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Solar build

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Wolvenar:
This Jorunal will document my build as I go along


Today I ordered (3) 240watt panels
Too bad my budget was limited,
I had planned 6 but recent events caused us to use some of the funds we reserved for this project.

Now I really had problems when deciding to order this odd number.
It leaves me with a problem with the output voltage.
I cannot parallel two  of a series of two. (~60v)
In a series of three (~90v)
I have to change what I planned as a controller as once you add in the voltage hike that a cold Minnesota winter can cause.. 
I could wind up going over the controllers max voltage.

Those Midnight 250's are looking better all the time

ChrisOlson:
I got four of those 30 volt panels on a Classic 150
--
Chris

Wolvenar:
 As part of my upgrades to get ready for the PV, I was moving my inverter and battery bank to the new attached garage.

All was going as expected, until I got to the very rear most bank of 4.

None of my connections had corrosion.... but one.. And of course I did not get images of that.
Worse, it was so bad it had completely disconnected that bank, and its been this way for at least 4 months through the worst of Minnesota winter.

The batteries appear to have frozen, they are bulging, and the one has a post raised.. Not good.
I tested voltages, and the surprising part was that they had anyhting, let alone all within about .02v of each other.
Bad part was, they only had ~5.96v

So they were topped off with distilled water, and individually connected to a 6v charger.
Each would draw approx 12 amps individually, so I banked them in 2x series and parallel to charge at 12v overnight.
Today sometime I will setup the charger to equalize and see how things go after that.
They are 9 years old now I guess, so it could be worse. I got them less than a month after they were shipped from the manufacturer.

Sorry for te poor images, this is the best I could get at night in a snow storm




 

Wolvenar:
Well I don't know how I lucked out on this one, but the batteries are alive and seem to preform surprisingly well
 after that top off and equalizing charge.
After almost 14 hours after the charge, I put a short draw on them to be sure there is no residual surface charge.
Outcomes

Battery    Voltage       
1             6.45 (not sure why this is so high compared to the rest)         
2             6.34
3             6.33
4             6.33


I hooked up the inverter with 3 300 watt halogens on it and let it run for 30 min
and the battery voltages didn't change all that much .. down about .15 volt pretty evenly across them all.
Specific gravity of each cell were all in agreement...
.
Not bad for such old and recently neglected batteries I guess, really got lucky I think.

Wolvenar:
Finaly got them   ;D

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