Seems like yours is analog and mine is digital. I'm going to check my manual and see if I can do the same.My PowerTek 2.6 inverter has dip switches that allow me to set charge rate and shut off rate.
View attachment 6616
Seems like yours is analog and mine is digital. I'm going to check my manual and see if I can do the same.My PowerTek 2.6 inverter has dip switches that allow me to set charge rate and shut off rate.
View attachment 6616
First YT video. This guy states the paradox: You don't want to discharge a battery too much but the whole point of the battery, to use it, is to discharge it. He says that a discharge should not be below 50%. I will check my manual and see if there is a way to program it to shudown at 50%. Also, he talks about overcharging. I'm charging from 120 V AC. I have no idea if this is appropriate. He mentioned 20% -- maybe I can set the charging rate. It's possible that I messed up, this being my first time using an inverter/battery. It's possible I did not program it properly to preserve the battery. I'll find out when I ook at my manual. I'm still not getting an answer to the question: Why can I not re-charge the battery just like a car battery? It's the same technology.This guy explains it well.
A BMS will make sure it does not drop below 50% or whatever your manufacturer recommends. It will also monitor the temperature of the cells to make sure it does not overheat or overcharge.
When you start your car every day it takes a little bit of the energy from the battery but it does not discharge it down to 0%. While you are driving the alternator recharges your battery. I am sure your car has electronics to regulate how quickly it charges the battery and stops charging when it is fully charged similar to your battery management system with your inverter. Otherwise your car battery would explode by the time you drive from New York to California.First YT video. This guy states the paradox: You don't want to discharge a battery too much but the whole point of the battery, to use it, is to discharge it. He says that a discharge should not be below 50%. I will check my manual and see if there is a way to program it to shudown at 50%. Also, he talks about overcharging. I'm charging from 120 V AC. I have no idea if this is appropriate. He mentioned 20% -- maybe I can set the charging rate. It's possible that I messed up, this being my first time using an inverter/battery. It's possible I did not program it properly to preserve the battery. I'll find out when I ook at my manual. I'm still not getting an answer to the question: Why can I not re-charge the battery just like a car battery? It's the same technology.
Why cannot I re-charge my battery just as you would a insufficiently charged car battery? But if I can do that, how do I do that?
I just bought 4 NAPA 6 volts for $9500 pesos eachFour when I replace? Not happening. That would cost $2,400.00. It is sealed lead acid. You don't have to top off because it's sealed, in fact, you can't. What I'm still not understanding are: a. Why can I not re-charge my inverter's battery just like you would an undercharged car battery?, b. It seems like my inverter/battery has been doing exactly what such a system does when the power goes off. What did I do wrong or is this normal functioning?
You need a bigger battery bank. More amp hours will give you longer time before you reach 50%.Maybe as a member here suggested here, I need to check my manual, since my inverter is programmable, and see if I can implement a discharge cutooff. Meanwhile, I don't think anyone has suggested a solution. Why cannot I re-charge my battery just as you would a insufficiently charged car battery? But if I can do that, how do I do that?
Further, if charging > 50% is verboten, then, really, what's the point in even bothering with an inverter?? The use of 50% of one battery is almost useless. And that setup costs $1,000.
I think you're talking about a high-tech inverter at that price and I'm pretty sure you can get a Trojan T-105 deep cycle battery for around $200 to $225 USD(?)."Just a small" will set you back about $1,000 USD -- $600.00 for a sealed battery and $400.00 for the inverter. Yes, the battery costs more than the inverter.
When the power comes back on, your inverter charges the battery. You can charge a battery at any discharge level. Slow charge rates are better for the battery. Very high charge rates can cause the acid to boil.Maybe as a member here suggested here, I need to check my manual, since my inverter is programmable, and see if I can implement a discharge cutooff. Meanwhile, I don't think anyone has suggested a solution. Why cannot I re-charge my battery just as you would a insufficiently charged car battery? But if I can do that, how do I do that?
Further, if charging > 50% is verboten, then, really, what's the point in even bothering with an inverter?? The use of 50% of one battery is almost useless. And that setup costs $1,000.
Be careful buying the cheapest LiFePo4 batteries available. They are a scam from China. I bought some and the cost to ship them back is super expensive. Spend a little more for a seller in your country, buy one or two, test them and if they are legit, buy the rest.I can see Lucas' point, we live on a boat on Vancouver Island strictly on batteries at anchor. I just bought 6 x 6volt at 250 amp/hrs ea = total of 12 volts 750 amp/hrs.
We bought AGM lead acid sealed batteries ($300 CAD ea) and were kinda choked to learn about the 50% safe drawdown recommendation. That gives me a useful 375 amp/hrs. Ouch!
The same 6 lithium batteries can be drawn down to 20% meaning I could have used only 4 lithium batteries, helping with the cost. They can also be charged at a much higher rate and they weigh a lot less too.
These 6 batteries can't power much. We have a 5 amp frig, led lighting, inverter, and a 6 amp heater in winter. Our 600 w of solar is great all summer but come September we need to run the Honda genset for an hour a day, going into 2 hours in October, going into you know the rest.
Wrapping up, ya always need more batteries than ya think, esp with all the little charging devices adding up.
10,000 pesos for each Trojan 105 RedI think you're talking about a high-tech inverter at that price and I'm pretty sure you can get a Trojan T-105 deep cycle battery for around $200 to $225 USD(?).
They seem to be dropping a little here on the South Coast. I'm seeing quite a few in the mid 9K range.10,000 pesos for each Trojan 105 Red
I like my NAPA brand. Less rated AMP hours than the Trojan (but cheaper) but they don't seem to need water top offs and I like being able to open 3 cells on the battery at once instead of having to unscrew and screw back 12 individual caps on my 4 batteriesThey seem to be dropping a little here on the South Coast. I'm seeing quite a few in the mid 9K range.
I will probably go with the Red's once I have to replace mine.
In your scenario, all batteries reach EOL. True, but in the meanwhile, those same batteries can be re-charged, and remain effective, a limited number of times. So, if I have not recharged my inverter's battery one time, why can't I do that?The takeaway here is that even if your inverter is recharging and maintaining your battery(s) charge state as efficiently as possible, all batteries weaken and hold less of a charge over time. The more times the battery is used and then recharged, the faster it reaches it's end of life. All batteries, be they in cellphones, cars, inverter systems or elsewhere can only be recharged so many times before they begin to weaken. Eventually you will notice a big drop in the number of hours your battery can provide power to your house when the street power is off.
At this point, when the useful time frame has become so short as to be considered insufficient, the only remedy is a new battery. In your case with such frequent outages, if you can swing it you should consider replacing your single battery with a bank of four new ones. This will help spread the power drain across all four so unlike your a single battery that gets thrashed severely by your frequent power outages the bank of batteries share the load and each takes a lessor hit. But a recharge cycle is a recharge cycle and each cycle brings you one cycle closer to the end of the of useful life of each battery.
True, there are cheaper ones. I went for the no maintenance, sealed.I just bought 4 NAPA 6 volts for $9500 pesos each
My high-tech PowerTek inverter (digital) costs only about $100.00 more than the low-tech one (analog). The cost is in the battery. So much so, that for me, I cannot afford more than one. Before I ran into my problem we were going about 18 hours before shutdown, which was not great but O.K. And that was with fridge and computers off, just a few lights and fans.I think you're talking about a high-tech inverter at that price and I'm pretty sure you can get a Trojan T-105 deep cycle battery for around $200 to $225 USD(?).
So, if I have not recharged my inverter's battery one time, why can't I do that?
It's just not like a "Lazurus" event to put it another way.HavinAll of the advice given pertains to getting the longest useful life out of your system but once the battery stops working well, there is nothing you can do to "rejuvenate" it. Not what you want to hear but