Why can't we just use ten 12 volt batteries instead on an inverter?

softdown

The voltage available would be between ~110 and 128 if we kept up with things at all. I would think the energy would be pretty clean. But then again....its just a theory that I play with now and then...

No great substitute for a quality inverter. But sometimes money gets tight when trying to do solar...

waynefromnscanada

It would work, but - - - you'd need appliances, lights etc designed to work on DC, and both switches, fuses and circuit breakers would have to be built to withstand the love of DC to sustain an arc whenever the circuit is broken by switch, fuse, circuit breaker etc. And that would in all likelihood wipe out any savings one might realize by eliminating an inverter. It could in fact end up being far more expensive.
Yeah I know, I rain on parades. lol

lkruper

softdown wrote: »

The voltage available would be between ~110 and 128 if we kept up with things at all. I would think the energy would be pretty clean. But then again....its just a theory that I play with now and then...

No great substitute for a quality inverter. But sometimes money gets tight when trying to do solar...

An inverter converts DC to AC which is what I presume you need.

softdown

Yep...conversion to AC is a good thing. Though it would seem that could be somewhat inexpensive if mass marketed.

Thom

softdown wrote: »

The voltage available would be between ~110 and 128 if we kept up with things at all. I would think the energy would be pretty clean. But
No great substitute for a quality inverter. But sometimes money gets tight when trying to do solar...

my old cabin system was 120dc . 20@6v golfcart glad it's gone

lkruper

softdown wrote: »

The voltage available would be between ~110 and 128 if we kept up with things at all. I would think the energy would be pretty clean. But then again....its just a theory that I play with now and then...

No great substitute for a quality inverter. But sometimes money gets tight when trying to do solar...

What can you run with that kind of DC voltage that high? I would not think that consumer electronics or refrigerators, etc would run at 120v DC.

BB.

Filament lamps, resistance heaters, toasters, mixers/hand tools/vacuum cleaners/etc. with brushed (universal) motors. And older electronics (tube type) may also have worked OK on 120 VDC. But we are talking about many decades ago (probably).

With some modern power factor corrected computer power supplies, they can run on DC power--But it would take around 155 to 373 VDC to run them (guessing, but srt(2) * 110 vac to 264 VAC).

Also remember that close to 100 years ago--There where other common voltages used on farms, factories, etc., before rural electrification... Something kike 32 VDC battery banks (and associated appliances) where common.

http://www.doctordelco.com/Dr._Delco/Delco-Light/Delco-Light.html

It sounded good except that no one mentioned that Delco-Light and other farm and wind electric plants were providing electricity to nearly 1,000,000 farms in America already. That at that same time you could buy a Delco-Light plant for $495, a powerful Jacobs Wind Electric plant for $595, or both using a single battery for less than the $950 to run the power lines from the city - and never have a monthly electric bill. The effect on the farm and wind electric plant industry was immediate. Hundreds of manufacturing companies, throughout the midwest and around the nation, and the distribution, sales, installation, service companies employing hundreds of thousands of people were staggered. After struggling successfully to grow during the early years of the depression, the impact of REA of the farm and wind electric industry was devastating. Many survived long enough to contribute to the war effort during WW II, many disappeared or changed to a related market, and a few continued on successfully.

-Bill.

CALLD

There's another fundamental problem with high voltage batteries - the problem of cell-reversal on weak cells. It's what happens when the weakest cell's voltage drops below 1.8v (the point where it's basically exhausted). In lower voltage batteries like a 24v system the total system voltage warns you the battery is running low before the weakest cell gets exhausted. In a high voltage system the total battery voltage can still show a healthy voltage despite the weakest cell being exhausted, so without individual cell monitoring you could be heading for trouble without even knowing it.

softdown

Just replaced a battery with a bad cell. Good thing I disconnected it right before my trip. One bad cell = bad battery bank. Off grid solar = adventure.

CALLD wrote: »

There's another fundamental problem with high voltage batteries - the problem of cell-reversal on weak cells. It's what happens when the weakest cell's voltage drops below 1.8v (the point where it's basically exhausted). In lower voltage batteries like a 24v system the total system voltage warns you the battery is running low before the weakest cell gets exhausted. In a high voltage system the total battery voltage can still show a healthy voltage despite the weakest cell being exhausted, so without individual cell monitoring you could be heading for trouble without even knowing it.