How Far do you Drain your Flooded Lead Acid Batteries?

Solarman
Solarman Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
And how long do you expect them to last you?

Me, I try and stay around 30 to 40% mark.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: How Far do you Drain your Flooded Lead Acid Batteries?

    Me, 25-30% DOD.
    Five years on the East Penn PS2200's so far, no sign of degradation.
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  • Mountain Don
    Mountain Don Solar Expert Posts: 494 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: How Far do you Drain your Flooded Lead Acid Batteries?

    20% maximum on Sams Club GC-2's. Just past the 5 year point and mostly looking good. There are 2 cells that like to lag a little on their SpGr readings, but not bad so far.
    Northern NM, 624 watts PV, The Kid CC, GC-2 batteries @ 24 VDC, Outback VFX3524M
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  • Solarman
    Solarman Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭
    #4
    Re: How Far do you Drain your Flooded Lead Acid Batteries?

    Whats the capacity of the total bank, 20% does not sound like much depending on your capacity, that's why I have to ask.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: How Far do you Drain your Flooded Lead Acid Batteries?

    I used Sam's club 6 volt golf cart(I think they sell 2 different depending on area of the country, mine were Energizer labeled) I used them in the top 20-30% most of the time, with the reserve for cloudy days when I tried to keep them above 50% Winter Spring and Fall, and I tortured them during the summer taking them down to 50%(or more) daily running an A/C over night. I expected them to last 3-4 years and they made it 5. I was very happy.

    I'm currently using a forklift battery from, GB Industrial Battery and expect/hope to get 15 years out of them, I try to stay in the top 20% and take them down roughly 30% during the summer, I have made mistakes in the past and taken them down to @20-30% SOC and have used them down to 30% SOC a couple times. They are designed for heavier use though and I don't expect a big problem from these few deeper discharges. They do use a bit more water and require regular/monthly equalizing.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Solarman
    Solarman Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭
    #6
    Re: How Far do you Drain your Flooded Lead Acid Batteries?

    nice system, 800ah with the forklift should kick ass. You tortured the golf carts huh down to 50% many times over night, Good to hear they lasted you 5 years.

    How many of the golf cart 6v Energizers did you have? and do you remember the capacity you had on those? The ones you dropped down to 50% on summer nights. How many summers did you torture them, just one or more summer?
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