Used solar batteries 4V 14.5x20.5x8.5

SolarT
SolarT Solar Expert Posts: 49
Huge battery pulled from a solar setup 3 of them hold 4.3V charge going for $50/each. $150 for 12V that will hold charge to 12.9V.

Are they worth the price? They will be sold as lead scrap for the same amount.

I don't know brand or ah see attached pic

Comments

  • solorone
    solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
    Re: Used solar batteries 4V 14.5x20.5x8.5

    I doubt they are worth fooling with. Wish you had better pic, I tried to enlarge it.

    My guess is they are old telephone batteries, but I have never seen 4 volt cells, but that does not mean much.

    Telephone batteries are just the opposite of car batteries, not made to give up a large amount of amps very quickly.

    When I started in solar nearly 30 years ago, telephone batteries were much sought after. I still have some. When powerful inverters became available, we learned the design negatives of phone batteries.

    A good solar battery, contains channels, or pathways built into it, so fresh acid can flow to the surface of the lead, to supply power. Telephone batteries, if that is what these are, are made to give off a steady current, at a low rate, over a very long time, and acid exchange is very poor/slow.

    A 2 volt cell that size would weigh about 220# and maybe yield 170/190# of lead and would have been rated at about 1000 Amps in a 24 volt group.

    Spot market on lead ingots is $1.09 Yesterdays closing. "Wet" batteries are bringing (when you can find a licensed dealer to buy them) about 15/20 cents a pound.

    I sold ingot scrap last month for .58 cents per Lb.

    Years ago there was a rule of thumb, that a battery would yield one amp per pound, wonder if there is anything to that??????

    Hope this helps
  • SolarT
    SolarT Solar Expert Posts: 49
    Re: Used solar batteries 4V 14.5x20.5x8.5

    Thanks for the info. Telephone battery - telecom use I assume.

    The guy had a take it or leave it attitude. He had it on the trailer heading for the battery recycler. I just wanted to know more about the batteries. I am not sure if I want to drive 90 minutes to check them out. They look like you can measure each cell voltage externally - convenient. But, I have never seen anything like it:confused:.

    FWIW, I copied the picture from his classified ad - low res. Here is another one
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Used solar batteries 4V 14.5x20.5x8.5

    If they haven't been on a charge regimen for a while, they are most likey,,, scrap.

    T
  • solorone
    solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
    Re: Used solar batteries 4V 14.5x20.5x8.5
    icarus wrote: »
    If they haven't been on a charge regimen for a while, they are most likey,,, scrap.

    T

    I guess I could have gotten right to the point.:D