This is a bare bones but easy method. I am not sure Trojan would approve. You need a working bank and an inverter. A variac is used to set the AC voltage on an electric heater. A clamp-on DC ammeter is used to set the variac for the exact specified DC current (25A). A descent Variac is not that expensive and this set-up did work for Surrette, at one time. Interested to hear what is better and easier!
Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 > Esteemed Wrenches; My customer's saga of failing Trojan LC-16s continues, > unfortunately. It's 8 Trojan L-16 P AC in series/parallel for a 24v bank I > think I have strong warranty claim on at least one battery. Trojan's > warranty claim form requires a series of tests, including using a load > tester "approved" by Trojan (whatever that means). to put a load of 25 > amps > on each battery and time down to 1.75 volts per cell, specific gravity > checks, etc. > > This situation is worth purchasing a load tester I think. I'd like one > that > can do 2v, 6v and 12v batteries. Searching online, 6/12v seems common, not > seeing anything that can do 2v other than the Fluke BT series, which is > way > out of my off-grid price range. And I'm not seeing an automotive variety > where you can set the load amperage. > > Anyone have product advice for something that they use and like? Any help > appreciated. > > DAN > > PS---backgrounder and images....................... > > Numbering the batteries 1-2-3-4 left to right: > > ~Battery #2 was installed as a replacement only one month ago (July 2017) > and has a late 2016 date code. The 2 hot cells have such low Specific > Gravity that they don't register on the hydrometer or refractometer. > > ~Battery #3 was installed as a replacement in mid 2016. I found the cause > of the problem that killed the original battery (the entire bank was > installed 2014), an incredibly poorly crimped interconnect cable from > AltEdirect (I posted here about it then). They offered to replace the > cable > (thanks, folks) but it's of more value to me in teaching my hands-on solar > college classes. > > ~Battery #3 has a 2013 date code, implying to me that it sat on the self > for almost 3 years before the distributor dumped it on me as a one-off. > Next time, I will demand the same date code on each battery. > > ~Battery #1 has NO date code. First time I've seen that. > > ~In any case -- all the problems seem to be on only the outer parallel > string. So the customer approved a complete re-cable, and I'm going to > build them all myself after the expensive AltE cable fail. > > > Dan Fink > Professor of Solar Energy Technology, Ecotech Institute > IREC Certified Instructor⢠for: > ~ PV Installation Professional > ~ Small Wind Installer > Executive Director, Buckville Energy > NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providers⢠> 970.672.4342 > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
