Trickle Charging Rolls Surette Solar Batteries ?

Tmp4000
Tmp4000 Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭✭
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:




Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    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.


    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    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.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,036 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here's a couple more, 


    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    > 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.

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

  • Tmp4000
    Tmp4000 Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭✭
    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
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018 #7

    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

    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018 #8
    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).

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    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
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    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.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • Tmp4000
    Tmp4000 Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭✭
    edited July 2018 #11
    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
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    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?
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    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 ?
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,