Traction batteries

[rustic]

Originally Posted by solarman216

...sorry it is not 4 x 4 related but it does give an insight to battery technology, Rick

I think it's great that we can discuss other things that are not related to 4x4.
It makes the posts more personal, we get to know each other better this way.
I have learnt a lot about batteries, and has helped me to choose batteries suitable for our boat.
Alex, in his posts have taught me a lot too..........

[AlexD333]

Originally Posted by rustic

I think it's great that we can discuss other things that are not related to 4x4.
It makes the posts more personal, we get to know each other better this way.
I have learnt a lot about batteries, and has helped me to choose batteries suitable for our boat.
Alex, in his posts have taught me a lot too..........

Too right

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by solarman216

As of Tuesday hooked my new batteries up to our house but with no auto charge system operating, so discharge only, as of now 10pm we have drawn 500 ah and the voltage with a very small load is 23.7 according to the manufacturers I can go down to 23.4 for 50% discharge, not something I would normally want to do, but good that I have proven the AH rate for this battery, happy now and will recharge up to full rate and put on standby and continue to run on the ten year old set till it gives out,sorry it is not 4 x 4 related but it does give an insight to battery technology, Rick

Okay you have replaced the batteries is there anything else with your set up that you will have to replace such as an invertor ?

Am I right in thinking you have no mains supply as a back up hence the need to sort it before you go away?

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by macabethiel

Okay you have replaced the batteries is there anything else with your set up that you will have to replace such as an invertor ?

Am I right in thinking you have no mains supply as a back up hence the need to sort it before you go away?

Correct we have no mains services at all, my current battery bank is almost ten years old and in the early days we drew a lot more power than we do now and the charging system was not as good either, this has led to more than normal deterioration of the bank, both have been addressed and together with 1600 watt hour solar pv and controller we have minimised the generator run time, led lights and a wood burner have made an enormous difference, but as the batteries are of the age they are we can only last two days without recharge (sun accepting but cannot be relied upon) so new bank purchase which will give a usage when we are not here of around 14 days, of course we have family who can call in and monitor and if need be start the genny, such is off grid life, but no power cuts for us and a quality inverter has been going for years, derve costs for a year charging and water heating between 300 and 500 per year, no other bills aside from council tax, oh and the 1975 genny will happily run on a mixture of old engine oil and red derv, the good life? Rick

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by solarman216

Correct we have no mains services at all, my current battery bank is almost ten years old and in the early days we drew a lot more power than we do now and the charging system was not as good either, this has led to more than normal deterioration of the bank, both have been addressed and together with 1600 watt hour solar pv and controller we have minimised the generator run time, led lights and a wood burner have made an enormous difference, but as the batteries are of the age they are we can only last two days without recharge (sun accepting but cannot be relied upon) so new bank purchase which will give a usage when we are not here of around 14 days, of course we have family who can call in and monitor and if need be start the genny, such is off grid life, but no power cuts for us and a quality inverter has been going for years, derve costs for a year charging and water heating between 300 and 500 per year, no other bills aside from council tax, oh and the 1975 genny will happily run on a mixture of old engine oil and red derv, the good life? Rick

Certainly sounds good I can picture you and the Felicity Kendal in your life being free of the Electric Boars People, presumably you can't flog excess power to the National Grid though. Do you have your own water supply too ? A late friend of mine had a small farm in the Bottom Houses area near Leek. I used to spend summer holidays there as a boy it was brilliant, free range eggs, you went to bed when it got dark as the generator was no good for the TV picture and was really to drive the milking parlour. Happy days!

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by macabethiel

Certainly sounds good I can picture you and the Felicity Kendal in your life being free of the Electric Boars People, presumably you can't flog excess power to the National Grid though. Do you have your own water supply too ? A late friend of mine had a small farm in the Bottom Houses area near Leek. I used to spend summer holidays there as a boy it was brilliant, free range eggs, you went to bed when it got dark as the generator was no good for the TV picture and was really to drive the milking parlour. Happy days!

No not connected to the grid at all, yes we have a spring, I sank a 4ft round 6ft deep plastic tank into the ground, fitted it with a submersible pump which when the genny is running sends it to a 200 micron stainless gauze filter whereby it drops into an 8000 ltr storage tank, have had it tested for potability and it is fine although the iron content is on the high side, I have in the past bottled some, stuck it in the fridge and given it out to pure water connoisseurs, all gave it the thumbs up, Rick

[rustic]

Originally Posted by solarman216

...although the iron content is on the high side, I have in the past bottled some, stuck it in the fridge and given it out to pure water connoisseurs, all gave it the thumbs up, Rick

Eeeeee proper "Iron Brew"

[solarman216]

big benefit, no chlorine, ask Alex he loves a cup of tea, here, Rick

[rustic]

Originally Posted by solarman216

big benefit, no chlorine, ask Alex he loves a cup of tea, here, Rick

I'm sure I would too lol...

[Banshee]

Right, trip to Rick's it is then

Who's coming?

[solarman216]

any of you welcome at any time if I am here, Rick

[AlexD333]

Yup, I actually pleaded to take a bottle of water home, and I carried out the following test.

The gf's niece and nephew were here, I decided to pour them a glass each of Ricks super water they agreed it was nice, immediately after that I had been running the tap for super fresh tap water, they took a sip of the tap water and both spat it out

It's funny how you don't know until you have them together..

I would go as far as saying ricks water is probably more pure than bottled stuff as no chemicals have been added!!

Very good stuff!!