Hello All
We have been homesteading in an off grid location (hydro is not an option) for the last 17 years. I have slowly been expanding and making improvements to our power supply.
I have a problem caused by a new inverter purchase. For long-term battery life, you should never, ever, exceed 50% discharge, meaning below 12.1 volts. The ideal is actually 70% or 80% discharge. The new inverter was shipped (stupid idiots) with a low voltage cut-off setting of 10.5 volts. The battery bank never got that low in steady use, but I am sure it exceeded the setting under heavy draw (water pump), as it did shut down. The inverter manual is ridiculously complicated and very hard to follow (after 17 years and many purchases, the absolute worst I have owned). I took me forever to find this vital setting and change it. By that point in time, the damage had been done.
I am trying to see if I can salvage my batteries (18 Rolls s-1450). The batteries initially would not take a full charge, and trying to equalize only reached 15.2 volts. I separated the parallels to charge 6 in series at a time, and ran an equalization charge to bring some life back to them. I am at the point where all 18 are connected together again, and they will take an equalization charge as a group.
The equalization charge will remove the sulfation that has built up on the plates due to the low voltage. The advice I need is, how long? I know testing the specific gravity of electrolyte solution tells you when to stop. There are many variables to the time required, including the size of the battery bank. One article I read suggested 10 or 15 hours might be required. Is this true? Does it need to be maintained for the full 15 hour? Or, should I do 5 hours and the test the electrolyte? Then do 4 more and test, etc.
I have never been in this situation before. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
We have been homesteading in an off grid location (hydro is not an option) for the last 17 years. I have slowly been expanding and making improvements to our power supply.
I have a problem caused by a new inverter purchase. For long-term battery life, you should never, ever, exceed 50% discharge, meaning below 12.1 volts. The ideal is actually 70% or 80% discharge. The new inverter was shipped (stupid idiots) with a low voltage cut-off setting of 10.5 volts. The battery bank never got that low in steady use, but I am sure it exceeded the setting under heavy draw (water pump), as it did shut down. The inverter manual is ridiculously complicated and very hard to follow (after 17 years and many purchases, the absolute worst I have owned). I took me forever to find this vital setting and change it. By that point in time, the damage had been done.
I am trying to see if I can salvage my batteries (18 Rolls s-1450). The batteries initially would not take a full charge, and trying to equalize only reached 15.2 volts. I separated the parallels to charge 6 in series at a time, and ran an equalization charge to bring some life back to them. I am at the point where all 18 are connected together again, and they will take an equalization charge as a group.
The equalization charge will remove the sulfation that has built up on the plates due to the low voltage. The advice I need is, how long? I know testing the specific gravity of electrolyte solution tells you when to stop. There are many variables to the time required, including the size of the battery bank. One article I read suggested 10 or 15 hours might be required. Is this true? Does it need to be maintained for the full 15 hour? Or, should I do 5 hours and the test the electrolyte? Then do 4 more and test, etc.
I have never been in this situation before. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
