Possible score?

[Phssthpok]

Through the miracle of social networking I've stumbled upon a possible deal on some 'old' Telecom batteries.

(link to video)

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/Phssthpok/?action=view&current=VID00003.flv

What the video reveals is what I know. I've been to the C&D tech website, and I can't seem to find any listing for the numbers I was able to pull off that small label (though I have found references to them at a competitors website). The closest I could find were some visually similar batteries:

http://www.cdstandbypower.com/product/battery/flooded/lcr_12_334.html

and

http://www.cdstandbypower.com/product/battery/flooded/lct_12_329.html

Near as I can figure they're 2V batteries wired series/parallel in two banks for 24V storage.

I've been told it's an all or nothing deal (which I believe includes all the racking/cabling, a small 24v generator, and various other system related knick-knacks). The guy has been offered $55 ea for scrap, but he'd have to deal with pulling them out and hauling them. Any bid I make will have to be more than the scrap price, but will also factor in him NOT having to do any work. (sounds to me like he really just wants to be rid of them). All told I'd have to figure out a way to haul about 8,000 lbs worth of gear.

SO... what do you folks think the package would be worth?? Or are 20+ year old batteries a pig in a poke? (As I mentioned before I stumbled into the deal, so I didn't have a MM or Hydrometer on hand to test them). I don't know what kind of time frame I'm facing to make a deal, but I'm thinking he's been sitting on them a while and is in no great rush.

[RogerAS]

Hey,

OMG! If you don't take these you may just make the biggest mistake of the year.

From the video I see no warping, sediment, or sulfation. No corrosion, no crazing of the glass, NOTHING! These types of batteries can last for decades with the proper care and it appears these have never been abused.

Just be really careful moving these and I don't see a problem.

Great score, IMHO!!!!

[TomW]

 Phssthpok ;

I agree with Roger, if you pass on these you will regret it. They look pristine from here, no visible sludge clear electrolyte, etc. Unless they show very low volts or something they are probably a great storage solution for the money . Plus the lead price is not going to fall as far as salvage goes any time soon. Those 24 2 volt cells is a good bit of storage.

Tom

[Phssthpok]

Yeah, I thought they looked pretty good, and the twin de-sulfators was encouraging.

So what I need to know now is, what would be a good price to offer? Obviously I'd like to get the best deal possible, but I want to be fair and not insult the guy either..

[Tritium]

I work for a telco. Do WHATEVER it takes to get these home. I have been trying to get the boss to let me have a set for over 4 years.I finally got permission for the next set but alas they have not pulled any more from service recently. I have seen these last nearly 30 years with proper maintenance.

Thurmond

[zap]

You're the best person to size up the guy you're buying them from but if it was me I'd be thinking not a whole lot over $55 each to start.  You'll be saving his back and his vehicle from some work.

Maybe offer him $60 each and then buy him the biggest gift basket you can find once you seal the deal.

[Shadow]

They are probably a good deal....but Telephone batteries dont always make good RE batteries. They were never designed to be deep cycled. And the reason they often last 30 years is because 29.9 years they are on float charge. Most of these batteries are never put into service, just kept ready for standby.

  I have been using them off grid now for 2 years I have both 2 volt and 6 volt. Some are 280 AH, and some are 400 Ah.I left my name in with the local Tel Co and apparently I'm the only one that wants them, cause I'm geting more than I need.. for free. Most are 9 years old. They are upgrading to smaller physical size batteries with higher amp hrs.I have a 990 amp hour set of 2 volt AGM's at 48 volt, a set of 3 strings of 280 amp hr 6 volt 48 volt and 4 strings of 400 amp hr 6 volt.And a set of 6 volt 180 amp hour  48 volt.

                 I was told in the beggining they may not stand up to much abuse, and I've seen it already. In my string of 400 amp ones out of 24 batteries 2 dropped to 4.5 volts this winter and brought the whole set down to 46-47 volts. Its not a big deal , you just have to change out 2 and reconfigure and go again but thats what they do , they just go bad outta the blue.

                 They are very heavy to work with, I get the racks too, but I quit using the racks and find it easier to configure them on the floor.

                 I'm definatley not saying dont get them, but I'm just not sure I'd pay much money for batteries that werent designed for an off grid set up.But on the other hand for me these are great for learning on.

 http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/10/11/154842/85

[ruddycrazy]

That video is the first time I've seen those type of batteries. As the guuy's above have stated offer the seller a fair deal as offers like that only come once and if you have the need the moving will be a trivial exercise.

   I've been lucky with ex-telco batteries 4 years ago I picked up 30 6 volt 105AH agm's for only $240 and they are still my main shed battery bank today. I also scored 24 2 volt 275 AH for $400 and they were only 2-1/2 years old and always on float when I got them 2 years ago. Now they spend their life on float as my backup bank in the shed and when I have used them to power my bridgeport mill on big jobs they still keep well up there on the voltage.

 so hopefully shortly you'll be showing us photo's of that battery bank on your place.

Best of Luck

Bryan

[Ungrounded Lightning Rod]

In my string of 400 amp ones out of 24 batteries 2 dropped to 4.5 volts this winter and brought the whole set down to 46-47 volts. Its not a big deal , you just have to change out 2 and reconfigure and go again but thats what they do , they just go bad outta the blue.

They are very heavy to work with, I get the racks too, but I quit using the racks and find it easier to configure them on the floor.

I bet it's a concrete floor, too.

The racks aren't JUST to mount them conveniently.  They also reduce temperature gradients within and between the cells by avoiding thermal mass - or thermally-conductive material "hooked to" ground water or an area with a different temperature than the self-heating batteries - being in contact only with the bottom of the cells and by allowing free air circulation around them.

The cell voltage vaires with temperature.  If the top and bottom of the cell have a significantly differnt temperature they operate at different voltages.  The result is like having two cells at different temperatures connected in parallel:  The low-voltage section of the plates charges by discharging the high-voltage section, which then floats at less than full charge and starts to sulfate.  (Ditto if the cells in one paralleled bank have better air circulation than those in the other.)

Yes, it's convenient to wire them on the floor.  But since you've got the racks you're likely to get much better service from the batteries by spending the effort to mount them properly.