EQ and all that just kinda ices the cake when it comes to the whole "reasons not to put them inside" department.

I guess what I'm saying is... "vent them until outside runs out of air"... that and "hydrogen might be the lightest element, but it sure seems to mix rather thoroughly all the way to the floor". The stuff isn't quite as itchy to rise up above the moon and escape when it's allowed to mix with air. I'm not sure why,  or how, just repeatable demonstrations from the stuff influencing my sense of "get rid of it" lol

Also, get yourself some kind of monitor system that can detect hydrogen, even if it isn't calibrated to hydrogen specifically. If you've got *any* reason whatsoever (even just "cuz I feel like it") to get a(nother) carbon monoxide detector, grab one with a PPM display and stick it somewhere in the space with the batteries. The PPM won't be correct, but can provide you with invaluable information about the relative production of hydrogen, on top of picking up on the toxic gas it's intended to.

Can probably find calibrated hydrogen meters for a reasonable cost, but if nothing strikes you for its price, a CO detector will at least let you know it's there.

Sounds like those cells are throwing flags up. Increased gassing and fuming is a fact of life as they age/succumb to abuse lol

Just my buck-tree-nine-dee-fy... YMMV

Either way, vent vent vent!

Steve
Wanted: Schrödinger's cat, dead and alive.

Offline lighthunter

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Re: Battery advice request
« Reply #19 on: February 17, 2017, 07:53:35 pm »
Today she again became very unhappy with me an the battery  ::) cat box ok in house but no batteries in the garage ;D. No really, I do agree it needs to be vented, just wasnt sure how to go about it. and was struggling with a xantrex 3.0 that wants to get in a mood too. It goes offline and online in a constant loop without error message. Made some headway on it today though and managed to get the 48v inverter toroid to 156°. All was working sweet ...except the venting i didnt work on.  :(

I looked online to see if there is something already made to vent a forklift battery maybe didnt look in the right spot but nothing jumped out, Ive decided to extend the 4 sides up a couple inches to clear the terminals and attach a hinge lid with vent hose for easy access to fill caps. Then as someone suggested, a small fan that turns on at a preset bat voltage.

The SG of the battery is now at about 1235 so its getting close. It has taken a bit with clouds and a wounded grid tie inverter.

SN I am jealous, I have 8 (40ah) LFPs and they are fabulous. I cant imagine a huge bank of them.
I cant cmplain tho, this FLA was completely donated to me so i must give it a fair try.

Steve, I have a CO monitor, its never been plugged in (no furnace or gas in house) so i will put it over by the battery. One thing i do know, you dont wanna find out you have hydrogen after ignition. Reminds me of a funny story back in high school, my buddy didnt have a sc fair project so i suggested he do electrolysis, told him i would provide the power supply ;D I hooked up 4 diodes and (hopefully a fuse i cant remember) to a 120v plug. He submersed a couple steel plates in an acquarium with inverted funnel over each. Rubberband and sandwich baggie to collect hydrogen and oxygen. At this point he was on his own, I was on the other side of the gym during the event when he decides to prove to the audience hydrogen will burn, mercy it was deafening. No one was hurt thankfully but i had no idea it was that explosive.

Thank you fellas for the comments and ideas! :)


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LH

Offline hiker1

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Re: Battery advice request
« Reply #20 on: February 18, 2017, 02:33:06 pm »
Lol...HHo is some powerful gas...had my share of bubblers blowing their tops
just do it