Trickle Charging Rolls Surette Solar Batteries ?

Tmp4000 · July 2018

Hi There!

I have 40 Rolls Surette (24x 2OS33P and 16x 6CS25P) coming in a few weeks to my current location. They will be used to make 3 separate banks for 3 separate solar systems. They will be permanently installed in the January-February 2019 at their final destination. They will leave my current location with a transit time of 2.5 months to their final destination (meaning, they will be inside a shipping vessel 2.5 months traveling the Oceans)

Questions:
1. Advice on what to do to keep them healthy and charge up till they are shipped out to their final destination
2. Any trickle chargers for renewable solar batteries out there ?
3. I can put a load on them and discharge them (DoD = 0.30 ?) and then recharge them every other week ?

Thank you very much!

PS: Here is one of the setup:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/l1/roondcfniess.jpg

mike95490 · July 2018

Simply charge them once a month to keep them full. While in the shipping container, in transit, OMG.!! They may not even be allowed unless they are sealed AGM batteries. I don't know the battery part #'s to be able to read, if they are sealed or not.

Containers get bashed around a lot, vessels can roll a lot, loads can shift, even though they are not supposed to.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/mj/tm3tge744sno.gif

Estragon · July 2018

Depending on the route, the containers could also get hot (not great as this increases self-discharge). Assuming flooded, any chance of ordering them dry and adding electrolyte at the final destination? Dry should be good for 12-18mos storage.

littleharbor2 · July 2018

Here's a couple more,

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/wp/o8bd2goq7h61.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/4f/yn3rgsnvgrn3.jpg

jonr · July 2018

> I can put a load on them and discharge them (DoD = 0.30 ?) and then recharge them every other week ?

Always minimize the time a lead acid battery sits at less than 100% charge. And IMO, they rarely need to be exercised (ie, I wouldn't discharge them for no reason).

Do charge them fully and keep them charged. IMO, continuous float charging is slightly better than monthly charges.

Tmp4000 · July 2018

Thank you for those pictures...my blood pressure went up a little bit. We don't have any other option, they will be transported via a shipping container on a shipping vessel. We'll secure them as best as we can to keep them from moving or tipping (the batteries that is)

Anyways, regarding the trickle charger, is there one that is compatible with renewable solar deep discharge batteries ? I don't suppose I can just use a regular 12V car trickle charger ? (or multiple 12V trickle chargers)

I don't know how neatly they will be packaged when they arrive here, so that's why I don't want to un-bundle them or un-package them to connect them to the charge controllers... If I can get some kind of trickle charger that will work, I would like that.

Vic · July 2018

Tmp..,

You should ask the supplier to have the batteries Crated at Surrette, for shipment.

Have you considered getting these Flooded batteries shipped DRY ? Dry batteries should have a "shelf life" of about one year, or more. This is not an uncommon request for Surrette.

FWIW, Vic

jonr · July 2018

Luckily the pictures aren't typical.

It might help in some cases to keep the weight balanced within the container (ie, don't put all batteries in one end so that it tips when the crane lifts it).

BB. · July 2018

What you do want to make sure is that any mishandling/hard braking by truck/etc. that the batteries (and other stuff, possibly solar panels packed for shipment, etc.), will not shift, etc...

-Bill

mcgivor · July 2018

Vic said:

Tmp..,
You should ask the supplier to have the batteries Crated at Surrette, for shipment.
Have you considered getting these Flooded batteries shipped DRY ? Dry batteries should have a "shelf life" of about one year, or more. This is not an uncommon request for Surrette.
FWIW, Vic

Totally agree with this, If it's possible to change the order to dry chaged that would be an excellent solution.

Tmp4000 · July 2018

Buying them dry and then filling them with the electrolyte was considered a 'special order.'...my counterparts didn't like that. Our whole installation will composed of 3x 20' shipping containers, one of them will have the solar system for shipping (panels and batteries). That container already has the solar equipment mounted on the walls (that's the picture from my post)...we just need to wire up the batteries and the solar panels once we get to the final remote location.

Okay, so I can just use a typical 12V car battery trickle charger and charge them in banks of 12V ? (6x 2V 2OS33P or 2x 6V 6CS25P) ?

Estragon · July 2018

If I was doing this, I'd be inclined to look for something with temperature compensated float voltage. I have to assume a journey of that length might see some extremes. Presumably there are chargers used for storing golf carts over the winter etc which would be fit for purpose?

mike95490 · July 2018

How do you get power to charge them on the ship ? Put a panel on the roof and insist it be on the top of the stack ?

Trickle Charging Rolls Surette Solar Batteries ?

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