Brown electrolyte in batteries :cry:

I know it can't mean anything good 
About half my batteries have 1 cell, with brown electrolyte. Other cells in same battery are nice and crystal clear.
Any guesses as to how long before I have to get new batteries ?

About half my batteries have 1 cell, with brown electrolyte. Other cells in same battery are nice and crystal clear.
Any guesses as to how long before I have to get new batteries ?
Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048
inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A
NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole |
Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor
(1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,
Comments
Mike,
How is the SG ? balanced between cells? Are you being hygenic? Have you ever uncovered the plates? Last, did you get the e-mail on how to mod your XW for single phase? Is it 5 o'clock yet... oh yea, are you sure the electrolyte is dark?
http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
E-mail [email protected]
Likely it's caused by eroded plate material that settles to the bottom getting stirred up by pieces of plate dropping off; plate failure.
Run 'em 'til they drop.
Which could be today.
Did not test SG.
I took a dip in the creek, but I had a rash for several days afterwards
Batteries were used, AFIK, plates always covered
Got the email
It's 5 o'clock somewhere
electrolyte is a murky muddy brown. Other cells, are crystal clear as I would expect. 8ea, 6V batt in series.
I'll run them till they fail .
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,
If you did not test the SG Mike, how do you know the electrolyte is dark? Did you remove some with an eye dropper? I understand that when you look into the cell it is dark, and I really understand it is 5 o'clock somewhere, but I do not understand yet if the electrolyte is dark? There is a reason but you have to play along until 5.
http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
E-mail [email protected]