How to treat batteries / Inversor when away

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
A family member of mine is out of the country since a few months and has to stay out for some more months and asked me to shut down his breakers. He has an inverter with gel batteries. What's the best way to shut down the breakers and not have the batteries damaged? Keep charging the batteries? Or even disconnect them? How do snowbirds do this when they are not here for several months?
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
5,545
1,327
113
No idea...sorry

My thoughts are,

-does no one stay in the house ?
-does he not want lights on at night?
 

Olly

Bronze
Mar 12, 2007
1,914
104
63
Mauricio, William Webster is the best one to deal with this as he has a whole set up with GEL Batteries.

Olly
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
Since inverters activate when the power fails, as well as turning off the breakers you will also need to turn off the power switch on the inverter.

Charge the batteries. Turn off the inverter. Disconnect the battery leads from the inverter. Wrap the ends of the cables in electrical tape so they don't come in contact with anything metal. You should be good for two or three months. Turn off the circuit breakers.

If another three month period of non-use is needed, reconnect cables to inverter. Turn on breakers, turn on inverter, charge batteries, then disconnect again.

Rgds.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Olly,
as far as my input, my situation may be different -- my system never shuts down.

I charge every day and use every day.... batteries & sun are my only source .

Buster Blowhard sounds right about disconnecting them altho, you could also just go by every 7-10 days and charge them.
I trickle charge my cars when I'm away - away at both ends.- I have solar trickle chargers in RD and NoAmerica.
The NoAmerican cars sit for 6 months.... the Rds for just 2.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Follow up-
I am 24/7/365 but whenever there are too many cloudy days, we 'generator up'....
Just charge manually, so to speak.

I think that's all this situation needs- occasional recharges to maintain the batteries.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Turn off or unplug everything after the inverter/charger and let the inverter/charger keep the batteries topped up. That is the simplest solution and will not use much power.