I'm afraid my inverter batteries are getting tired, who can revive them?

J D Sauser

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Nov 20, 2004
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I need some help, advise or directions with inverter batteries:

As some of you may know, I live in a rented house in town, Puerto Plata.

We usually enjoy about 23 hours/day of power average on most days... but recently, "my" batteries have not held up well during longer black outs (like yesterday's 5+ hours cut) and power, using very little, ran out in 3 hours!
The home has 8 inverter batteries!

I don't know their age, but I was led to understand 3 1/2 years ago, that 4 of them had been changed "recently". Indeed, there are 2 batches of 4 & 4 of different brands. Four batteries (I don't know if THEY are the older ones, but the look kind'a older) seem somewhat "bloated"... but they've always looked that way when the system worked very well.

Also the status light on the inverter seems undecided joyfully flickering in between red or green or entertaining me marveling at the fact that it seems able to show BOTH colors at once.

All these years, we have religiously checked and "watered" (yes, with "battery water") the batteries on a weekly basis.
Nothing else was ever added during my time in this home.


Since I don't like messing with acids and chemicals or entertain myself by getting burned, collecting skin rashes or wander around high on some funny fumes, I would welcome any contact information for somebody who preferably does come by the house to REVIVE them on-site and will be able to resist the urge to try to mickey mouse'em to death instead in the hopes of referring me to his "best kept secret source for overpriced batteries (cousin, brother or other sanky-compadre) since I lately tend to react rather unexpectedly when somebody tries to insult my intelligence.

Alternatively, I'll have to talk my landlord into having them replaced... but, as I pride myself of being pretty protective of landlords who have treated me fairly so far... I am hoping we might find a cheaper solution first.

False hopes?

Thanks! ... J-D.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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Even Zombies die, JD. If the newest are 3.5 years old....wow....you've done very well...

And fix would be a very short term one...
 

gonzo two

Banned
Jan 13, 2010
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how hot are the batteries ? if the lights are flickering they could be constantly charging .
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Your on-line expert is AZB...he knows about reviving, albeit for a short time...He has done it and he says it works...

HB
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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I have always been warned not to "mix" old and new batteries... whether in a flashlight or a complex house system.

The old batteries pull the new ones down down to their level.... I have never tested the advice , so cannot be definitive.

Just repeating the warnings I have had.

WW
 

Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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I have always been warned not to "mix" old and new batteries... whether in a flashlight or a complex house system.

The old batteries pull the new ones down down to their level.... I have never tested the advice , so cannot be definitive.

Just repeating the warnings I have had.

WW

I have also been told the same about replacing batteries. Time to buy new ones. You may not need 8 new ones and may be fine with 4 depending on how to use them.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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Treat them with the battery Viagra, separate them as much as possible and keep a fan on them.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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RIP? :disappoin :surprised :bored:

Man, was I misguided... I thought 3 1/2 ain't nothing!

Well. Thanks to all for the rapid answer and verdict.
I'll let my landlord know.

... J-D.
I was lucky to get 2 years from them on my sailboat. Damn lucky.
 

donluis99

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Jul 12, 2004
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battery life

Battery Life is not measured in days or weeks but in cycles, charge discharge cycles, most lead acid batteries like the Trojan 205 are rated for 800 cycles, that means usually discharging to 70 - 80% capacity and recharging to full again.

So with general daily outages, depending on your consumption during that time, if you bring the Batteries down to 80% or less, much less and cycle life decreases on this basis, then 3 1/2 years you most likey got like 1277 days or cycles full or partial which is not bad, probably the average Lead acid battery service life in most of the DR is about that if they are maintained properly.

You can try to prolong their service, but most likly you will be paying considerably more to the electric company to charge worn out batteries than the differance if they were in good condition. Si tu pagas luz! si no, no importa!
 

Olly

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Mar 12, 2007
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Sometimes not all the batteries have gone. By measuring the voltage across each battery it is possible to identify bad ones. With eight you should be getting about 8 hours for an average house electrical load of less than a kW. If you are getting about 3 hours then you have a number of bad batteries. You should have voltages of about 6.3 - 6.4 volts DC across each battery. Lower than 6 indicates a problem ,and higher than about 6.7 also a problem. If you can find four ones with 6.3 to 6.4 then put them together as one string. It will probably give you about 4.5 to 6 hours.

Old batteries go for about 250RD$ each to the metalero so dont throw them out - but find someone to buy them for recycling.

It might put off the day to buy more
Olly
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
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Hmm.... first trash me, then pick me up with new hopes, huh? :D


I also thought battery life was "measured" in cycles. Then again, time and climate also seems to play a role. Our car batteries in Florida would seldom hold up more than 2 years and suddenly die. I was then told... that's what the climate there would do to them.

Anyways, we are on a preferential "24/7" line. As I said before... we might get an average of 23 Hrs./day and maybe a 3 Hrs cut once a week and a half day cut every once in a month. Never had I emptied my 8 batteries... it's just a couple of lights and ventilators, the TV and lap top. I even retired my ol' tube amps back to the States as the humidity was killing them one by one... silently, but quickly.

So, I doubt I'd had run more than only a couple of dozens of full cycles over my 3 1/2 years here.

I'll need to find somebody to look at them. It may WELL be that the "older" ones are cooked and drawing power.
Maybe the newer ones can be revived... I don't know.

I hate being confused... so, thanks! :cheeky: ... J-D.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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I know it's cliche, but an inverter is only as good as its weakest battery.
 

wuarhat

I am a out of touch hippie.
Nov 13, 2006
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I have always been warned not to "mix" old and new batteries... whether in a flashlight or a complex house system.

The old batteries pull the new ones down down to their level.... I have never tested the advice , so cannot be definitive.

Just repeating the warnings I have had.

WW

I have received the same advice with multiplicity. Every solar reference book I've read or battery sales person I've ever talked to was quite adamant about this. I also have been advised against adding anything but distilled water many times. Most battery information websites I've read refer to a periodic (one to six months depending on use) equalization charge. I'm not completely comfortable with my understanding of this technique yet, but it is something like charging the cells of each series string of batteries to the same state of charge (specific gravity), while watching the electrolyte level. Here's a link:Battery Maintenance
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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Solar System

I have a solar system with a generator backup.
48 deep cycle batteries. Absolutely no external power... totally self-sufficient.
The sun does it work all day.... if cloudy or rainy, we use the planta to top up the charge.

We try to maintain a full charge at all times.... it cycles down to 75-80% at nights.

The life of these deep cycle batteries are dictated by the number of cycles... my discharges are shallow, and I wonder about adding wind power to keep the power generating during the dark hours.

So far , so good but I dread the day when replacements are due....$$$$ouch$$$!

WW