48 volt battery system maintenance

freelivingman

I've had my 16 battery 3 volt per battery system up and running for a couple years now.  I seem to have more then average battery water discharge out of the 3 cell cap..  I use a battery water filler and it fills them to some preset limit.  
I am wondering if there is a simple solution to this.  Am I just filling them too full.   Any suggestions?

Also, I see online there are some battery water filler systems.  Anyone use one of these?  Do they seal at the battery cell so there is no discharge?  Do they work ok if so what brand is recommended.

Thanks
DW

Dave Angelini

Clean your cell cap and its mate. Probably plugged with battery charge byproducts.

Battery fill systems do work until they don't. I think for offgrid they are just more to go wrong.

BB.

I am guessing these are 3x cell of 2 volt per cell flooded cell lead acid batteries... 8x 6 volt (48 volt) by 2x parallel strings (2*AH rating).

One thing to make sure, only fill the cells 1/2 way before fully charging/EQ charging. After the charging (batteries are warm and bulbling), then fill near the top fill line/slot cut, etc.... If you fill when cold/needing charging, the electrolyte expansion from heat and gassing (gets caught under plates, on plates) can cause the cells to overflow.

The big thing is to make sure you do not expose the plates to air--They will oxidize and cause early life failure.

These replacement caps can reduce misting (filled will small balls to collect/condense mist and drip back into battery):

https://www.flowsystemsusa.com/water-miser-vent-cap.html

I am not sure, but it looked like some manual pour fillers I have seen, the tube can be cut to length (if need to fill cells fuller, or perhaps cut too short and overfilling cells)?

Also check the electrolyte specific gravity and charger settings (voltage, absorb time, etc.). You don't want to overcharge the batteries either (overheat the cells, "boil them" excessively, etc.).

Note that many more banks are usually killed by undercharging...

-Bill

freelivingman

Thank you both for the suggestions.  I cleaned the lid, especially the rubber gasket and the cell battery holes yesterday and haven't notiiced any considerable discharge.  Thank you again.

Dave Angelini

Nice !