Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?

Rockcrawler
Rockcrawler Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Frustrated! I have searched high and low, tried contacting Freas numerous times, can't find one local and NAWS doesn't sell them. Where can I buy a thermometer to check the temp of my batteries?! I already have a Freas hydrometer. I have googled looking for battery thermometers and either places are out of business or they don't sell thermometers. :confused: One would think that if taking the temperature of batteries is so important than more thermometers would be available at stores that specialize in solar. Sorry to rant just frustrated. Any ideas on where to get one?
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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?

    Hi Rock..,

    Yea, just looked at NAZW&S, and do not see one. I did buy a couple from NAZ about five years ago. IIRC, it was made by Gould, and was a real battery thermometer.

    Compensation the charge voltage for batteries is very important. Compensation of SG readings is a fairly small percentage of the reading, and is often small enough to ignore unless the batts are quite warm, or fairly cold. I bought a Freas combo Hydrometer/Thermometer, and the bulb was too small to fill the glass tube with ENUF fluid to float the float.

    I know of no source of a battery thermo, but a glass/alcohol thermometer should work OK, as long as it has the required range.

    Good Luck, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
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  • Rockcrawler
    Rockcrawler Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭
    #3
    Re: Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?

    Thanks Vic! I did find one, a lady from Freas actually called me back! She told me someone gave her my wrong contact info. Anyways have one in the mail coming my way!
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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?

    GREAT ! Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?

    I have a small IR thermometer, and I'll now have to play with it, to see if I can get a reading off the inside of the cell via the battery cap, or maybe the split ring plastic. Outside case temp is sort of close, and I'm sure the copper cables influence the terminal post the charger sensor is on.
    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
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  • Peter_V
    Peter_V Solar Expert Posts: 226 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?

    How accurate do you want to be?

    For my electric truck I just bought a cheap automotive thermometer with remote sensor on a 10-15 foot wire. I think I paid $10 a wally world.

    I just put the sensor down between two batteries in the middle of the pack.
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  • Rockcrawler
    Rockcrawler Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭
    #7
    Re: Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?
    Peter_V wrote: »
    How accurate do you want to be?

    For my electric truck I just bought a cheap automotive thermometer with remote sensor on a 10-15 foot wire. I think I paid $10 a wally world.

    I just put the sensor down between two batteries in the middle of the pack.


    Pretty accurate seeing as how temperature plays an important role in figuring out the SG. I installed a trimetric meter and want to compare that with the actual SG of my batteries. Temps in my area range from 0- 100*. Want to keep my batteries alive as long as possible.
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Where can I buy a Freas Thermometer?

    How well would an IR thermometer work?

    I'll have to give it a shot when I get home later in the week.

    T
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