What is a common "toaster heating element" tester? On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 6:05 PM, Brian Teitelbaum <bteitelb...@aeesolar.com>wrote:
> I once saw a brand new L16 battery that would read the proper voltage (6.3 > VDC) and had good hydrometer readings, but the voltage would drop to zero > when a load was applied. We were even able to do a dead short with a piece > of #10 wire with only a faint spark visible upon connection, and then > nothing.**** > > ** ** > > The manufacturer replaced it (after much haggling and the usual “that’s not > possible”) so I never found out for sure what caused it, but I suspected a > fracture in one of the internal bus bars. Could be what you are seeing here > since the voltage change is about 2V.**** > > ** ** > > I second Mark’s suggestion to load test each battery**** > > ** ** > > Brian Teitelbaum**** > > AEE Solar**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > *From:* re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto: > re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of * > m...@hurshtown.com > *Sent:* Tuesday, October 11, 2011 4:55 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches > > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] intermittent battery problem**** > > ** ** > > I would load test each battery individually using a common "toaster heating > element" tester.**** > > I'm betting on a bum battery in the string.**** > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] intermittent battery problem > From: Ron Young <solarea...@solareagle.com> > Date: Tue, October 11, 2011 3:00 pm > To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > > Wrenches,**** > > I received some additional info from the customer this morning. They have > asked me to hold off my visit until they get a few more clues but some of > what they are telling me doesn't necessarily jive with a sulphated battery. > Would appreciate comments - here's a quote from their email:**** > > ** ** > > *Hi Ron***** > > *Still having problems with system. If the batteries are sulphated would > the system return to full charge when you remove the load??? Checked our > hydrometer against another and it is working fine. Batteries are all either > in the green or on the line between green and blue this morning. Display > showed the batteries at 25.2 when we got up this morning. About 10:30 this > morning---I had just tested all batteries with the hydrometer---the readings > dropped to 23.8. Retested batteries---they were in the green. I turned > off all loads----the readings returned to 25.2. I turned on the > Sunfrost---readings immediately dropped to 23.8. I turned off the > Sunfrost--- readings returned to 25.2. I turned on all lights in the house > and the readings remained at 25.2. I turned the Sunfrost back on and the > readings again stayed at 25.2. The one other thing that happened in the > meantime is that the sun came out and we started buying power from the solar > system---.1-.3kw. This all seems to be part of a pattern where as soon as > we start buying power---whether from sun, wind or gen. the system returns to > normal---But we are still suspicious of the Sunfrost because of our problems > a few months back. ***** > > ** ** > > Ron Young**** > > earthRight Products - Solareagle.com**** > > Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products**** > > ** ** > > On 2011-10-09, at 11:56 AM, Ron Young wrote:**** > > > > **** > > As always, impressed and gratified by the number of thoughtful replies from > Wrenches, thank you again! It looks like a hefty EQ is in order. I've > successfully recovered badly sulphated batteries by putting them through > multiple charge/EQ/discharge cycles on more than occasion. Will check out > that Sunfrost as well. My mistake was believing that the hydrometer could > tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth but apparently it > takes an amp hour meter to keep it honest.**** > > ** ** > > Ron Young**** > > earthRight Products - Solareagle.com**** > > Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products**** > > ** ** > > On 2011-10-09, at 11:12 AM, Jonathan Hill wrote:**** > > > > **** > > Ron-**** > > We've seen this issue before,and it is almost always due to badly sulfated > batteries. I'd try a LONG (8-12 hrs) EQ charge at 32 volts. We've done this > with Hawkers and fixed the problem. I believe the Surrettes could handle > this kind of charge, though you might contact Jamie Surrette.**** > > ** ** > > Jonathan Hill, senior system design engineer**** > > *Sierra Solar Systems***** > > 563C Idaho Maryland Road**** > > Grass Valley, CA 95945**** > > Celebrating our 31st year in solar!**** > > tech info and foreign orders: (530) 273-6754 **** > > order line: (888) ON-SOLAR (US only) FAX: (530) 273-1760**** > > e-mail: <mailto:solar...@sierrasolar.com <solar...@sierrasolar.com>>**** > > world wide web: <http://www.sierrasolar.com>**** > > > Check out our 2 minute video at: > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY-0UuabPEk<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY-0UuabPEk> > **** > > Because of the high volume of e-mail to which I respond, please**** > > leave _all_ of the previous messages (unless it's unbearable) in**** > > your reply so I can better remember your original message.**** > > ** ** > > > <att6eade.png> **** > > ** ** > > On Oct 8, 2011, at 6:42 PM, Ron Young wrote:**** > > > > **** > > Thanks Bob but he has a tubular type hydrometer, not the pointer type. > They're usually ok but I'll check it against mine when I go there which > looks like a certainty.**** > > ** ** > > They EQ the batteries on a regular basis as per my instructions (they say) > but will have to nail them down on that. The small 2500w generator worries > me but they have 800w solar and a Whisper 100. The wind blows a lot. > Inverter is a 3524 Outback.**** > > ** ** > > Ron**** > > ** ** > > On 2011-10-08, at 5:07 PM, bob ellison wrote:**** > > > > **** > > I bet he has a cheap pointer type hydrometer, I have seen them be way off > from reality.**** > > My guess is that the gravity is low the voltage changes quickly, specific > gravity changes slowly in a battery bank.**** > > To fully charge a 24 volt bank you need to get it to 29 + volts and keep it > there for several hours, depending on the battery bank size.**** > > Charging it to 25.4 is nothing in the long run.**** > > Give them a LONG full charge, what are the inverters? Does it ever get an > EQ charge?**** > > **** > > Bob Ellison**** > > **** > > *From:* re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [ > mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org<re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org> > ] *On Behalf Of *Ron Young > *Sent:* Saturday, October 08, 2011 2:02 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches > *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] intermittent battery problem**** > > **** > > Howdy Wrenches,**** > > **** > > One of my customers that lives 3 hours out in the back country is having an > intermittent problem that I haven't encountered before. The batteries drop > rapidly in voltage but hydrometer readings are in the green. Turning off the > inverter and just using DC doesn't change anything. Meters on the Mate, > Outback MX and Whisper controller are all the same so it's not a metering > problem. On the way to bed the batteries were at 25.4, overnight with no > loads they dropped to 22.9 then a short 15 min. charge with a generator > brings the batteries back up and two hours later they are at 25.8. This > scenario has occurred several times and then doesn't appear for a day or > two.**** > > **** > > It doesn't seem to be sulfation as the batteries are reading good on the > hydrometer every time. All cells check out. The inverter doesn't seem to be > the problem. They have a Sunfrost on a separate DC circuit. It sounds like > an intermittent circuit problem or electronics issue. Customer has checked > and tightened all the connections he can get at but hasn't been inside the > components. Would appreciate any suggestions or clues before I make the > trip.**** > > **** > > Ron Young**** > > **** > > earthRight Products - Solareagle.com**** > > Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products**** > > **** > > ** ** > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > -- Mac Lewis * "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates *
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