Yet another July disaster - my third one.

1) The upright commercial freezer is a really big energy hog - it probably has a powerful defrost function to keep food pretty - frost free.
2) Yesterday was very cloudy.
3) Old forklift battery overnight voltage fell so far that inverter shut down.
Got things going again this am - easy enough. But freezer seemed to call it day after bringing the temp down to 28F. Hoping it just needed a short break - set the timer for a 10 minute check. Significant problem if the freezer died. Just bought 120 pounds of frozen chicken. Update - freezer still quiet after 15 minutes - good chance it is dead.
The old forklift battery is weak. Bought it cheap - seller thought it was 48 volts. It is 24 volts and I had no real use for it. So I played around with it for years. There is a cell that is weaker that the rest but there are several cells that no longer real good.
My Cotek inverter does not have a Equalize function. Nor does my 24 volt IOTA charger. Thinking I should try a poor mans Equalize with nothing to lose - charging 10 or 11 cells at a time - for a prolonged period. I've done a few short equalization's in the past.
I can go a few weeks using the main 48 volt system for everything. Though the apparently dead commercial freezer is a real issue.
There may be some chest freezers at Lowe's. Quite a trip but doable.
Hate to give up on the forklift battery but there is a good chance its days of reliable hard work are over.
I can go a few weeks using the main 48 volt system for everything. Though the apparently dead commercial freezer is a real issue.
There may be some chest freezers at Lowe's. Quite a trip but doable.
Hate to give up on the forklift battery but there is a good chance its days of reliable hard work are over.
Of course - it is cloudy today. Another July trifecta.
I'll be OK - but a pretty significant inconvenience to have the freezer and the forklift battery go AWOL at once.
My little empire is too big for my budget and almost 62 year old energy levels.
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
Comments
I charged up the battery prior to this effort at equalizing. Iota charger takes 650 watts I think - it is fairly stout.
Lot to be said for charge controllers with an equalize function.
Still curious why things were seemingly fine until one cloudy day. Checked the early AM voltage just two days ago - 25.0 volts. Need to do some more figuring.
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Commercial freezer now at -3F - should be ok I hope.
Thinking I may use the forklift battery for a small chest freezer - sure it will handle that chore.