Replace new battery bank & how to use the old (not so old bank)...

fca1

Hi there..
I have now system with 8 220w solar panels, a morningstar mppt60 controller and studer xpc2200 inverter

My current battery bank is 12 xl2v320 exide agm battery that are new to me but the batts had been 4year in float mode still going fine but their age is starting be noticed ,..
I have the chance to buy 2 new set of forklift exide 3EPZV 255ah brande new and at price i can't refuse... one time opp.

So i really don't want to throw to trash my current agm bank that is still doing a fair Job...but the batts specs are so different that i can't parallel both banks to tristar mppt60....


My idea is to use the new bank of 24 EPZV as the main battery bank connected to charge controller and keep the l2v320 bank as "backup bank" in the days of little sun or high usage for that I'm thinking on use a blue sea switch between the inverter and the 2 battery banks...


now how do i charge the 2º bank???

I still have 3 180w panels a small pwm Charge controller that i can use to charge and to keep them in float after charge, if i really give them big discharge i can always mount a second blue sea switch and when my first bank come on float i switch it for the 2º bank or even i can bulk charge it at night when grid is cheaper ...

So i'm asking for sugestions/tips/ new ideas on how to keep the 2º bank on the system using just some small modifications/adjustments...


Regards.

niel

Re: Replace new battery bank & how to use the old (not so old bank)...

i think using the old ones as a backup is fine. the batteries can be floated with a separate cc and pv array just as you proposed and switched inline with heavy cables and a blue seas switch. be sure the switch will also switch the primary battery bank out of the circuit when you switch in the secondary older bank. be sure to have each bank fused as well.