Posted: 11/9/2010 8:14:39 AM EDT
| I'm looking to build a small solar/battery back-up system. I'd like to piece it together myself and learn along the way. Right now I've got the chance to get PowerSafe 12v155fs batteries for free. I can get 6 of them. Would these work in a small scale set-up that can be ramped up as funds and knowledge allow? |
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Well they are free so that's always a big plus.
They are designed for backup power so I say go for it. What have you got to lose? http://www.enersysreservepower.com/documents/US-NCR-SYS-002_0508.pdf |
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Free is always good. You cant beat that. The best set up would be to run 6 volt golf cart batteries in series. You really need to run these in 2's. With the 6 volt you will obtain more amps and longer run time then with 12 volt. I have 4 in my Motorhome. In fact most all RV's all run at least 2. Some even have 6. You can pick up some at Costco, or Sam's for around $90.00 each. I just replaced Costco ones with Interstate for $119.00 each. The Interstates provided more amps, and run time.
If your free ones are good to go then I would just use those till they need to be replaced. You can take them to Interstate or any other battery shop and have them tested, then you know for sure. Just remember that your set up is only as good as your weakest battery. If you have a weak one, it will draw down the others & not allow them to discharge as they normally would. So when you replace them its always a good idea to replace all batteries in your set up. Because if one is weak the others are usually not far behind. |
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Right now I've got the chance to get PowerSafe 12v155fs batteries for free. Brand-new, or used? Used batteries are always a crap-shoot. Even if they accept and hold a charge, they rarely have anywhere near their original capacity. They have never been hooked up but have been sitting in a storage shed for about 5 years. |
That's a problem. 
Any battery that's been sitting in a shed for 5 years is going to be completely self-discharged. Being completely discharged is very bad for a battery, particularly when it's been that way for a long time. Usually, it's fatal. I'd be very surprised if you could get those batteries to accept a charge - and if you did, I'd be even more surprised if they had much capacity. |
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Check the voltage on the batteries with a digital voltmeter, if you have access to them. 10.7v is probably the absolute lowest that you would have a usable battery... if the voltage is still in the mid 11v range or higher you should be ok. I'd hook them up to a batteryminder charger and let the desulfation mode run on them after charging... those are big capacity batteries, as long as you have the room for them you'll still have a lot of juice even if they are not 100%.
If you don't want them let me know the voltage, maybe I'll take a couple off your hands  Might need some help loading them, the spec sheet says 125lbs each 
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Check the voltage on the batteries with a digital voltmeter, if you have access to them. 10.7v is probably the absolute lowest that you would have a usable battery... if the voltage is still in the mid 11v range or higher you should be ok. I'd hook them up to a batteryminder charger and let the desulfation mode run on them after charging... those are big capacity batteries, as long as you have the room for them you'll still have a lot of juice even if they are not 100%. If you don't want them let me know the voltage, maybe I'll take a couple off your hands Might need some help loading them, the spec sheet says 125lbs each They are pretty darn BIG!!! I'll check them with my voltmeter on Monday. I've got plenty of room since I'm getting one of the racks they come on which is set up to hold 18 of them. Are they a good battery for this type of project or are they a good battery since they are free? |
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Check the voltage on the batteries with a digital voltmeter, if you have access to them. 10.7v is probably the absolute lowest that you would have a usable battery... if the voltage is still in the mid 11v range or higher you should be ok. I'd hook them up to a batteryminder charger and let the desulfation mode run on them after charging... those are big capacity batteries, as long as you have the room for them you'll still have a lot of juice even if they are not 100%. If you don't want them let me know the voltage, maybe I'll take a couple off your hands Might need some help loading them, the spec sheet says 125lbs each They are pretty darn BIG!!! I'll check them with my voltmeter on Monday. I've got plenty of room since I'm getting one of the racks they come on which is set up to hold 18 of them. Are they a good battery for this type of project or are they a good battery since they are free? They look like exactly the kind of battery for that use. |
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did you get them?......get them for the core if nothing else. I got them. They were heavy mothers to move around. I've got them in my garage and will be testing them and hopefully throwing them on the battery minder this week since I'm on vacation. Did you measure the voltage? Only takes a second, we're anixious to hear what you find! 
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