Battery type pole (What is powering your life?!)

[XeonPony]

Just curious as to what others are using, I first started off with the USRM 8D, 12 v at 230AH, but it is one mother of a big battery and heavy, so I switched to a generic golf cart battery, it did ok but then one day while out salvaging I scored four US2200Xs batteries, they where heavily abused, but reconditioned very well and lasted me a good number of years, after that I bought 6 of them and that's my current bank.

I prefer to stick with the simple flooded batteries as they are very tolerant of mistakes and can be recovered in more ways then simply equalizing and hoping for the best.

So what batteries are you using?  Try to be specific as I hope this thread can become a sticky to help guide newbs on what to start with and end with.

For beginners I'd personally recommend the US2200Xs series, Simple solid and a great performer.

Here is a custom program for the Tristar Mppt 60 for the US2200xs based of the manufacturers web site info. I Adjusted it to reduce gassing but it should ensure enough for electrolyte mixing

[RandomJoe]

Original battery bank, just replaced at 4 years old, was 8 Trojan T-105s.  I didn't abuse them too much, but did get lazy on checking the water levels.  Got right to the top of the plates once, and I suspect one cell got exposed - anyway had a bad cell a couple weeks ago, so went ahead with bank replacement.

I wanted to go up in size, planned on going with Trojan L16s, but wow the price...  Started looking at options, and realized I was probably paying at least partially for the name.  Wound up with a set of 8 Crown CR-390s.  Picked up a much nicer SG meter, easier to read and use without making a mess.  It's also a lot easier to get down to the right height for checking now the batteries are taller.  Hopefully I'll take a bit better care of this set!

Funny aside - of course batteries are heavy, but I didn't think about the *total* weight until the guys at the battery warehouse loaded the new set in my S10 pickup.  Ooh...  Low-rider!    Got home and checked specs, I was just shy of 1/2 ton.  Good thing I didn't have to go very far!

[birdhouse]

i voted for t-105's, but mine are actually trojan T-125's.  same case size as the t-105's, but slightly larger Ah rating.  i run eight.  the first four were purchased about 8 months before the second four.  in hind sight, i don't think the price difference is worth going t-125 over t-105.  plus i've read t-105s are a more robust battery and will take more abuse. 

i run 24v, so i have two sets of four series wired, then paralleled the two sets for 24v.  interconnects are #4 and series are 3/0 copper. 

over four years old now with no signs of reduced capacity, but my bank is at a vacation ranch, and they only get seriously cycled 50-80 times per year. 

my next set will be T-105RE (renewable energy edition)  IIRC they are designed to go through a full thousand more cycles than the standard T-105. 

adam

[Mary B]

My first set with Harbor fright panels were a pair of 6 volt AGM, a friend turned on my 12 volt lighting system and left it on all night and ran them flat, they were history. Running 8 USB 2200XC, 4 seriesx2 parallel bank for 24 volt. 1 year old now and still doing fine.

[dnix71]

Mine is none of the above. I use Autocraft 12v group 27 flooded marine deep-cycle/hybrids. These are a couple of years old and show little sign of wear. The last batch of the same style but different brand did not do well at all.

Someone out there knows how to make batteries well and someone else either does not or just doesn't care.

[mab]

Yuasa Endurance (AGM's) 2*12v 100Ah for 24v, ex-telecom backup, bought 2nd hand about 4-5 years ago, used daily, still going strong (though I try not to go below 80%).

looking for something bigger now, and sometimes struggle to get them fully equalised before I have to use them (that's the trouble with sealed - you can't push 'em), but otherwise very happy with their performance.

[peter altas]

Exide (GNB) EnergyStore 4RP1800NX2 (1800Ah @ C/10) in 24V