Living with no generator!

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #92
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    Re: Living with no generator!

    Costco has always been very good about any returns where the customer is not happy.

    Some of their returns polices change after 90 days (typically electronics)--So if you think something is wrong, change it now (batteries probably have a direct replacement first year, and pro-rated after that).

    Batteries supply a lot of current--You do not want any poor connections. Reduced output from that cell/battery and possible fire hazard.

    I don't know if you have a poor connection or not--But anything not firmly mounted can cause problems over time.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Out There
    Out There Solar Expert Posts: 96 ✭✭✭✭
    #93
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    Re: Living with no generator!

    Thank you, Bill. You know, I had written this all up and included a caveat indicating I knew about the current issues but, when I submitted it, the cookies on my computer had expired and I lost the whole post. I tried to re-do it, and thought I had remembered everything, but I missed that. My concern is two-fold; I live almost 2 hours from Costco, so I will have to remove that one battery and disable the whole string for a huge part of the day. Also, I know the batteries are fairly new, and I don't really think this is a huge issue, but when I bought these batteries, I made sure they were all the same manufacture date and same lot number. Bringing a new one in…. I guess it isn't as bad as replacing half the bank!
    -Brian
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #94
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    Re: Living with no generator!

    If the holes in your cable lugs are the wrong size ( ie a 3/8" lug on a 5/16 post bolts ) you will pull them loose as you try to tighten them on some batteries. The lead will squeeze into the void around the lug. The solution is to use the right size lugs or a washer on the post, below and above the lug. Interstates are some that have that low profile design on their posts. No clue who makes Costco, as cheap as they can find, I'm sure.
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  • Out There
    Out There Solar Expert Posts: 96 ✭✭✭✭
    #95
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    Re: Living with no generator!

    All of my cable lugs are tight to the post bolts. All the others are fine…. just one is off. It looks as though the head of the bolt was not placed as deeply into the lead as the others or that there was not sufficient lead filled in on top of (beneath) the head of the bolt.
    -Brian
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #96
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    Re: Living with no generator!

    Interestingly, some of the Kirkland house brands are pretty good.

    A few years ago, somebody on another forum tested the Kirkland AA batteries against the other major and minor brands out there and found the Kirkland were as good or better than almost everything out there (including those copper colored batteries).

    But--That was then and this is now--Who knows after three more generations of contracts/supplier changes what is it like now for any house brand product--And even the name brands are frequently outsourced/cost reduced into usability.

    -Bill "I have bad luck buying anything" B.
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • PhilS
    PhilS Solar Expert Posts: 370 ✭✭✭
    #97
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    Re: Living with no generator!

    I understand that it'd take two trips, but couldn't you just buy one battery from Costco and install it and then take the bad one in for a refund when it's more convenient?

    That way, at least, your system wouldn't be down very long.

    Phil
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,746 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #98
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    Re: Living with no generator!
    BB. wrote: »
    Costco has always been very good about any returns where the customer is not happy.

    Some of their returns polices change after 90 days (typically electronics)--So if you think something is wrong, change it now (batteries probably have a direct replacement first year, and pro-rated after that).

    Batteries supply a lot of current--You do not want any poor connections. Reduced output from that cell/battery and possible fire hazard.

    I don't know if you have a poor connection or not--But anything not firmly mounted can cause problems over time.

    -Bill
    Bill,

    My truck battery from Costco just failed last month. The warranty was 100 months and 3 year no cost replacement. It surprised me and not much does anymore. Send the rain OK ?
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Out There
    Out There Solar Expert Posts: 96 ✭✭✭✭
    #99
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    Re: Living with no generator!
    Dave Angelini wrote: »
    Send the rain OK ?
    …or the snow, as we saw over the weekend! We've certainly had our share, recently. We average 70"/year where I live. I'll bet we've seen that in the last 6 months.
    Wanna trade for some dry dirt? :cool:
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