Wrenches,I have a client with a newer (March '11) set of lead acid batteries
(24 x 2V = 48V bank) that has a reoccurring 'problem' that i haven't seen or
heard of before, i'm wondering if any of you have???
There is a very sticky, gooey, grey metallic like gunk floating on top of the
electrolyte. It has gummed up a couple (so far) of my eyedroppers that i use
with my refractometer, and despite my efforts, when a little bit of this gunk
finds its way onto the refractometer lens, it is difficult and time consuming
to remove. I can only imagine the havoc it would reap on a hydrometer if it
were sucked inside!
The (very reputable) battery manufacturer has told me... "This happens
occassionally when our supplier uses too much releasing agent in their
separator. It is inert and will not cause any capacity or performance
issues.", this is good news, and they mention it can be removed by swirling a
glass rod around in the electrolyte. Alas i do not have glass rods in my tool
bag so i resort to spinning a tywrap between my fingers, which seems to be
quite effective as the gunk is quite sticky, then squeezing it off with a rag.
However even after i've removed as much as possible, for several batteries, a
little bit of the gunk still manages to get on my refractometer lens. Argh!
The issue that is really getting to me now is that once i've removed as much as
will come out of each battery and am thankful that i've gotten rid of it all,
several weeks to a month and a half later... there is more of it! I pull out
an amount about the size of 7/16" nut each time Not from every battery, but
from at least 2/3 of them every 1.5 months or so. Unfortunately i haven't been
monitoring exactly how much or from which cells each time. It appears to be
random. I can share some pics, but i don't have them readily available at the
moment.
For a battery bank that cost in the range of $30,000 i find it difficult to
explain, and i receive a cockeyed stare, when tell the client that he has to
endure this very annoying inconvenience.
Am i alone on this one?
Thanks,benn
DayStar Renewable Energy Inc. benn@daystarsolar.ca780-906-7807 HAVE A SUNNY DAY
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