battery water saving caps

oglethorp

Will the water miser caps make it so I can leave an unattended 48v (8,6v Golf cart) alone for 6months with no load on a float in northern Maine
where the temps will allow for a month or so of below freezing but inside a building with alot of south facing windows and a little insulating.
This is after a good equalizing
How good are these caps

Vic

Re: battery water saving caps

It would be my expectation that WaterMisers would make no difference in the water use on a battery bank that is being Floated. Most of the water consumed by flooded batteries is when gassing voltage, or EQ voltages are reached, especially in Winter.

Have one bank here with WMs and one without, and, there appears to be no measureable difference in water needs between the two. However, these two banks are in different locations, and experience different discharge/charge situations.

My opinions, Vic

Cariboocoot

Re: battery water saving caps

For what it's worth I leave my batteries unattended for six months in the frozen wilds of the Cariboo (-40). No water miser caps, and no problems. They are on regular charge cycle (no loads) albeit with an Outback controller so the Bulk & Absorb times are equal (i.e. short because the batteries are not being cycled). Temperature compensated too. I charged them up before I go and make sure the water level is correct. Come the Spring they are fine.

Charged batteries do not freeze, btw.

DavidOH

Re: battery water saving caps

Good to know Cariboocoot ! Thanks.

oglethorp

Re: battery water saving caps

Thank you all for the information.
I guess my biggest worry is being away and something serious happening like weather damage causing a short,, fire, or
at the worst vandalism.
Thanks again (the forum) for being there for us.

Flow Systems

Re: battery water saving caps

Oglethorp.... I just saw this post and would have answered sooner.

This is Drew from Flow Systems, manufactures of the Water Miser. Just some quick input related to the Water Miser Battery Caps. While every situation is different, as Vic mentions previously, the Water Miser's certainly would allow you to greatly extend the time in between watering your batteries.

Generally, we say the Water Misers will allow you to double the time in between watering. So, lets say you are watering your batteries every month, with the Water Misers it should be every 2 months. Every 3 months should now be every 6 months and so on with normal usage, charging and maintenance.

Also, the colder the ambient temps of Maine would slow down the evaporation. Water loss is both through the process of electrolysis in the battery as well as evaporation of the electrolyte in warmer working conditions. So, from what you telling us and from my experience with other golf cart owners in similar situations, I would say the Water Miser would definitely insure your batteries last the 6 months.

Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help out.

Mangas

Re: battery water saving caps

I have 192 Water Miser Caps installed on my 64 Trojan L 16 REBs' flooded cel batteries.

With Trojan's newer REB flooded cel alternative energy battery construction in conjunction the the Miser Caps, I need to water my batteries about 2-3 times a year. The older Trojan series with the Miser Caps required watering 4-5 times a year. Much improved.

vtmaps

Re: battery water saving caps

Flow Systems wrote: »

This is Drew from Flow Systems, manufactures of the Water Miser.

Welcome to the forum,

I am a very satisfied owner of water miser caps and have recommended them on this and other forums. I usually recommend folks buy them directly from the manufacturer because so few retailers carry your tallest, most effective size.

I think the great virtue of the water misers is that they reduce acid mist. Of course that reduces water loss, but the water miser caps do NOT reduce water loss caused by electrolysis of water.

--vtMaps

YehoshuaAgapao

Re: battery water saving caps

64 L-16s? Wow. That is like 8 strings of batteries.

I got 2 strings (16). My batteries are consuming about 1/2 gallon of water every two months. Stock caps. Slow, low-current, long absorptions to somewhat high voltage (58.6V bulk 59.8V absorb 52.5V float; actual voltage is 0.5-1V less while selling to the grid, plus/minus temperature compensation, abosrption currently running to about 60.2-60.5V, 1.2V less for the first hour to reduce current when significantly above 57.6V gassing voltage). I am grid-tied (hybrid; bi-modal) in a very sunny climate.