Power storage

capitanojuliano

Can I build my own battery to store around 100 amp hours at 12 volts, re-charged by my solar panels?
Hopefully from local materials using salt, chlorine or other easily found chemicals.
There is no problem about size or weight.
Also the discharge can be overnight, (relatively in-efficient compared to mass produced units but inexpensive to build).
Perhaps the life of the unit would be another sacrifice; maybe replacing each year for instance.

mike95490

wow.  You might be able to  build a "Crows Foot" battery, but beyond that, I suspect you will have trouble.

BB.

The old Edison Nickle/Iron Batteries are possibly within a DIY catagory... And other than Nickel itself, the other metals/electrolyte are not too dangerous. And NiFe batteries are easily "rebuilt" (flush old electrolyte, clean the plates, put in new electrolyte).

• https://www.google.com/search?q=site:solar-electric.com+nife+battery
• http://www.fieldlines.com/index.php?topic=146833.0 (simple large homemade battery discussion on FieldLines forum)
  

Or you can purchase NiFe batteries (made in China now?). A poster or two has NiFe battery banks.

Eric/Westbranch posted a link to a 1922 battery repair manual. A very interesting read and look back almost 90 years at technology and mass production (near the end are some factory photographs).

Antique battery info (1922) (thread)

And here is the direct link to the table of contents:

THE AUTOMOBILE STORAGE BATTERY ITS CARE AND REPAIR

Despite the title, also includes information on storage batteries too (Farm Lighting Batteries).

Much of how to pick what battery technology, size, voltage, etc. depends on your loads and possible charging sources. The size of your loads/storage requirements may rule out certain technologies right from the start.

-Bill