Charging / maintaining Surrette S-460 batteries

Re: Charging / maintaining Surrette S-460 batteries

Hi wb,

If the GCs have sufficient capacity that would seem a good choice, as you noted -- a Starter Bank.

Load info, as you well know is a great place to start.

(A parenthetic note;
I have been a member of several Solar Forums, and just have not seen any data regarding Surrette FLA Lead Antimony -- the most common of their RE batteries -- needing high charge voltages, long Absorption times, or having a "worrying performance record". Just NO DATA.

One member here has a Lead Calcium T12 batteries that seems to be a Marine battery, and for RE use DOES need very very high Vabs, then there was member - terrynew - IIRC, who was in Canada, had about 5% or battery C for a PV array. For him, Surrette replaced TWO battery banks ON WARRANTY, plus several more batts replaced in that third bank. He may have had to pay some freight, but this really seems to be above and beyond performance by Surrette. And he seemed to be unable to charge these batteries, not really a Surrette problem, IMHO.

Have heard that VolvoFarmer had some problem with Surrettes, but this was second hand ... do not know the details. There was that chap in Hawaii who had a new 4KS25 Surrette tip over in a pickup in transit to his location, but, that does not seem to be Surrette's problem.

For the three Surrette banks here right now, the nominal Charge voltage is 57.6, or [14.4 V for a 12V bank] ... not high to me. This had been about 58.1 for the Winter months, but cranked it down a month or so ago. These voltages are right in line with what is speced. Absorption times depend upon DOD, as you would expect. Have not taken data, but if one removes 150 AH from the batteries, it will take hours to return that, but nothing whatsoever extraordinary at all there either.

Surrette does recommend an inspection of a new bank when it arrives, a full charge, check/record term V, electrolyte level, etc and a Comissioning EQ, as do a number of manufacturers. Alll of these recommendations are in the Surrette FLA/AGM Battry Manual.

The "C" bank is S-530 that are not heaveily used, and are almost eight years old, and also needs 14.4-ish V/12V for Vabs. Been very good batteries. All of the Surrette banks here have been in service for about 7.5 years ... knock knock, and doing fine.

Surrette ships a lot of batteries, and IF there were a very large problem at all, bet that we would hear of it here. A distant neighbor recently replaced her 8 or-more year-old S-460s or S-530 with S-530. The new ones are performing flawlessly with nothing different from the previous dual-string 48 V banks.

Am very, very happy with my Surrettes. They need NO extraordinary attention or maintenance. I do not understand just where some of these feelings about Surrette come from. Surretts has given me teriffic service, and they are easily available on the phone or via e-mail for questions or to help reslove problems.

The above is just based on my personal experience. Sorry to beat THIS drum, but in fairness to this manufacturer who has done a great job for me, feel that some DATA might help. Thanks! Vic

Re: Charging / maintaining Surrette S-460 batteries

Hi wb,

Well, you know the user best, AND if she could get by with (ideally a single) string of GCs, seems llike a no brainer to me.

As you well know, unless a good battery dealer is involved, the Surrette recommendations for comissioning a new bank are what generally should be done with ANY FLA bank. It took about one month on my first Surtrette bank for me to get down to doing the first EQ. All of these banks were drop-shipped directly from Surrette in NS, so they were only about 10 days old at time of arrival, and had not been sitting around in some shop. Like most recommendations, they often do not need to followed exactly ... and so on.

Anyway, if she could be on the Grid, that is the less fuss, also as you know. All the Best, Vic

Re: Charging / maintaining Surrette S-460 batteries

Hi victor (nice name!),

Thanks for the info. I must have seen that thread, but have no memory of it. On the second bank of 4KS25's I did pop all of the covers and check the torque for the bolts that strap the two cells together in each battery. None of them were loose, but two of them did take about one eighth turn, so they had relaxed a bit. Have not ever checked any on the other bank of 4KS25s. I really should look at both again. We do look for temp rise during heavy charging at about 125 A DC, and do not see any extra temp rise at the center of the cover where this strapping occurrs.

It is great that you found that Thread, and found the problem.

I very much like the ability to connect to individual cells if the need arises (by simply removing the top cover, and also to be able to change individual cells if/when it becomes necessary.

Good luck with your Surrettes, IMHO, that is a fine battery and looks like a fine system as well. Thanks, Vic