Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Terminal Connections (WAS GSCM-mini with Honda EM5000SX)

[Allan Sindelar]

John, I respect your experience and your advice, and have a few questions related to this post. I have seen problems in the past with failed and high-resistance battery terminal connections. Usually it's the result of corrosion buildup on unprotected terminals installed by a homeowner or a lowball installer, but I can recall at least one instance in which one of our installers didn't tighten a terminal sufficiently, or else the connection loosened as you described below, and it melted the terminal and caused a system failure - which we covered under our installation warranty. But I have never seen advice as specific as yours on actual terminal connection materials and procedure. What corrosion inhibiting grease do you recommend? I have seen Vaseline used for decades, and don't think I have ever seen a failure. We have used QuickCote for years, with the brush-in-can, but it's tedious. I found two versions of SS Belleville washer at fastenal.com:     5/16" curved spring washer at http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/details/33192?searchMode=productSearch&rfqXref=&rfqKeyword=&rfqId=&rfqLineId=     5/16" Belleville washer at http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/details/71239?searchMode=productSearch&rfqXref=&rfqKeyword=&rfqId=&rfqLineId= The former has radial serrations, but I think the latter is what you're recommending - yes? You write "locknut" below - are you recommending a standard 5/16" SS nut, or a specific type of locknut like a Nylock? Thanks for going into a bit more detail for us. I'd like a bit more peace of mind. I actually a bit about 14 year old banks losing one string and overloading another... Allan Allan Sindelar al...@positiveenergysolar.com NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Founder and Chief Technology Officer Positive Energy, Inc. 3209 Richards Lane (note new address) Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com On 3/25/2013 2:49 PM, John Berdner wrote: I concur with William’s recommendations and would add a couple of things.   Only use stainless steel hardware for all battery connections. Wire brush connection surfaces prior to mating. Use corrosion inhibiting grease on all fittings after making them (to seal out air).   Lastly, It is a good idea to use stainless Belleville washers (cupped spring washers) in current carrying connections.   Bolt head, washer, Battery terminal, washer, Belleville washer, locknut. The spring washer maintains clamping force as the connection expands and contracts (thermally). They are very common place in high current bus bar connections but I rarely see them used on batteries.   Best Regards,   John Berdner General Manager, North America   SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. 3347 Gateway Boulevard, Fremont CA 94538 USA  (*Please note of our new address.) T: 510.498.3200, X 747 M: 530.277.4894   From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of William Miller Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 12:41 PM To: RE-wrenches Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] GSCM-mini with Honda EM5000SX   Eric: The generator-based charging may impose higher currents into the batteries than either PV charging or inverter consumption, triggering the problem.  Melted battery terminals are not uncommon.  You must have washers under your bolt heads with lead flanges.  Otherwise the bolt heads sink into the lead, loosening connections.  All mating surfaces need to be newly wired brushed just before assembly.  Battery connections need to be re-torqued annually. William Miller At 09:40 AM 3/25/2013, you wrote: Larry,   Thanks for your reply. For some reason the schematic I received from the tech at Atkinson did not show any wires being connected to pins 9 & 10 and as I'm a literalist I did not make those connections. After I received your (and other) feedback I connected gen power to those pins and the AGS seemed to function fine. Within 2 days the customer called me back saying his genny was shutting off after 20 mins of runtime. I told him to disconnect or reprogram one system component at a time to find the fault source. Before a fault source was determined, he observed that two batteries in his bank were experiencing the "battery terminals melting into the battery casing" (as was texted to me by the customer). I have no idea how a GSCM interface would cause or allow an overcurrent fault at the batteries but the timing of the installation seems to indicate that the AGS is at fault. Ever heard of this before?   Eric Stikes SunHarvest Solar   We install solar pool pumps quite frequently here in the Caribbean. We use Sunpumps - excellent company, great support. Email Joe Lines joe@sunpumps.com for design assistance, he is very helpful. On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 1:02 PM, William Korthof <wkort...@gmail.com> wrote: A few questions. I have a customer who really wants a solar-direct pool pump for his home. Medium size in-ground pool and I'd like the pump to be strong enough to lift to the solar pool panels (12 ft lift above pool level). I'd like to offer him hardware that is at least one notch above experimental beta-test. I remember the SunCentric from several years ago, but not sure how durable that turned out, and I was having trouble a vendor for it now. Any suggestions for today with some favorable track record? Or suggestions on what to avoid? William Korthof Sustainable Solutions Partners _______________________________________________ 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 -- Chris Mason President, Comet Systems Ltd www.cometenergysystems.com Cell: 264.235.5670 Skype: netconcepts _______________________________________________ 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 <EM4000SX_MINI-01.PDF>_______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change email address & 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 _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change email address & 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 _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change email address & 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 Miller Solar Voice :805-438-5600 email: will...@millersolar.com http://millersolar.com License No. C-10-773985 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail and its attachments are intended only for the use of the individual or entity who is the intended recipient and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure or any type of use under applicable law. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient, or the employee, agent, or representative responsible for delivering the e-mail to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying, or other use of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please reply immediately to the sender.  P  Please think of the environment before printing this email _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change email address & 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

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Home Power magazine

List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org

Change email address & 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