Lead acid storage

mountainman
mountainman Registered Users Posts: 439 ✭✭
For 6 months I've kept my 2 golf cart 208 ah batteries on a 100 watt panel. Cc settings all on 13.6 Just sitting in the shed doing nothing. Now it's time to put them back in use. I checked the Sg today  after being unhooked 24 hrs.  b1  1.275  6.34 volts b2 1.265 6.28 volts. Is there a better way to store them for 6 months a year.
2kw array 6 345 q cells  make sky blue 60 cc
 6 230ah GC @36 volts 
18 amp accusense charger. 3650 champion 

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    edited April 2019 #2
    Sounds like you did good...

    Did you have to add water? Were the plates exposed?

    In theory, you want to exercise the batteries to less than ~75% State of charge a few times to get the plates in good condition after your 6 months of floating.

    -Bill

    PS: And keep the batteries cool/cold during storage (for longer life).
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Tecnodave
    Tecnodave Registered Users Posts: 437 ✭✭✭✭
    When you store this kind of battery it is better to top off the charge every several weeks so the batteries don't discharge so far. There is no need to keep the solar charger on all the time. It's a bit harder on the batteries to charge every day when not needed. If this is a part time residence that is unoccupied for 1/2 the year then what you have done is approiate. If your charge controller is settable then I would lower the float voltage a bit and leave it connected. It appears from the voltage and s.g. readings that your batteries are in good shape. Now the only thing to do is put them to some good use.
    2 Classic 150, 2 Kid, 5 arrays 7.5 kw total  2ea.  2S6P Sharp NE-170/NE-165, 1ea. 12P Sanyo HIT 200,  2ea. 4/6P Sanyo HIT 200, MagnaSine MS4024AE, Exeltech XP-1100,  2 Banks L-16 battery, Rolls-Surette S-530 and Interstate Traction, Shunts with whizbangJr and Bogart Tri-Metric, iCharger i208B  dc-dc buck/boost converter with BMS for small form lithium 8S 16650 or LiFePO4,
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    One thing you might want to consider if your controller has a settable auto-EQ function is to set EQ voltage to around absorb voltage (eg 14.5) and to "EQ" at that voltage for an hour say every 30 days.

    Sounds like what you did worked okay though. 
    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
  • mountainman
    mountainman Registered Users Posts: 439 ✭✭
    edited April 2019 #5
    Yes this is a 6 month storage and 6 month use battery. Stored in cool cold shed in winter. Nov- april .  Water level was about half way between plates and bottom of wells. Cc is settable and us b recommends 2.17 floating. 2.26 is some how is where it was. I have read that lead acid needs to boil occasionally  (stratification) My thoughts on eq was since they were only self discharging and cc draw. That it wouldn't be worth the risk of maybe running the batteries dry unattended. Winters and fall in Virginia mountains has frequent cloudy days or even  weeks with no sun. Temps 0 f at night. And deep snows. I hung the panel vertical on a south wall.   
    2kw array 6 345 q cells  make sky blue 60 cc
     6 230ah GC @36 volts 
    18 amp accusense charger. 3650 champion 
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I definitely wouldn't do a "real" higher voltage EQ unattended.  I was thinking more like a fake EQ at absorb voltage.  Enough to get a bit of mixing, but not the "boiling" you get at EQ voltage.  
    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
  • mountainman
    mountainman Registered Users Posts: 439 ✭✭
    @Estragon so just a fizzing booster to keep the acid stirred.
    2kw array 6 345 q cells  make sky blue 60 cc
     6 230ah GC @36 volts 
    18 amp accusense charger. 3650 champion 
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    edited April 2019 #8
    Fizzing is water loss... you already lost something like 1/2 you water over 6 months. 

    If you are not there to check monthly or every two months, I would avoid EQ for now...

    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    Remember, if you don't discharge, stratification doesn't occur.  No stirring needed.   OK, just sitting there causes a very tiny discharge, but it's minimal.

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development