Best way to treat batteries if cannot recharge immediately

balee123
balee123 Solar Expert Posts: 86 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
General question about batteries and sulfation.

Scenario:

Deep cycle battery on small boat used to run bait tank pump and small LED lights.
Used during day to 80% SOC.

If I cannot get the battery on a charger right away (say for 2-3 days), would it be better to have a small constant load (LEDs) on the battery instead of letting it sit?
I guess my question is would a small load reduce the amount of sulfation?
My understanding is sulfation occurs when batteries sit in an undercharged state for too long, If there is "discharge chemistry" going on, does "sulfation chemistry" even occur?

Thanks in advance for any information to clarify this.
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Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Cycling the battery between 50% and 80% state of charge (for example) appears to be OK on the battery if it is recharged >90% around once a week (one vendor says at least once every 28 days).

    I would avoid any load on the battery as I do not think a constant/slight discharge is going to help improve its life.

    Can you throw a 2% rate of charge solar panel on the battery? For example with a 220 AH @ 12 volt battery bank:
    • 220 AH * 0.02 = 4.4 amps
    • 4.4 amps * 17.5 Vmp typical = 77 Watt solar panel
    plus a small charge controller?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,896 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Sounds like maybe one battery? I'd maybe just haul it home and recharge it there. Though BB certainly has a more high tech solution.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • lkruper
    lkruper Solar Expert Posts: 115 ✭✭
    #4
    softdown wrote: »
    Sounds like maybe one battery? I'd maybe just haul it home and recharge it there. Though BB certainly has a more high tech solution.

    Refrigerate them :)

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