AGM Batteries under the house?

jcschultz
jcschultz Registered Users Posts: 3
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
I'm trying to plan out a new system. I live in Florida where we have no basements. I don't have a good place for batteries, but have a manufactured double wide (mobile) home. There is about 3 feet of space under the home. It is buggy and really just a layer of sand. Could I put my 4 AGM batteries down there? They would be subject to heat in summer and cold in winter, but not below freezing.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. My other option is to put them in some sort of cabinet near my electrical panel.

Thanks,
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: AGM Batteries under the house?

    Well gassing isn't an issue with AGM's unless something goes wrong. I would suspect that under the house may be more temperature stable than other locations so that would be good (they'd like to be like 70F all the time if they could). The only problem you might have is wire length; if it gets too long the V-drop can be large enough to cause the inverter to shut down under heavy load.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: AGM Batteries under the house?

    One other thing just came to mind: will it be damp down there? The battery connections will not like damp conditions, especially if you're near the ocean (damp salt air = corrosion death).
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  • jcschultz
    jcschultz Registered Users Posts: 3
    #4
    Re: AGM Batteries under the house?

    The total length of battery cable would be less than 10 feet to the inverter and charge controller. I plan for a 24 volt system, so I'm figuring on 2/0 cables. The batteries would be right under the floor, straight down from the inverter and charge controller and a manual transfer switch.

    Thanks,
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  • jcschultz
    jcschultz Registered Users Posts: 3
    #5
    Re: AGM Batteries under the house?

    I'm half way between Tampa and Orlando, so no salt air, but damp might be possible especially during the summer tropical storm season. I could put them in some sort of battery boxes.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: AGM Batteries under the house?
    jcschultz wrote: »
    I'm half way between Tampa and Orlando, so no salt air, but damp might be possible especially during the summer tropical storm season. I could put them in some sort of battery boxes.

    If you can keep the damp out and the temp stable they should be happy. 2/0 on a 24 Volt system across ten feet should handle 350+ Amps okay. You're not likely to be running more than 8kW off them, are you?
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: AGM Batteries under the house?

    unless they would be air conditioned then they will be exposed to a great deal of moisture no matter what. i don't think any real harm will come of it putting them down there and you might try to put them on a raised surface like a walkway slab. go higher if any chances of flooding there. even something like that concrete walkway slab will pull moisture up from the soil, er sand. the big thing would be to treat the connections with something to protect them with their exposed metal surfaces.
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