Battery Choice

somepriests

I believe I am going to swap out my WalMart batteries with 2 Deka/MK 8L16LTP 6V Flooded Lead Acid Batteries wired in Series for a 12 Volt system 740 AH total.

1. Are these a good pick for batteries?
2. Any suggestions as to measure Specific Gravity within the solution?

Steve

waynefromnscanada

Re: Battery Choice

somepriests wrote: »

I believe I am going to swap out my WalMart batteries with 2 Deka/MK 8L16LTP 6V Flooded Lead Acid Batteries wired in Series for a 12 Volt system 740 AH total. Steve

Hi Steve, welome to the forum!
I don't have specific experience with Deka batteries, however don't remember hearing anything negative about them. I'm sure others will add info in that area. On the other hand, I understand they are made by East Penn, and the last batteries I had were also made by East Penn, and they lasted 11 years, which was very good, especially considering that I had from time to time unintentionally abused them. They were great batteries. Beyond that, moving from WalMart batteries to L16 batteries is going to be a big step in the right direction.
One correction though - - - - these batteries are roughly 370 AH units, and when wired in series, like all batteries, the Voltage adds, but the AH does not. Therefore, two of these 6 volt batteries in series will be a battery bank of 12 volts, 370 AH. (not 740 AH)
To get a battery bank of 12 volts @ 740 AH you would need 4 of these batteries.
Wasn't able to find info on SG, but the ones I had a higher than normal SG, hanging around 1.300, while the Surrettes I now have, hang around 1.265
Some manufactures load their batteries with different electrolyte depending on their designed purpose and where in the world they will be used.

vtmaps

Re: Battery Choice

somepriests wrote: »

I believe I am going to swap out my WalMart batteries with 2 Deka/MK 8L16LTP 6V Flooded Lead Acid Batteries wired in Series for a 12 Volt system 740 AH total.

1. Are these a good pick for batteries?
2. Any suggestions as to measure Specific Gravity within the solution?

Deka has a good reputation as far as I can tell. Two of those batteries will make a 370 ampHour battery bank at 12 volts.

When you put batteries in series, the voltage adds up, but not the amphours.
When you put batteries in parallel, the amphours add up, but not the voltage.

If you need battery capacity of more than 12 volts X 370 amphours = 4,440 watthours, you will need larger batteries or you will need to put batteries in parallel (never optimal) or you will need to raise your system voltage to 24 volts.

At 24 volts you can use four of those deka batteries in a single series string. That will have a capacity of 8,880 watthours.

--vtMaps

somepriests

Re: Battery Choice

Thank you for the information. The batteries are about $260 a piece; and while pricey, I need to be able to have batteries I can monitor. The Walmarts are good as a backup, but not ideal.

In any case, if all four are wired in series, do you have a schematic I can follow, or is it as simple as POS to NEG all the way around?

With the increase of Watthours, if I run a refrigerator at 5 Amps for 10 hours a day, will these batteries have the charge to make it daily if I am putting in 64 volts average at 20 Amps recharge 8 hours daily. I know it is a math problem, but a little help would be appreciated.

Steve