Author Topic: Measure battery temp  (Read 13909 times)

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ChrisOlson

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #33 on: September 10, 2014, 12:19:08 AM »
I have no experience with these type of batteries, but I would assume you might want to consider some sort of venting?  It looks to be a fairly enclosed space.

I'm leery of batteries out in the open.  They're pretty dangerous.  Our battery case is sealed and pressure vented (with a duct fan pressurizing the case) to the outside.

gww

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #34 on: September 10, 2014, 08:11:45 AM »
I worked in a place where we had probly hundreds of these batteries in fork-trucks.  The battery changing station was a big cart on railroad tracks between two rows of batteries on racks.  On the other hand I had a golf cart battery explode under load and it was quite impressive.  It would make me wonder about riding on top of them in a golf cart or on a fork truck.  Like all things, I had some ideals and plans, if nothing else maby a hood like goes over a cook stove, things that as of yet have just never happened.
gww

ChrisOlson

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #35 on: September 10, 2014, 08:29:52 AM »
Our battery case is just a 2x4 and plywood box with the corners sealed with weatherstripping.  We got a 6" duct fan that blows air into it from the basement and pressurizes it.  Then it has another vent that goes to the outside with one of those clothes dryer flapper vent caps on it that closes if the duct fan shuts off.  Works good.  Our power room is not heated and it keeps the battery warm in winter and nice and cool in the summer, and no fumes from the battery in the power room.  The duct fan only uses about 1 kWh/day to run it.

kitestrings

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #36 on: September 10, 2014, 01:08:59 PM »
Yeah, even if it doesn't reach levels that are dangerous, it causes everything around them to corrode which is a real nuisance.  I'd worry about the things you can't see (printed circuits in the inverter, charge controller).

We've use maple sugaring tubing.  It's readily available here, and pretty inexpensive.  And, it keeps the fumes away from the terminal connection.



Nice to see your still kickin' Chris.  I'd heard you'd succumbed to farming.

~ks

Mary B

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #37 on: September 10, 2014, 06:29:22 PM »
Are you just friction fitting the tubing into the battery?

kitestrings

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #38 on: September 10, 2014, 08:57:53 PM »
Yes.  For sugaring they make rigid, semi-rigid and soft-flex (used mostly for spout drops).  It's pretty soft and flexible.  I drilled  the stock caps to press-fit the tubing, and then plugged the original holes with a dab of silicone.

The 5/16" tubing goes into"6-ways" manifolds - perfect for 6-volt cells - these transition it from barb to NPT.  I added up the collective clear vent area and tried to keep the pipe sized to that or a bit larger.  It vents out through the sill.  The end has an insect screen.  Unlike a hood it keeps the terminals free of exposure; reducing corrosion.

gww

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #39 on: September 10, 2014, 09:04:40 PM »
I am impressed.
gww

Mary B

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #40 on: September 11, 2014, 06:56:20 PM »
Will have to think that over, I have speed caps on 8 of my batteries so would need to direct fit tubing to the hole... but would help with my indoor battery box that is under construction

gww

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #41 on: September 13, 2014, 07:31:42 PM »
Just an update,  I found a inside outside thermomitor at moms.  It is a cheep little thing that takes an AA battery.  I put the outside cord under the cap that covers the pos battery turminal.   The battery was about 64 degrees.  The sg in cell 24 was 1.205 or so.  At 2 hours absorb cell 24 was at 1.269 or so.  After 4 hour absorb and 1 hour 20 minute flote the battery was 1.272 on cell 24.  Cell 8 was 1.290 and cell 22 was 1.282.  cell 22 was the original low cell I used to check but found that it was getting higher then cell 24 so I started using 24 as the spot check dell.  My last check of the temp was at my last sg readings. The temp was 70 degrees.  I don't trust the temp gage yet and honestly I have never really seen the batteries built from that low of an sg in such a short time.
Well now you know as much as me.
Cheers
gww

gww

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #42 on: September 13, 2014, 09:47:09 PM »
PS The voltage was 50.4 volts when the sg was 1.205.  The seemed a bit high.  The batterys had disconnected sometime the night before and only 4000 watts was made with the solar yesterday but since midnight the battery had not droped below 50 volts no loads.
gww

dbcollen

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #43 on: September 14, 2014, 11:31:40 AM »
That must be a big array to make 4000 watts. how long did it make 4000 watts for? or did you mean 4000 watt hours (4Kwh)

gww

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #44 on: September 14, 2014, 12:07:25 PM »
db
You are correct, I ment 4000 watt hours, however it was cloudy.  I to have a 5600 name plate watts solar aray. 4000 watt hours is always dissapointing altough it doesn't take too much overcast to really drive the production down.  I have seen worse.
gww

dbcollen

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #45 on: September 14, 2014, 05:36:42 PM »
in case you missed it, my point was please use the correct terms. This is a fairly technical forum and it helps to lessen confusion when the correct terms are used.

gww

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #46 on: September 14, 2014, 08:16:00 PM »
I got your point before your last post.  That why I said you are correct.
gww

phil b

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #47 on: September 14, 2014, 08:26:25 PM »
Gww,
4000 watt hours are not bad when you put panel heat into the mix. My 7100 watt panels produce 3500 watts tops in 100 degree F heat. That's about 27 kWh per day from the charge controllers. This winter they will go up significantly with cooler weather.
Phil

gww

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Re: Measure battery temp
« Reply #48 on: September 14, 2014, 09:32:11 PM »
I have two charge controllers (mx60 and fm80) with half of the aray on each.  Per the cc moniters the mx60 runs a little over two hundred instatainious watts more continually. 

Today was high clouds.  I don't know how to check the highest watts produced on the mx 60 but the fm80 said at least once I was hitting 2900 watts.  The panels for half aray are rated 2800 watts. 

I made 30 kwh exactly today.  Most of the summer I make a monthly average of 20 kwh daily average and I consider it a high day if I make 26 kwh on one day.  Winter I only average 16kwh daily but consider 32kwh's on one day to be do-able.  Part of this is heat and part is panels are really angled more for winter. 

Summer and the lond days kind of dissapointed me after my first winter.  I really want a aray more like yours and just can't make myself spend the money or build more racking to put the solar on.  Adding 2000 more watts of solar really makes sence for me cause it would max out my charge controllers and I have the exact amount of space in my combiner box for that amount of solar.  It would be the cheepest I have done yet.  I guess I am scared of my wife.  I am retired now and don't make quite enough to save and replace savings I might spend.
Cheers
gww