Tubular FLA’s for off-grid battery bank...

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alyaz
alyaz Solar Expert Posts: 114 ✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
I have been looking at replacement batteries for our off-grid home.  Likely will have to replace them before this winter.  Almost every supplier I have talked to tells me to consider their line of tubular style battery.  So my question is, each supplier seems to have a different ‘brand’ of tubular battery, which makes price comparisons and research more difficult.  Is there a brand of tubular that has proven itself at this point?  A couple of the brands I have been quoted on are; TAB, Davidson and Eternity Technologies.  
3.3 kW solar.  3 Midnite Solar controllers; 5 lightening suppressors.  Magnum’s inverter; auto gen start, BMK.  Davidson 2 v FLA’s - 24v bank.  Perkins diesel gen.
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Weilda and Hopekkie are two examples of tubular batteries with a good reputation, they're not cheap being about double the cost of golf cart batteries, which is on par with lithium. Read specifications very carefully, the tests are often done in ideal conditions and charging is often based on grid power. Contact the manufacturers directly regarding solar charging to get more accurate information, dealers want to make a sale, just an option.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    Hawker and HUP, along with many other mfg's have flat plate batteries with 10+ year warranty  I don't think tubular is worth the price.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • alyaz
    alyaz Solar Expert Posts: 114 ✭✭✭
    #4
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    Some of the tubular batteries also provide a 10 year warranty.  For example, the flat plate Davidsons I had were a 10 year warranty.  They are into year 12 or 13 now.  Davidson tells me that their tubular batteries are even more robust.  
    3.3 kW solar.  3 Midnite Solar controllers; 5 lightening suppressors.  Magnum’s inverter; auto gen start, BMK.  Davidson 2 v FLA’s - 24v bank.  Perkins diesel gen.
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
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    What's the price difference between the two, out of curiosity? 
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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  • alyaz
    alyaz Solar Expert Posts: 114 ✭✭✭
    #6
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    Davidson is a Canadian company.  When I priced their same a/hr flat plates about a year ago, they were the same price as the tubular FLA’s they have now.  So in Cdn $, the 2 volt, tubular Davidsons, 1064 a/hr are $532 ea.  Another local seller has the tubular TAB 2 volts at 1000 a/hr for $459 ea.
    3.3 kW solar.  3 Midnite Solar controllers; 5 lightening suppressors.  Magnum’s inverter; auto gen start, BMK.  Davidson 2 v FLA’s - 24v bank.  Perkins diesel gen.
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