Author Topic: Older AGMs?  (Read 3471 times)

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Out There

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Older AGMs?
« on: May 02, 2014, 11:48:52 AM »
My home was purchased, in it's off-the-grid state, from a businessman who used it only occasionally as a vacation cabin. While he was absent, he wanted it protected and used a security system which required its own power source. He had a single solar panel charging a couple of 12 volt AGM batteries which, in turn, powered the security system and made remote monitoring possible. The system had not been used for several years so I recently removed all the sensors and the controls. The batteries had been in a closet in the middle of the house and not really subject to major temperature extremes.
Still, they're old (about 15 years, as close as I can figure) and I hate to waste anything, so this is the conundrum with which I'm faced: Is it possible to resurrect them? Is there any benefit it trying? Do I just put them somewhere and use them as return or "core" batteries when I need to buy more? They're really quite heavy for their size and I don't want them just hanging around, being toe-stubbers.
Off-Grid: 8 Solec photovoltaic panels, AIR 403 wind turbine, Trace 4024 power center, C-40 charge controller, 8 Costco Golf Cart batteries (24 volts/416 Ah ). Generac Guardian 8kw for back-up. (currently running back-up to back-up: Duromax 4400 dual fuel genset)Maybe MicroHydro sometime this year

madlabs

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Re: Older AGMs?
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2014, 03:53:08 PM »
I doubt you can improve them much. You could see if they have anything left, but if they don't I'd core/recycle 'em.

Jonathan

SparWeb

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Re: Older AGMs?
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2014, 11:00:47 PM »
If they've gone bad, it could take a lot of work to restore them.

If they're still good, you could be throwing away something that still has useful life left in it.

You won't know until you do a test.

Leave them on a charger and keep 'em at float for a few days or a week.  Let them rest a day.  Connect a load that will draw about 1/20th of their capacity in amps.

For example, if the batteries (together) have a rated capacity of 200 Amp-hours, then 1/20 of 200 Ah is 10 Amps.   A few auto headlights will do.  Connect them and leave them turned on for a long period of time, which will drain the AGM's.

You won't know anything if you don't monitor the voltage and current through the whole proces.  Float voltage, resting voltage, battery voltage and current when you start the discharge test (and the time), battery voltage and current 1 hour into the discharge test, 2 hours, and so on, until the battery has been run down to, say, 11.5 volts.  Recharge immediately.

If it takes 10 hours to discharge 10 amps then you have 100 amp-hours.  Typical battery AH ratings are for discharges down to 10.5 volts (I think) so by stopping at 11.5V you are taking out only what would normally should be taken out of a lead-acid battery for it to cycle often and not be damaged.  The trip from float charge down to this level of discharge is about 75% capacity (I can look up the exact number if you need it), so that's enough information to figure out what the battery is worth without discharging any lower.

It's best to start a test like that first thing in the morning, on a day you're not going away for a long time, check often, and maybe the test will be done by supper time.  If the batteries are done before lunch, they're no good.
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
System spec: 135w BP multicrystalline panels, Xantrex C40, DIY 10ft (3m) diameter wind turbine, Tri-Star TS60, 800AH x 24V AGM Battery, Xantrex SW4024
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SparWeb

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Re: Older AGMs?
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2014, 11:03:41 PM »
Of course...
That's assuming you're already checked them for swelling, resting voltage per cell, etc etc and they still seem okay.
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
System spec: 135w BP multicrystalline panels, Xantrex C40, DIY 10ft (3m) diameter wind turbine, Tri-Star TS60, 800AH x 24V AGM Battery, Xantrex SW4024
www.sparweb.ca

Flux

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Re: Older AGMs?
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2014, 03:28:57 AM »
They are getting on a bit, if they have had much use they will be well worn. If they have had an easy life and haven't been left standing for too long you may do some good.

AGM can recover better than flooded from being left standing but if the volts when you found them is less than 11 I suspect that at that age they are a lost cause.

If the volts when found was reasonable then do the test as Spar mentioned, if you get something over 1/4 capacity they may improve with use. If you get much less then you will be wasting time and effort for something that may never be any good.

Flux

Out There

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Re: Older AGMs?
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2014, 11:19:51 AM »
Thanks, guys! It may take until this next weekend for me to test them. I suspect they're toast, so I have no real hopes of having "extra" batteries. Even if I do, I'm not sure what I could do with them. My truck's batteries are at least 12 years old, and may need to be replaced in the not too distant future, so maybe I'll cycle them to my greenhouse project and use the AGMs as cores for the new truck batteries.
Off-Grid: 8 Solec photovoltaic panels, AIR 403 wind turbine, Trace 4024 power center, C-40 charge controller, 8 Costco Golf Cart batteries (24 volts/416 Ah ). Generac Guardian 8kw for back-up. (currently running back-up to back-up: Duromax 4400 dual fuel genset)Maybe MicroHydro sometime this year

thirteen

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Re: Older AGMs?
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2014, 12:52:00 PM »
They should be worth the try and salvage bit
MntMnROY 13