Battery Consideration for high ambient temperature area

Re: Battery Consideration for high ambient temperature area

If I remember correctly--You somewhere in Indonesia.

So your average lows around around 25C? Normally, I would suggest that you bury your battery box in the ground/build a berm around the perimeter/cover/insulate the top from direct sun (or basement, etc.)--Is that practical for you?

In theory, if you can keep your battery bank at 25C--that is the "optimum" temperature for lead acid battery banks... For every 10C rise, the life would be cut by 1/2... If you put a temperature probe in the ground a foot or two below the surface (in shade)--What would the temperature be?

Otherwise, any active cooling (i.e., air conditioner or circulating water from a nearby "cool" stream/pond/etc. probably is more trouble that it is worth). An evaporative cooler won't really work in your humidity.

Is this a cost issue or a length of service question (i.e., remote site with no roads for regular maintenance)?

Normally, for hot climates, they change the specific gravity of the electrolyte (drop it a bit?) for longer battery life (would reduce low temperature performance--but for your climate--who cares).

One website suggested these "fill specific gravity specs": 1,300 in very cold climates, 1,280 in "normal" climates and 1,265 in tropical climates.

A solar energy book suggests 1.210-1.230 specific gravity (for 100% charged batteries) for tropical climates.

So, there are things you should do for your climate to extend battery life (and your battery supplier probably already is familiar with this modification to his electrolyte solution when he fills the batteries for service).

Obviously, monitoring the battery bank voltage with a Remote Battery Temperature Sensor and/or setting the charge controller for lower voltage (because of the warm climate) would also help extend the battery life (prevent too much "gassing" of the battery bank).

-Bill