Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

I've seen one, and picked up after another.. the first was at my brother's farm in like 81.. seems he took to parking the tractor on the back walk (inside the barn -- in winter) because he had been having starting problems (a 6 volt set up as I recall), so it had been on charge. I had just walked i

Re: [RE-wrenches] clear modules

Darryl is right, Silicon energy has a nice "clear" module. 215 watts I believe. Sent from my iPhone On Dec 15, 2010, at 11:17 AM, Darryl Thayer wrote: > Silicon Energy modules let some light through. At least the ones that i saw. > > Darryl T > > --- On Wed, 12/15/10, Jason Szumlanski

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

I have sold thousands of off-grid PV systems and hundreds of on-grid PV systems with batteries. In 1984, one customer located 30 miles north of New Orleans with an off-grid PV system and T-105 batteries reported that a battery exploded. The cause was a clogged cell cap vent that trapped H2 that

[RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Wow! and Thanks, for the honest stories everyone. I never imagined the span of history here. I am learning on how it could go very badly. I have much to share with my clients next time the topic arises. I have had so many melted battery recombination caps melt down that I quit using them after

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

H2S is slightly heavier than air, but I vent with the inlets on line with the tops of the battery, and the outlet at the highest point. If there is a lot of space around the bottom of the batteries, I might lower the inlets some, but not enough for the airflow to contribute to much cooling effec

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Some really good lessons here, thanks Larry    I forgot to mention one of my explosions, I was checking connections and found one loose but I had turned off the battery bank.  but there were four parallel strings connected I believe the string I was working on had a small current flowing or some

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

H2S has a mole weight of 34 and Oxygen has a mole wt of 32 and nitrogen has a mole weight of 28   H2S will blend and not gravity seperate from air.  --- On Wed, 12/15/10, Jonathan Hill wrote: From: Jonathan Hill Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidentsTo: "RE-wrenches" Date: Wed

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

I was hesitant to reply because I surely will look foolish, but perhaps it may help someone in the future. I did something very stupid back in 2001 that caused an explosion. The battery bank (12 volt, 660AH) was located in a metal cargo container next to the wall and set in a plastic container

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Just another note, a friend was checking connections, explosion, blowing top off battery putting acid in his eyes, he had water near by, then to the hospital 5 days of eye washing he has most of his vision back, but went through a lot of pain.  no other burn marks.    One of my cases is when I

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Ray-Is H2S lighter or heavier than air? Should it be vented from the top or bottom of the enclosure? Thanks. Jonathan Hill, solar applications engineerSierra Solar Systems563C Idaho Maryland RoadGrass Valley, CA 95945Celebrating our 30th year in solar!tech info and foreign orders:  (530) 273-6754 o

Re: [RE-wrenches] Trace TM500

Ralph is great treasure and Bogart Engineering is one of a kind. That is the only company in the world where the owner/engineer answers the phone everytime, ready to help you solve your needs. Thanks Ralph! Nick Soleil Project Manager Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC PO Box 657 Peta

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

I really think the real venting issue is H2S (hydrogen sulfide) gas, which is deadly at high enough concentrations, causes head aches at lower concentrations, and is just awful to smell at any concentration. I think you would have to literally design a battery box to explode to ever get to the 4

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Fellow Wrenches, I'm aware of one incident of an exploding battery. I helped a friend install two solar powered remote controlled gate openers on his ranch. These systems came with two small PV modules (5W each) and no charge controller. A 100 amp hour battery was recommended. During the wi

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Hello Jay, Granted, that too can be a cause.  In this instance, my friend was fastidious about battery maintenance (obsessive even).  Cell caps were unobstructed.  This was unquestionably an accumulation of hydrogen in one or more cells, which was then ignited by the tiniest of sparks.  As I re

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

14 years of battery bank experience. Witnessed results of one fire involving 4 strings of L16s at 48 volts. Fire was confined to battery storage area. Not from an explosion but overcharging a dead string. On a personal note, I have seen and felt the shock wave from an exploding 8D 30 years ago.

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Hi Dana, In 22 years of installing off grid systems I have never seen or heard of one, but then, we have always vented our battery based systems, even the VRLA type batteries.. Daryl Penobscot Solar Design > Hi Dana, > > I've been 16 years all offgrid, no reports that I know of. > > jay

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

I am not advocating for no box or vent as the corrosion factor is high without box and vent. Just if and how many incidents have occurred. Dana Orzel Great Solar Works, Inc E - d...@solarwork.com V - 970.626.5253 F - 970.626.4140 C - 970.209.4076 web - www.solarwork.com "Responsible

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

We have seen a few instances of the batteries themselves blowing, but not from hydrogen that we could tell. In one case a guy decided to fast charge his battery bank with a DC welding generator... From: Allan Sindelar Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 11:10 AM To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Knowledge of two incidents - sort of. About ten years ago a Hydrocap on an L16 blew apart. Not our installation; I suspect that it became plugged up or overheated, as the array had been recently enlarged. Explosion was contained within the battery enclosure; just made a

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Hi Dan, I've see this as well, but I don't put it down to a enclosure problem but a build up inside a individual battery cell,( plugged cap, etc) which IMHO even if the batteries were outside wouldn't help prevent it. Never the less, why I use eye protection every time I go see batteries. Ja

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

38+ years in RE.  Knowledge of one incident (an off-grid friend). Very sunny day.  Very windy.  My friend had both PV and a wind generator (still does).  He had just stepped out of the room where the batteries were located when (as he described it) he heard something like a loud gunshot.  He wen

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Sounds like, in general, that the off-grid industry has been fortunate to not have hydrogen explosions.  That's good.  No explosions here either.  But one shouldn't take that as evidence that it couldn't happen.  I don't believe this is a circumstance where it is better to be lucky than good. 

Re: [RE-wrenches] clear modules

Silicon Energy modules let some light through. At least the ones that i saw. Darryl T --- On Wed, 12/15/10, Jason Szumlanski wrote: > From: Jason Szumlanski > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] clear modules > To: "RE-wrenches" > Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 6:42 AM > Jay, > > Not sure if i

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Yes they happen, Robb Cary of Battery Testing Co. has some frightening photos.  I have lost contact with him however.  I have had an experiance, but I did not take pictures.  When you find the top of the battery and or battery enclousure blowen to smitherens it was a hydrogen explosion.  Sorry I

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Dana, 25 yrs experience. No incidents. Dave From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Dana Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 11:10 AM To: 'RE-wrenches' Subject: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents Ken

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

In the 30+ years that we have been in the solar business, we have never seen or even heard of a single one. From: Dana Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 9:10 AM To: 'RE-wrenches' Subject: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents Ken – To meet the flow have run 2 and 3 fans to meet

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Me neither, in 30 years! Jonathan Hill, solar applications engineerSierra Solar Systems563C Idaho Maryland RoadGrass Valley, CA 95945Celebrating our 30th year in solar!tech info and foreign orders:  (530) 273-6754 order line: (888) ON-SOLAR (US only)   FAX:  (530) 273-1760e-mail:  

Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Hi Dana, I've been 16 years all offgrid, no reports that I know of. jay peltz power On Dec 15, 2010, at 8:10 AM, Dana wrote: > Ken – > > To meet the flow have run 2 and 3 fans to meet the flow. 2” output from the > fan into a 4” header with a matching 2.5” inlet as far away on the lowest >

[RE-wrenches] Battery based hydrogen incidents

Ken - To meet the flow have run 2 and 3 fans to meet the flow. 2" output from the fan into a 4" header with a matching 2.5" inlet as far away on the lowest portion of the battery box. In 22+ years in off grid installations I have yet to see or even hear of one hydrogen explosion. I get

Re: [RE-wrenches] clear modules

Jay, Not sure if it is ready to go, but Canadian Solar had a clear backed module at SPI. If I recall, it was the size of a 230W mod with 150W output (less dense). It looked like a nice module. Jason Szumlanski Fafco Solar -Original Message- From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.or