- Thread starter Koreano
- Start date
Changing one battery.
I have always gotten the same answer and believe it. If you replace one battery basically what will happen is the 3 older batteries will tax the newer one to the point where it's the same as the rest of them. Basically an inefficient expenditure of money.
you cannot add to a bank
like water seeking its own level.
run on three, or pony up four 4 new
fact of battery world....... sorry
like water seeking its own level.
run on three, or pony up four 4 new
fact of battery world....... sorry
Koreano,
How old are the other Batteries? If they are over a year, one solution is to change the one bad battery for a second hand one about the same age as the others. Also you must charge it to the same state as the others. If they are fully charged so must the one you put in.
I have done this a number of times and have 12 Batteries. If you have more than one string of 4 batteries -ie 8 itis possible to change a one whole string with 4 new. I have also done this a number of times with no bad effects.
I am sure many posters will jump on this reply but I have been carrying out an experiment for the last 8 years and my Batteries are now -one bank 3 years old, one bank 2 years old and one mixed of old good ones and a same age replacement.
Do not put a new one in with the old ones but get a good second hand one about the same age, capacity and state of charge as the others. The same brand is also a good idea but it doesn't seem to make much difference.
A battery load tester should be used to identify the bad batteries and the good ones.
Hope that helps and look forward to the tirades in response.
Olly
How old are the other Batteries? If they are over a year, one solution is to change the one bad battery for a second hand one about the same age as the others. Also you must charge it to the same state as the others. If they are fully charged so must the one you put in.
I have done this a number of times and have 12 Batteries. If you have more than one string of 4 batteries -ie 8 itis possible to change a one whole string with 4 new. I have also done this a number of times with no bad effects.
I am sure many posters will jump on this reply but I have been carrying out an experiment for the last 8 years and my Batteries are now -one bank 3 years old, one bank 2 years old and one mixed of old good ones and a same age replacement.
Do not put a new one in with the old ones but get a good second hand one about the same age, capacity and state of charge as the others. The same brand is also a good idea but it doesn't seem to make much difference.
A battery load tester should be used to identify the bad batteries and the good ones.
Hope that helps and look forward to the tirades in response.
Olly
Question is can I run on just 3 or 2?
My wife said power just went and took the inversor with it.
Last time I checked one battery was putting out 1/4 of it's capacity.
So I was looking to change it after new year but this has just changed everything.
I joined this site around Jan 2012 and I remembering problems. I would guess 4 to 5 months to move give or take. I guess it's a year and half old. I brought it with the container surprisingly these 4 Trojan t105 were passed through without a problem.
Koreano,
The invertor wont run of 2 or 3 batteries so you have to get another. Get a one or two year old trojan red T105 - these are often available. Dont know where you are but "Facebook - Everything Cabarete " has some second hand batteries advertised.
Olly
The invertor wont run of 2 or 3 batteries so you have to get another. Get a one or two year old trojan red T105 - these are often available. Dont know where you are but "Facebook - Everything Cabarete " has some second hand batteries advertised.
Olly
the easy way to test/try this is with a flashlight....
put in a new one with the old ones and watch what happens.
put in a new one with the old ones and watch what happens.
No major issues with Olly's post here. Putting a new battery in a string of old ones will cause premature failure since the batteries will not "play nice" with each other. That is the old and new batteries will not share the load.
Using a replacement of similar age as the string can work well. Never had the chance to try it because I have never found that elusive used battery.
I would be reluctant to change one string of batteries at a time, because there is also the potential that the string of new batteries also will not share the load evenly with the older string or strings of batteries. It worked for Olly.
I am just redoing all my connections.... corrosion after 6 yrs or so.
also, newer wiring from Panels to batteries.
am seeing a nice uptick in charging numbers.
will be adding 3 new panels --- 270W @$300 each.
new wiring is in banks of 3 panels.... easier to locate problems , they tell me
I hadn't thought much about system mtce until now
a few of my connections had melted away.....
closer to the ocean must be worse
also, newer wiring from Panels to batteries.
am seeing a nice uptick in charging numbers.
will be adding 3 new panels --- 270W @$300 each.
new wiring is in banks of 3 panels.... easier to locate problems , they tell me
I hadn't thought much about system mtce until now
a few of my connections had melted away.....
closer to the ocean must be worse
WW - dont understand your post ?
Windeguy,
You can adjust what the new string gets by how you connect the main lines from the invertor . Twelve batteries - connect the main leads to the oldest string of batteries and the interconnection leads give you enough differential that you dont cook the new ones. All the batteries must show "Good" on the load test.
Olly
Windeguy,
You can adjust what the new string gets by how you connect the main lines from the invertor . Twelve batteries - connect the main leads to the oldest string of batteries and the interconnection leads give you enough differential that you dont cook the new ones. All the batteries must show "Good" on the load test.
Olly
Understood. Rather than connecting normally to the diagonal points. I understand how that can change the loading on the different banks and it is good you pointed out how you did that.
Reminds me of the first time I had batteries hooked up and they were not connected to the diagonally opposite points.
Probably hastened the failure of that set of batteries.
my batteries were slow to charge
problem was the wiring from the solar panels to the battery bank...corroded connections and older wire
replacing everything
also adding 3 new solar panels
panels will be wired in groups of 3 rather than individually....
I will have 15 after this.....
Batteries seem to be holding up
exposed connections and wiring need mtce......had never thought of that
problem was the wiring from the solar panels to the battery bank...corroded connections and older wire
replacing everything
also adding 3 new solar panels
panels will be wired in groups of 3 rather than individually....
I will have 15 after this.....
Batteries seem to be holding up
exposed connections and wiring need mtce......had never thought of that
It is DEFENITLY "Conventional Wisdom" here that you should NEVER replace one battery in a "Bank".
However, I have NEVER seen a "Link" actually say that it's TRUE!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE!!!!!
However, I have NEVER seen a "Link" actually say that it's TRUE!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE!!!!!
I tried it once with a new battery in an old bank. Failed within a short period of time.
A long long time ago, when the first Dominican sold an inverter and a set of batteries, he told the fella buying that when one goes bad in a few years, he's have to come back and whole new set 'cause replacing only one will ruin the others. That guy told the next guy, who told the next guy, and so on...
Also, smoking cigarettes was good for you. Doctors smoke all the time, there are pictures of doctors smoking in magazines and such.
Crap...
I have to stop asking at my place.
Again I have asked if there's place where I can buy one used and some said MUST change all and other group said buy two. Again no result just going on and on about who is right and wrong...
They have just wasted all my time...
It's probably too late to buy it today but I told the guy to buy two.
I have to stop asking at my place.
Again I have asked if there's place where I can buy one used and some said MUST change all and other group said buy two. Again no result just going on and on about who is right and wrong...
They have just wasted all my time...
It's probably too late to buy it today but I told the guy to buy two.