How long does inversor battery last?

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
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It's been about four years since I had put in invensor in my house and it looks like I will need a new set of 4.
Does typical battery last about four years? It really sucks when all these surprise expenses comes up.
It feels like everything is getting expensive as time passes by, I remember how much less I can spend here but I think I am spending as much or even more then in US now.
Does anyone how much are new batteries these days?
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
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Battery life is dependent on numerous factors. Brand of battery, how often they are topped off with water, how many times they are used to supply power, how deeply they are discharged, the ambient operating temperature, whether the inverter over charges/undercharges them etc.

I would not immediately assume that after 4 years the batteries are failing prematurely. I would think that with a decent set of batteries that never discharge more than 50%, that are kept full of water, 5 years working life should be achievable with the regular outages we have where I am. 4 batteries may not be enough to power everything you want to power for 8 hours without dropping below 50% though.

My system has 12 batteries. Your four have to work harder than my 12 if you get what I mean.
 

davetuna

Bronze
Jun 19, 2012
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Cabarete, Dominican Republic
yeah, and dont forget , even when the batteries are totally shot, they still worth over 1000 pesos each, because the clever guys recondition them. so if you do replace them, count on 1000 pesos per battery off the new ones.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
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Cdn_Gringo is correct on what he says. Add to those comments that just the ambient temperature of the DR alone will reduce the life of the batteries. I would not call four years for wet cell deep cycle batteries premature failure. Especially if you had frequent blackouts.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
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I believe (Without trade in) new batteries are around $6,200 pesos each now.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
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Didn't Aftab and some of the other people here have a magic powder that they added to the battery water which gave them new live?

Sorry I can't remember what it was, but I am sure one of the posters here will recall those discussions.

Might put off purchasing new ones for some time.

HB
 

monfongo

Bronze
Feb 10, 2005
1,202
145
63
deep cell batteries have only so many cycles and when you use them up you have to get new ones, so it really depends on how many power outages you have.
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
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0
36
It think it was Trojan t105, I bought in from US.

We live in 24 hour luz zone so naturally we get 1-3 times of 4-6 hours outage per week, plus the hot weather here, so I guess it was about time?
I do top them off when ever I had time but other then that nothing much on maintenance.
The space we have it in is like 24" high 6-7 foot in, so not fun going in and out but I guess it's keeping them bit cooler then others.
I did see sulfate build up this time when I checked yesterday, so this is when I had our guy check and clean the terminal and check the voltage.
That's when he had informed me that battery is gone.

I don't want to take chances and not have a luz anytime today and have my wife complain.
I am going to have 4 new set installed and investigate on possibly reviving the old batteries.
Thanks,
 

xstew

Member
Jul 4, 2012
528
0
16
It think it was Trojan t105, I bought in from US.

We live in 24 hour luz zone so naturally we get 1-3 times of 4-6 hours outage per week, plus the hot weather here, so I guess it was about time?
I do top them off when ever I had time but other then that nothing much on maintenance.
The space we have it in is like 24" high 6-7 foot in, so not fun going in and out but I guess it's keeping them bit cooler then others.
I did see sulfate build up this time when I checked yesterday, so this is when I had our guy check and clean the terminal and check the voltage.
That's when he had informed me that battery is gone.

I don't want to take chances and not have a luz anytime today and have my wife complain.
I am going to have 4 new set installed and investigate on possibly reviving the old batteries.
Thanks,
Just a fue battery notes that may help.

When buying look at whare the batterys are: If sitting on cement buy some place else. Cement will stratify the batterys.
try to see how old the batterys are eaven if you think they are new if they have been on sale for 2-3 years they are not new!
Check the voltage of battery before buying if more than 4 volts lower than rating go some whare else.
Buy from Florida Water caps these hold water and keep the battery topped up. [ Dry battery is bad all around.]
Buy brand that is well known. Many are sold here that are reconditioned sold here as new! If name is strange battery is also.
 

xstew

Member
Jul 4, 2012
528
0
16
Forget trying to revive old batteries all you will do is get your pants eaten up by acid. And they may last a fue weeks i have tried all the tricks forget it!
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Forget trying to revive old batteries all you will do is get your pants eaten up by acid. And they may last a fue weeks i have tried all the tricks forget it!

Exactly. Nothing I have tried has helped revive old batteries. Not worth the time or money spent. I have had better luck purchasing batteries from La Sirena than other places. Trojan T 105 model.
 

xstew

Member
Jul 4, 2012
528
0
16
Batterys have led plates charging and discharging eat the led away [turns it to powder] This falls to the bottom of the battery case. When enough powder builds up to touch the bottom of the existing plates they are finished. Eaven if you try chemicals and magic you can not rebuild the plates. The battery is no longer useable.
 

xstew

Member
Jul 4, 2012
528
0
16
Just do a search for hydro caps they will pop up with all the info. Sold in florida never found them here!
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Batterys have led plates charging and discharging eat the led away [turns it to powder] This falls to the bottom of the battery case. When enough powder builds up to touch the bottom of the existing plates they are finished. Eaven if you try chemicals and magic you can not rebuild the plates. The battery is no longer useable.

That is one failure mode. The other failure mode is sulphation, which EDTA and pulse chargers are claimed to repair and for which I never had any luck.
 
Aug 6, 2006
8,775
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All batteries contain lead, and even if the lead is sulfated up, it can be refined and reused again and again.
Sometimes all they do with car batteries is pour out the old acid and replace it with new acid.

Lemon juice will perk up a car battery to turn over the motor fast enough to start. I have not tried this with deep cy7cle batteries, perhaps someone can comment.
 

shorts

Member
Dec 3, 2012
310
3
18
I had some Tronic batteries that went bad because I was out of town for a few months and they dried out. They were 18 months old. Are they revivable or toast?