Traction batteries

[AlexD333]

Thank's Steve, but the purchase was made today delivery Friday, should have given it more time I suppose, but at the end of the day doubt we could have saved a lot and I will have piece of mind if we want to go away for a few days that everything here will still function till we return, regards Rick

That piece of mind is important

 

[rustic]

That piece of mind is important

I think that's peace of mind, not as in Fawlty Towers.. " Is this a piece of your brain"
lol
I got that wrong once... :doh... but only once when it was pointed out....

 

[solarman216]

Rustic I will try and watch my gramma in future but no guarantees as I was never much good to start with, , Rick

 

[Terranical]

Rustic I will try and watch my gramma in future but no guarantees as I was never much good to start with, , Rick

How's your Grandma involved with traction batteries then Rick?

 

[rustic]

Rustic I will try and watch my gramma in future but no guarantees as I was never much good to start with, , Rick

God it was so embarrassing at the time, we were doing a brain storm of what was expected of a service contract...
All the directors were there too...:doh

I have never got that one wrong since lol...:lol

 

[solarman216]

How's your Grandma involved with traction batteries then Rick?

Dunno mate, you tell me? Rick

 

[solarman216]

Well took delivery of my batteries today, what a fiasco, they told me they will delivered on a six wheeler so said he will likely have trouble turning round, so suggested he come to the pub where I am working with a large car park, said I just need to know what day as I will take my trailer and tail lift can drop them straight on, so when I saw the van with doors on the back I became suspicious, once the driver had parked said to him "have you got a battery for me?" he said yes, I asked if he had a tail lift? he said "no I was told you had a fork lift" yea right, brain clanking away to find a solution, bearing in mind if it was not for this delivery I would have stayed in bed as feel like sh** honestly do not know how I made it through the day, anyway gave local builders merchants a call, result was yea no problem Rick come straight down, thank's for helpful people as at 600kg we could not have got it by hand onto my trailer, just finishing my wine then onto the brandy, a very hot bath and bed, I have not felt like this for years, normally would have been like a kid with a new toy and unpacked them already but not tonight, Rick

 

[solarman216]

done absolutely nothing today apart from take the camera a get a pic or two of my batteries, soon going to bed, Rick

 

[solarman216]

another view, Rick

 

[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

 

[rustic]

...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.:thumb2
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...:doh.......:augie


:surrender

 

[AlexD333]

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.:thumb2
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...:doh.......:augie


:surrender

Too right :naughty :lol

 

[macabethiel]

Solar Power Stuff

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]

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]

The Good Life !

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]

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]

...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"
:thumb2

 

[solarman216]

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

 

[rustic]

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 :thumb2

Who's coming?