batteries

N

naturelover

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what sort of price are new batteries for inverters and what are the best brands....mine dont seem to last that long in a black-out (8 TWO YRS OLD EXCELL)
 

whirleybird

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Feb 27, 2006
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We have read the EDTA "cure" with interest but note that this thread is now quite old. Is there a more local supplier in the Sosua/ Cabarete/ Sabaneta area now?
 

Rocky

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Battery Viagara is available from Freddy MultiService in Sosua, on the right side when coming from Cabarete before about one block before you reach the Playero Supermarket.

I personally have not had luck with batteries lasting longer than 2 years even using the purest EDTA available.

Set up of your inverter may also be shortening the life of the batteries. Charging too fast for the size of the battery bank or discharging them often and especially discharges below 20% will greatly reduce their life time. Two years has been the norm for me using Record/Trojan and Trace batteries. Recently I installed Energy Power batteries. At this time we have power on for longer times, so we will probably get longer service life out of the batteries if that continues.
The set up and/or a cheap locally made inverter that does not stage the charging properly, nor maintain the proper trickle charge.
Thanks for mentioning that, windeguy.
It's essential information for all those who have inverters.

PS: I have, fortunately had a lot of success with EDTA.
Tha being said, it's not an eternal solution, and batteries eventually die, EDTA or not.
I average 3 1/2 years with mine.
 

Rocky

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We have read the EDTA "cure" with interest but note that this thread is now quite old. Is there a more local supplier in the Sosua/ Cabarete/ Sabaneta area now?
Other than Freddy's premixed solution, I don't think so, but if you don't need much, I may be able to spare you some of mine.
 

whirleybird

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We have 2 5kw Unesf inverters which were brand new in January. I cannot find any reference to equalising them in the instructions (doesn't help that the instructions are totally in Spanish!!). They run 12 and 8 batteries respectively (some just over a year old and some less than a year old) but we don't seem to be able to sustain more than 6 hours outage of street power - what do you think we may be doing wrong?
 

Rocky

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We have 2 5kw Unesf inverters which were brand new in January. I cannot find any reference to equalising them in the instructions (doesn't help that the instructions are totally in Spanish!!). They run 12 and 8 batteries respectively (some just over a year old and some less than a year old) but we don't seem to be able to sustain more than 6 hours outage of street power - what do you think we may be doing wrong?
Maybe nothing.
Maybe the load you run is enough to drain them in that period of time.
Do you have an ampmeter?
If so, check how much amperage you draw when on inverter.
Maybe the inverter is a locally made unit and is not efficient.
Do you know where it's manufactured?
You can bring me the manual, for me to check to see if there is equalizing capacity.
Most cheap units do NOT have that feature. (no offense intended, when I say cheap units)
 

SamanaJon

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Jun 20, 2007
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Dominican Inverters

I have as a spare Inverter, an Electrosistemas Fonduer, Unsef Model 3524. It is an older model, 3 years old, but I have found that it only charges to ~27.2 V vs the Trace DR3624 that charges my battery bank to 29+V before going to float. I understand that the Dominican Inverter really does not get the batteries charged fully (perhaps only to 85% charge), therefore my batteries do not last as long when using the Dominican Inverter. It does not matter what the charge rate is I set for the Dominican Inverter, it still goes to float at 27.2 V.
 

Rocky

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I have as a spare Inverter, an Electrosistemas Fonduer, Unsef Model 3524. It is an older model, 3 years old, but I have found that it only charges to ~27.2 V vs the Trace DR3624 that charges my battery bank to 29+V before going to float. I understand that the Dominican Inverter really does not get the batteries charged fully (perhaps only to 85% charge), therefore my batteries do not last as long when using the Dominican Inverter. It does not matter what the charge rate is I set for the Dominican Inverter, it still goes to float at 27.2 V.
Excellent info, Jon.
Can't get it any straighter than that.
 

whirleybird

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As SJ says Unesf is Dominican, built in Sto. Domingo and manufactured for ESF (Electo Sistemas Fonuer, S.A.) Electrosistemas Fondeur S. A. We do have an ampmeter so will check.... Was recommended as a good replacement for our old Trace inverters but take the point that probably not as efficient which is reflected in the initial lower cost. We live and learn. Thanks for the offer of translation Rocky, will bring the manual down when we are nearby next - can't do it yet as not enough Chinola!!!
 

Rocky

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As SJ says Unesf is Dominican, built in Sto. Domingo and manufactured for ESF (Electo Sistemas Fonuer, S.A.) Electrosistemas Fondeur S. A. We do have an ampmeter so will check.... Was recommended as a good replacement for our old Trace inverters but take the point that probably not as efficient which is reflected in the initial lower cost. We live and learn. Thanks for the offer of translation Rocky, will bring the manual down when we are nearby next - can't do it yet as not enough Chinola!!!
It is a very unfortunate thing, that once in a blue moon, someone will buy a Dominican inverter that does not break down frequently, as is fairly adequate for his needs, then that person thinks that the sales pitch he got, saying that it was as good as a Trace/Xantrex, is true, and then goes on to recommend those cheap piece of shyte units.
Then some poor trusting soul, gets conned.
I know it's not an intentional thing, but it really causes damage to the person believing the recommendation.
How many times have we seen it on DR1, that someone believes that his/her POS locally made inverter is as good as the best, then we hear about how it chewed through batteries, gave half the performance, raised the electric bill, and keeps breaking down, and then finally, the person gives up and goes and buys a Trace/Xantrex?
I can't count how many times we've seen this on this forum.
And if that weren't enough, we are told by these people that we don't know what we're talking about and that we are suckers for paying so much more than their Dominican made models.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR !!!

PS: This is not directed at you, whirley
PPS: And when I ran the text through spellcheck, the brand name of that inverter came up as unknown, and the first option offered was "unsafe".:cheeky:
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
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seems that everyone

which is best using 2 of the deep cycle 6volt batterys for just one of the deep cycle 12 volt batterys for your inverters. seems like most people are using the 6 volts. Just wondering why?

This would be for a 1.5 kilo 12 volt invertor

2 12v hooked parallel, or 4 six volt in series?

novice inverter buyer
 

Janin

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Jul 31, 2007
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12 V vs. 24 V

2 12v hooked parallel, or 4 six volt in series?

Two 12 V batteries connected parallel = 12 V.
Four 6 V batteries in series = 24 V.
(Two 6 V batteries parallel connected with another two 6 V batteries parallel) in series = 12 V.

Janin
 

Rocky

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which is best using 2 of the deep cycle 6volt batterys for just one of the deep cycle 12 volt batterys for your inverters. seems like most people are using the 6 volts. Just wondering why?

This would be for a 1.5 kilo 12 volt invertor

2 12v hooked parallel, or 4 six volt in series?

novice inverter buyer
All things being equal and assuming you meant 2 X 12V in parallel compared to 2 pairs of 6V bats in series to each other, with both pairs paralleled, then the second option is twice as good.
 

Janin

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Jul 31, 2007
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You Want Capacity

... then the second option is twice as good.

Thus:
Parallel connection = voltage remains the same, capacity increases
Serial connection = voltage increases, capacity remains the same

Janin
 

SantiagoDR

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which is best using 2 of the deep cycle 6volt batterys for just one of the deep cycle 12 volt batterys for your inverters. seems like most people are using the 6 volts. Just wondering why?

This would be for a 1.5 kilo 12 volt invertor

2 12v hooked parallel, or 4 six volt in series?

novice inverter buyer

Just look at the total mass of the two 12 volt batteries and the total mass of the four 6 volt batteries.

As you will probably see, there is much more battery with the 4 six volt batteries then the two 12 volt batteries, thus much higher capacity. As Rocky said, twice the power.
 

pelaut

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Had Trace inverter and 10 German gel golfcart batts for 11 years. No problem.
Got Fondeur (UNSEF USEF whatever). Problems. Problems. Problems.
But worse than problems, service non-existant and response just arrogant.
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
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thanks to all

now I think the question is answered will go with the 6 volts. was only looking at the voltage, not the amps. guess can be closed
 

Bolt

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Its prudent to get your running load as low as possible ALL the time not just during black outs. That means using power saving bulbs everywhere, reducing any AC, cutting back on pool pump times only need few hours a day at most. Using the stove instead of microwave etc. Then your regular bill should be reasonable but also your are geared for a low inverter load saving money on batteries and size of unit. On 4 trojan batteries and 3kw inverter i could get over 12 hours easily running power saver lights, 2 fans, modem, laptop when switched to screen saver mode 5 mins etc can get lappy down to a mere 13 watts! and run the TV and water pump.

This is a hint: If your batteries get more then just a tad warm after a long blackout recharge you are over charging them and its the worst thing for these batteries. If they get hot and start violently gassing you are just killing them. Most inverters can select 10 25 50 75 etc amps charging so select the lowest you can get away with and your batteries will last much longer. Check the final float voltage too after least 3 or 4 days idle and make sure its dead right. BTW its not always possible to compare Trace float charges they go through cyclic high voltage low pulse width routines and will see 30 volts on 24 volt systems and 15 volts on 12 volt systems on some models so you cant compare that to a DR supply which is designed to float at 13.8 etc. so set the float as per the book.