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SLA batts
By RobD, Section Homebrewed Electricity Posted on Mon Dec 1st, 2003 at 07:49:22 AM MST
Anyone using SLA batteries?

I can get some used, in good condition, SLA batts. I was wondering if anyone is using them or has and gave them up for open lead acids?
RobD

SLA batts | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial)

Re: SLA batts (none / 0) (#1)
by kurt on Mon Dec 1st, 2003 at 08:28:49 AM MST
(User Info)

http://www.fieldlines.com/faq/re_faq

http://www.reresource.org/

IRC

Re: SLA batts (none / 0) (#2)
by ADMIN (info74 at otherpower.com) on Mon Dec 1st, 2003 at 08:49:18 AM MST
(User Info)

Forcefield magnet magnate MattB has about 3000 a/h of surplus SLAs from ChuckM installed at his place -- they went online a couple weeks ago. So far so good! We'll see how they perform, but my opinion is that if the SLAs are in good shape when you get them, and you use the proper regulator (in his case a c-40 set for SLAs) to prevent overcharging, they are probably just great. We've seen lots of dead SLAs, but I think they were murdered by the owners....you can't just add distilled water, so it's critical to not overcharge and boil them.
His SLAs were mounted in steel racks, horizontally. There are 4 racks, and each weighs about 800 lbs. We used an engine hoist to unload them from Chuck's truck into Matts. Matt stated that he used a variety of Mankind's most basic tools to unload them and get them up the hill to their spot underneath his house -- the lever, the fulcrum, the wheel, and the chainsaw :-)

DANF

PS -- the chainsaw was used to widen the doorway so they would fit thru!

PPS -- we'll try and get some pics posted.

Re: SLA batts (none / 0) (#4)
by RobD on Tue Dec 2nd, 2003 at 08:35:33 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.dsgnspec.com

Good Dan,
You crack us up here with your sense of humor!

Where did Matt get his batts?
I looked for the Surplus Center batts. Are they Surplus Center o Nebraska? I couldn't find them there.

[ Parent ]

Re: SLA batts (none / 0) (#5)
by Chuck on Tue Dec 2nd, 2003 at 12:07:40 PM MST
(User Info) http://home.morrisonprairie.com

Hi Rob,

I picked up the batteries in Denver from a guy who was disposing of them for US West. Last I spoke with him it looked like he had made arrangements to have the rest (about 10 48v strings !) sold in mid november. If you are interested, contact me off list and I can make sure they're gone (or not). (See my web site for my email address)

Yes, it was Surplus Center of Lincoln, Neb. They might have sold them by now too.

Chuck

[ Parent ]

Re: SLA batts (none / 0) (#3)
by Chuck on Mon Dec 1st, 2003 at 01:00:03 PM MST
(User Info) http://home.morrisonprairie.com

I'm curious if the ones I (and Matt) have are the same type as you ask about. The ones we have are SLAs, but are specifically VRLA, or Valve Regulated Lead Acid. These are the type that Surplus Center was showing on their mail out flyer. They are huge in size, weight and capacity (1440 amp hours) and were made originally for telcos. They use a calcium paste on the plates rather than antimony that is used in most liquid lead acid type batts and should not be drawn down below 50% if you want them to last. They were designed to last 20 years and I'm hoping with care, they will.

I've been using my original set (12 2v cells strung for 24v) for the past couple years with 600 watts (rated) of solar panels and occasional wind from my homemade gennies. I use a c-40 for the wind and a Solar Boost 3048 for the PV. There is temperature compensation on both units as I don't have a constant temp where the battery is.

There are other SLAs that are completely sealed, including some car batterys. It would depend on the make and specific type as to how good they might be in RE applications.

The main thing about using SLAs, as DanF said, is to not abuse them. Never overcharge them as you would when equalizing a liquid lead acid battery, and try not to draw them down too low. Having said that, I've read a study done by East Penn (makers of the VRLA telco batts http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/ ) which shows no discernable degredation of performance after several hundred complete discharge cycles, but I don't know if I really trust tests done in idealized conditions.

Chuck(M)

SLA batts | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial)

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