Equalizing Procedure Questions

Hi all, I have a new set of Trojan T105Plus batteries (not yet
connected) and I have a few questions about equalization. This is my
system (in use for 7 years now):
- 4x 12V 190AH Enersys batteries in series for 48V
- Morningstar Tristar 150/60 charge controller with temp compensation in use
- 4x LG 400W 2S2P panels
- Latronics LS3500W inverter
I'll be removing the 4x Enersys batteries and hooking up the 8x 6V 225AH Trojan T105 (Spec Sheet here) in series for 48V. After some researching I think this is how an equalization will happen:
- System is in float on a nice sunny day
- Check and fill with distilled water if needed and log SG.
- Turn off loads
- Start EQ for 1 hour
- After 1 hour check the specific gravity for imbalances and do another hour if necessary.
Would it be better to do step 3 before step 2?
Things I've read say to check the SG
periodically during the EQ. Should the EQ mode have stopped or am
I popping the caps to check the SG with the batteries still in equalize
mode and bubbling away?
Bonus Question: Outside of EQ can the SG be checked at anytime during bulk, absorption and float? If so, is it best to check during float? Or even better to wait for float and then shut off the system and check them while idle? Maybe before the system starts in the morning?
I'm using a HydroVolt to measure the SG and will be keeping a log. Thanks for any help!
Comments
No need to turn off loads, equalizing takes relatively little energy.
Don't fill with distilled water unless you have exposed plates, you'll want to do that after. Doing it before may make a mess as the electrolyte will become veery active during this time.
I always like to suggest there are 2 types of equalizing (Some companies agree like Rolls)
There is monthly or quarterly Equalizing done for maintenance. Often people just allow there charge controller to do this automatically most will have a setting for this.
This looks like Corrective equalizing, when one or more cell's SG is out of balance with the rest. and it's the proper procedure for that. You can check SG at any point. You may find watermiser caps to allow a bit extra protection for the mist as well as helping reduce distilled water use slightly.
Checking the electrolyte's Specific Gravity (SG) should NOT require shutting downloads, some inexpensive inverters won't be able to handle the higher voltage, but most quality inverter will be just fine. The charge controller will keep the battery at the correct voltage on a fully charged battery. How charging works at the end of this.
Trojan Tips 5 - Equalization is Key to Extending Battery Life and Performance - YouTube
- Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
And remember, a long float charge, can eventually bring good batteries back into balance. Every EQ cycle has a slight amount of damage that goes along with it, so keeping your absorb time optimized, is much better that just blindly running an EQ every 30 days.
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There's a lot to be said for using a "bit" higher/longer absorb voltage in your normal, day to day charging IF you take the time to arrive at what works for you by taking SGs and fine tune for your specific system. And you might be surprised that you won't use that much more water. I was able to keep the cells in line with one another to the point that an EQ was only a few times a year and that was just for maintenance and only a few hours.
That sounds ideal, and I hope to one day achieve such a high level of battery-fu.
After two banks of FLAs over 11 years with two systems my battery-fu is now battery-never-mind. Thanks to lithium the system is as close to maintenance free as I could ever imagine. Or for the DW if something should happen to me. I still have T105s on the well but when they are done I'll plug the well into the house and be done with a 2nd system. It's really something to be considered if you have some of the same concerns. Once the high and low battery voltages are under control/reliable there's not much to do but squeegee the panels. Which is never.
I'm going into my 12th year on a forklift/traction battery. 12-85-13 (12 cells, 85 amps per positive plate 6 hour rate, 13 plates of which 6 are positive... or a 24 volt 510 ah at 6 hour rate or roughly 660 ah at a 20 hr rate or about 16.5 kWh.
It has been remarkably resilient. It was poisoned in it's 2nd year. I worked security where I lived, and had a cells go very dark and murky. It remained testing as one of the better cells for a couple years, but adventually became clearer and I suppose what ever someone stuck in the cell became adhered to the plates. It was still coming up to a high SG until a couple years ago. Now is just a dead cell, so I'm not charging correctly for 11 cells, when the sun goes down it's basically passing through so voltage goes to about 23.8-24 volts.
The battery it's self has surprising amount of capacity! Went 5 days with very little charging this winter and it kept the 20 year old fridge and lights computer running. I'll swap it out in the next year, if I knew how resilient it was going to be I'd have replaced the cell 3-4 years ago, likely $6-700 today. Runs on my Prosine and Magnum inverters but the Exeltech doesn't handle the low voltage well.
NAWS use to sell Crown forklift batteries, said it wasn't uncommon for them to last 20+ years. They do require a bit more maintenance and marginally more distilled water. I was using 4-6 gallons a year, but since the cell is gone, I'm basically over charging the remaining cells(IMHO) and use a gallon every couple weeks. Equalizing every month.
- Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.