Repost - Don't think first went through

[gizmoguy]

I found an offer on craigslist.org http://baltimore.craigslist.org/ele/1389764923.html that seems almost too good to be true, but I emailed the guy and asked how old the equipment is anyway and why he is selling it.  Here is his reply:

" At this time I do still have it. About five years old, barely used, just need a charge. They are some of the best heavy duty batteries you can buy. Have other plans for the money to make money. "

My question is...how do I know the cells are good at that age?  Can I tell if they really were barely used?

Thanks!

[zap]

Are you just buying the batteries or will you be getting all the items in the ad?

I'd go after it this way.

If everything he's selling is in good shape, you're buying a Sharp 80 watt panel at a decent price and getting everything else for free.

The ad is old and if it hasn't sold yet there's bound to be some reason why... maybe there's not much demand for solar in Baltimore or is something else wrong?  Since the ad is old, you have bargaining power... and anything you find wrong with any of the items should help you get the price down.

Look for the manufacture date on the batteries.  He says the system is "barely used".  Take a hydrometer and a load tester with you.  With those two instruments you should be able to tell the batteries health.

Here's a link talking about Trojan t-605...

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/electric-ezgo/8098-trojan-battery-t605.html

Good luck!

[gizmoguy]

Thanks for the reply.  I would be buying the whole lot since he won't sell pieces of it.  Will the load tester and hydrometer work on discharged cells?

Thanks!

[Ungrounded Lightning Rod]

About five years old, barely used, just need a charge.

Lead-acids.  Old and "need a charge".

Sounds like he left them unconnected and they self-discharged.  They'll probably be sulfated hulks, worth only the core charge.

Won't hurt to check.  But if they were allowed to run low for 6 months or more I'd expect them to be paperweights.  You'd be buying the panel and electronics.

[ghurd]

Expecting there is a need for batteries, or there would or be concern if the batteries are any good, the scrap batteries are worth $54 to $66 in core charges!

Makes the panel, wire and charger a pretty good deal.

Myself, I am not overly impressed with that controller.

Can't use a regular load tester on deep cycles.

G-

[gizmoguy]

Again...Thanks for all the replies.  I love this board!  Where can I get $50-$60 in core charges for batteries?  I called our local scrap metal recycler and they said deep cycle batteries are 12 cents a pound, making all 6 batteries worth $42 total.

Thanks,

Gizmoguy

[ghurd]

I am guessing you are too young to have collected glass Coke bottles along the road for the 2 cents.  That was the same idea as a core charge.

Not sure when I got this old.

That $42 is for scrap.

If you BUT a NEW battery, they will charge you a core charge.

Meaning that $69 battery costs $69 + $10 core charge, plus tax.

Here, I can return an old battery in a short time to get my $10 back (but not the tax on the $10).

Some places must have the 'old' battery when they purchase the new battery, of they just pay the extra $10 plus tax, and can not get the $10 back, meaning they will throw the old battery in a ditch somewhere.

You are buying a small system, and hope the batteries are OK (I'm with ULR- they most probably are not).

You will need a couple batteries, maybe 6V golf cart batts from Sam's Club, meaning scrap batteries are still worth $10.65 each for each new battery you buy.

Then if you do not need 6 new batteries, haul the other/extra scrap batts to the recycler.

I install small new systems, needing batteries, and you can bet my truck stops for every battery in the ditch.

G-

[Ungrounded Lightning Rod]

Myself, I am not overly impressed with that controller.

Yeah:  That looks like the same one I installed on my wife's yacht.  The battery boils off a lot of electrolyte - with a rather small panel - so it doesn't seem to be doing a very good job regulating the charging rate.

But at least it gives us a red light to show that the system is charging.  Not trivial when there are connectors in a salt-spray environment.