Rubber band batterys?

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Himins
Himins Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Well, the pressure is on. I have 3 industrial tractor batterys with a total weight of nearly 300 lbs. I am experimenting with these batterys only because the SG and voltage testing looked better than the army of murdered batterys I've been using, in fact, under no load they tested darned well. They charged too quickly however, and under a small load, they died just as quickly. My murdered batterys perform a lot better but nobody wants to know how bad the SG testing went with the previous set.

I've rewired the entire battery bank using a diagram from a web site that has been refered to many times on this forum. I shaved 12 feet of cable and moved the batterys into a heated/vented protion of the house.
What condition would cause a battery, or batterys to charge too quickly, then not hold the charge when all bench tests appear normal, even above average? From the CC to the bank, there are 8' of #6awg wire, and 2' #4awg to reach the 600 w tsw inverter. All unions have been soldered and bolted.
Buying batterys will not be an option until some time late this winter.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Rubber band batterys?
    Himins wrote: »
    What condition would cause a battery, or batterys to charge too quickly, then not hold the charge when all bench tests appear normal, even above average?

    What "bench tests" do you mean? The only test that really means anything is specific gravity. The Voltage can be "right" and even the SG "right" but the plates can still be sulphated, reducing the effective capacity.

    About the only thing you can do without replacing the batteries is extend the Absorb time as much as possible, even push the Absorb Voltage up.
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  • Himins
    Himins Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: Rubber band batterys?

    I've been carefully avoiding any really deep cycle, but the murdered batterys got pleanty of abuse, including some deeeeeeep cycles. do you suppose a sulfated battery may benefit from a deep hard cycle?
    It's going to be 15 below zero here for the next few nights, and I will have to run one box fan on sloooow until we are above zero. Its not an emergency as the murdered batterys are on stand by. I know they will run all night.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: Rubber band batterys?

    Sorry, but the only thing that "helps" hard sulphated batteries is replacement.
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
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    Re: Rubber band batterys?
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    Sorry, but the only thing that "helps" hard sulphated batteries is replacement.

    Himins: If you look around on the Internet, you will see some detailed articles on using chelating agents (EDTA is the one most commonly mentioned) to partially rejuvenate sulphated batteries. There is no purely electrical way to reverse hard sulphation and get capacity back, but by a combination of EDTA treatment and charging you may be able to get the sulphate to fall off the plates and pile up on the bottom of the cells. That at least may allow you to get some part of your battery capacity back. They may not last long, and it is the last thing I would do to a good set of batteries. But if you are desperate, it may buy you some time until you can replace your batteries.

    Others on the forum may be convinced that any such treatment is a hoax, and it may well be, but if you get the chemicals yourself instead of buying a "miracle" battery treatment, you do not have much to lose.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • Himins
    Himins Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
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    Re: Rubber band batterys?

    Well thanks Caraboo and Fizzy, I just rewired up some of the old battle scarred batterys, I don't know why they keep on but they were free and they have been working. I went from generator to pv to power this place and its really a treat to find all this help here. I was using 5 gallons of fuel a week and now down ta just 2 during the winter months...thought I would be using 10. I finally have 2 strings of 2 panels connected the 3rd string may have to sit until spring before I can mount them but I am really happy with them.
    Caraboo, you have really been a big help...I do computer work and a fair amount of photography, both part time now...but if you need any old photographs restored for a christmas present, I just invested in a new printer thats up to the task. I've been doing photoshop work since late eightys and can fix or enhance just about any positive or negative. Be my pleasure to do one for ya.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #7
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    Re: Rubber band batterys?

    Himins;

    I appreciate the offer.
    However, we are all volunteers here. We help out because we want to. We don't expect any more back than a simple "thank you". :D
    If we can get someone's system working and/or save them a few $ that's reward enough.
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