L16 HC battery cable lengths

matchstc
matchstc Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
I'm having some custom cables made. If I' setting up 16 L16 in series then in parallel how long should the interconnect cables be about 7 inches?
thanks
mike
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  • matchstc
    matchstc Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭
    #2
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths

    my decrepit t105's run about 7 inches or the l16 similar? I allso understamd the HC have two lugs?
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    matchstc wrote: »
    I'm having some custom cables made. If I' setting up 16 L16 in series then in parallel how long should the interconnect cables be about 7 inches?
    thanks
    mike

    normally for batteries in series the individual lengths of interconnecting cables would not be critical. it is a series circuit so all is by totality and the limiting factor there is resistive losses bumping up the voltage drop so one does not want this to be too long for that reason, but one interconnect can be 6in and the next 7in and so on. when you are dealing with the paralleling of batteries it gets critical as you want power to go to and from each battery equally so as to not stress any batteries while underutilizing others. this applies to series strings that are paralleled together as well so whatever is done to one needs done equally to the other(s) too. you do want to mount the cables so as to be as easy as possible to work with without sacrificing the best functionality you can get.
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  • matchstc
    matchstc Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭
    #4
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths

    right


    one thing I want to avoid is cables too short for the series links !!!


    mike
    niel wrote: »
    normally for batteries in series the individual lengths of interconnecting cables would not be critical. it is a series circuit so all is by totality and the limiting factor there is resistive losses bumping up the voltage drop so one does not want this to be too long for that reason, but one interconnect can be 6in and the next 7in and so on. when you are dealing with the paralleling of batteries it gets critical as you want power to go to and from each battery equally so as to not stress any batteries while underutilizing others. this applies to series strings that are paralleled together as well so whatever is done to one needs done equally to the other(s) too. you do want to mount the cables so as to be as easy as possible to work with without sacrificing the best functionality you can get.
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  • BilljustBill
    BilljustBill Solar Expert Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    matchstc wrote: »
    I'm having some custom cables made. If I' setting up 16 L16 in series then in parallel how long should the interconnect cables be about 7 inches?
    thanks
    mike

    Before I can be concerned with cable lengths, bar connectors, buss bars or other electrical issues, I have to get passed the high cost of eight L-16's... ;>)

    With so many large batteries, I was wondering if there is a special business that one could get good prices? Or, is there is a special approach you use to get a supplier to give a price break for eight to sixteen L-16's ?

    How did you offset the core charges?

    Thanks for the insights,
    Bill
    Bill
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  • matchstc
    matchstc Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭
    #6
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    BilljustBill wrote: »
    Before I can be concerned with cable lengths, bar connectors, buss bars or other electrical issues, I have to get passed the high cost of eight L-16's... ;>)

    With so many large batteries, I was wondering if there is a special business that one could get good prices? Or, is there is a special approach you use to get a supplier to give a price break for eight to sixteen L-16's ?

    How did you offset the core charges?

    Thanks for the insights,
    Bill

    lots of saving and he worked with me on the cores (Took 2 t105's per core)

    call around, try golf cart guys i found prices over a 100 dollar rangenad this guy delivers for 1/2 of labor (drives 20miles by my house weekly)

    I figured after spending a fortune on batteries good cables were a must

    mike
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths

    Don't know where you are BilljustB... but Staab batteries in mid west, St. Louis and Springfield Il and Chicago, has pretty dang good prices on L16's - $225 for Trojan L16E-AC's. Generics are a bit cheaper but for a $15 difference...
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • matchstc
    matchstc Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭
    #8
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    Photowhit wrote: »
    Don't know where you are BilljustB... but Staab batteries in mid west, St. Louis and Springfield Il and Chicago, has pretty dang good prices on L16's - $225 for Trojan L16E-AC's. Generics are a bit cheaper but for a $15 difference...

    I paid just a little more than that here in the woods of MO, like we do for everything, thank Heaven for the Net

    mike
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  • BilljustBill
    BilljustBill Solar Expert Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    Photowhit wrote: »
    Don't know where you are BilljustB... but Staab batteries in mid west, St. Louis and Springfield Il and Chicago, has pretty dang good prices on L16's - $225 for Trojan L16E-AC's. Generics are a bit cheaper but for a $15 difference...

    I'm near Ft. Worth, Tx. It's been awhile since I checked on prices, but I faintly remember it would be close to $300 including the $15 core charge, for the middle of U.S. Battery's L-16's...

    Thanks for the help, wish I could find those prices around here.

    Bill
    Bill
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  • mikeo
    mikeo Solar Expert Posts: 386 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    wish I could find those prices around here.
    I think you can with Trojan batteries, just order through a general distributor and have them drop shipped to the local dealer for pickup. Check on several local retailers, as many run delivery routes and will deliver to designated pickup points at no charge. I can order from Missouri, and they will deliver them to Lesley Arkansas which is about a 30 mile drive for me. An L16 400 amp battery runs around 230.00 and they will pick up any cores.
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  • matchstc
    matchstc Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭
    #11
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths

    Nice thing with my loacl guy is for a minimal fee he'll deliver to my house, saves alot of wear on tha old minivan
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  • BilljustBill
    BilljustBill Solar Expert Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    mikeo wrote: »
    I think you can with Trojan batteries, just order through a general distributor and have them drop shipped to the local dealer for pickup. Check on several local retailers, as many run delivery routes and will deliver to designated pickup points at no charge. I can order from Missouri, and they will deliver them to Lesley Arkansas which is about a 30 mile drive for me. An L16 400 amp battery runs around 230.00 and they will pick up any cores.

    That's a good idea about checking with a Distributor. I looked up the Distributor and it turns out to also be the nearest approved dealer, so I don't know what that will mean when buying eight of the mid-amphour size Trojans. The good thing is that the place is less than 45 minute drive. However, it is in Texas, so 8.25% of State Tax applies, but if it's about $170 which is less than shipping cost from out of state vendors....

    I'll call this week to see what the actual bottom line would be,

    Bill
    Bill
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  • BilljustBill
    BilljustBill Solar Expert Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
    #13
    Re: L16 HC battery cable lengths
    BilljustBill wrote: »
    That's a good idea about checking with a Distributor. I looked up the Distributor and it turns out to also be the nearest approved dealer...

    I'll call this week to see what the actual bottom line would be,

    Bill

    Well, I made the call to Continential Battery, a Trojan distributor, which is also the dealership .... Price for the Trojan L-16 H, a 435 amp hour battery, is $309.95, plus 8.25% tax, plus $30 for a core..... Priced the same for one or for eight.

    I did ask about using car batteries as core subs. They will take them, but it takes 3 for one L-16-H...

    I know they are expensive, but when he said the price, I had flashbacks of a picture I once saw of an old 32v Wincharger battery house and rows of clear rectangular glass jars filled with metal plates and acid....

    Any other ideas for a poor old Texas boy... ;>)

    Bill

    Bill
    Bill
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