Can I charge a 12 marine battery w/ solar?
Tim May
> The Situation ========>>
> I've got a 12 v solar cell & plan to get a 12v Marine battery ... plan
> is to charge the battery as much as possible w/ the solar cell and
> ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, charge the battery w/ a generator. (I
> plan to use the marine battery w/ an inverter ... thus reducing
> generator time for inconsequential evening lighting, radio, etc.) And
> may additionally use the solar to run catfish pond aerator, etc.
>
> (Am getting Marine because was told they are deep cycle ... i.e. can
> be discharged farther & recharged ... they have thicker lead plates
> and store the charge inside the lead as opposed to on the surface of
> thin plates in starting batteries (i.e. for cars).
>
> THE PROBLEM AND THE QUESTION ========>>
> Am told by a local farm supply that the solar will fully charge the
> battery in about 3 days and then keep it charged adequately for
> intermittent fence charger usage.
>
> Have also been told that if the battery isn't fully charged promptly,
> that it'll deteriorate and have a much shorter life ... fewer
> recharges or incomplete recharges??? I know that NiCads have a memory
> ... is there some kind of charge memory in lead-acid as well?
Lead-acid batteries should never be completely discharged. It's not so
much a "memory" effect as a complete failure.
However, "promptly" means "within a few months" (if the battery is not be
loaded). My Century sealed-cell lead acid batteries are recommended for
charging within "several months" of purchase. So there is no "urgency" in
immediately charging them. And you should have a standard wall-socket
charger, right? If not, spend the $25 and get one.
> Can I trickle charge w/ the solar a bunch of times and then slam in a
> full charge w/ the generator every few days or a week to keep the
> battery healthy? Or is everyone wrong & it's fine to trickle charge
> forever using solar?
Yes, you can do this.
--Tim May
--
Y2K: "It's not the odds...it's the stakes." (unknown)
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
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"Cyphernomicon" | black markets, collapse of governments.
Jim Davidson
and agree there is plenty of non information around.
Ian Stirling
>The Situation ========>>
>I've got a 12 v solar cell & plan to get a 12v Marine battery ... plan
>is to charge the battery as much as possible w/ the solar cell and
>ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, charge the battery w/ a generator. (I
>plan to use the marine battery w/ an inverter ... thus reducing
>generator time for inconsequential evening lighting, radio, etc.) And
>may additionally use the solar to run catfish pond aerator, etc.
Yes, you can.
If indeed the solar panel is of a large enough rating to charge the battery
in 3 days, (Assuming a 20Ah battery, that's around 7Ah/day, or 1 amp
at 12V, being somewhat optimistic) then there should be no problem with
keeping it charged.
If lead acid batteries are left discharged for any time, they die quickly.
Also, over time, even when kept charged, they gradually die.
(5-10 years, or less, depending on other things.)
--
http://www.mauve.demon.co.uk/ | Cheap electronics/PC bits for sale.
-------------------------------------+-----------------------------Ian-Stirling.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornfull tone, "It means
Just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." -- Lewis Carrol
Mark Van Nordstrand
inverter. It seems to waste a lot of power, and mine damaged a VCR during
testing. If you panel is large enough to replace your daily use each day, you
need a regulator to prevent it from boiling it dry once charged. Mine is too
small, and can only replace a fraction of what I want to use each night. I'll
have to mix stored power with oil lamps or candles, and hope the outage is
brief.
What I've learned so far about solar / battery power is on my site (see below).
Pull down Y2K Subjects, then click on POWER.
Generators aren't for me, because they attract too much attention and require
fuel I can't store. It would be nice to keep the fridge running though.
Deep cycle batteries tolerate partial discharge conditions better than auto
starter batteries. But I've sulfated mine already by relying on solar to keep it
charged, which can take a week for my little 20 watt panel. I should have used
AC to keep it hot and rely on solar only when needed. Once sulfated it still
works, it just won't charge up to 14 volts and trip the charge regulator.
There's a chemical you can add to sulfated batteries to revive them, but I've
never tried it.
I have diagrams for battery chargers and monitors if anyone wants them, just
email me. Homepower magazine is the best source for battery / solar info.
Look at the "my bookmarks" section of Y2K Subjects on my site for lots more.
Lagn...@juno.com wrote:
>The Situation ========>>
>I've got a 12 v solar cell & plan to get a 12v Marine battery ... plan
>is to charge the battery as much as possible w/ the solar cell and
>ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, charge the battery w/ a generator. (I
>plan to use the marine battery w/ an inverter ... thus reducing
>generator time for inconsequential evening lighting, radio, etc.) And
>may additionally use the solar to run catfish pond aerator, etc.
>
>(Am getting Marine because was told they are deep cycle ... i.e. can
>be discharged farther & recharged ... they have thicker lead plates
>and store the charge inside the lead as opposed to on the surface of
>thin plates in starting batteries (i.e. for cars).
>Which advice is right? I've been to 3 battery stores & no one knows
>squat about batteries (NTB, Interstate Batteries, Sears, 2 farm supply
>stores that sell batteries & 1 fishing boat store).
>
>Can I trickle charge w/ the solar a bunch of times and then slam in a
>full charge w/ the generator every few days or a week to keep the
>battery healthy? Or is everyone wrong & it's fine to trickle charge
>forever using solar?
Pers / biz site http://markvan.virtualave.net
dkulha
I hate those things....go to Sam's or Interstate and buy 2 golf cart
batteries (each is six volts), and wire them together (positive post on
one batt to the negative on the other) for 12 volts and 220
ampere-hours of power storage. These are REAL deep cycle batts with
sheet lead plate (as opposed to sponge lead in the RV batt). Probably
cheaper $/ampere-hour too, expected life 5 years (@ 80% capacity). A
properly designed system will fill the batts daily, or at least several
days a week. Leaving batts not fully charged leads to persistent
sulfate deposits that will kill the battery or at least require the
waste of a lot of energy to reverse. Don't do solar unless you spend
the time to really understand the system, end-to-end. If you don't I
will guarantee you'll be disappointed.
We've published a magazine on solar and independantly powered homes for
almost 13 years....Visit the website and download some of the basic
info files we've posted there (PDF), especially LOADCALC.PDF. You have
to understand the numbers and the math to do your own design work. This
stuff works but you have to quantify your needs, understand your loads
and the associated caveats. I've been off-grid 3 years and have friends
who've doing the same 25 years.
DCK, Home Power, http://www.homepower.com
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akia
don't know about marine batteries, but golf cart batteries are deep cycle
for sure.
the best batteries imho are the big telco batteries they put up on the
poles...as you drive around look up and every once in a while you'll see a
row of grey boxes up on the phone poles...those are 2v batteries...do not
confuse these with transformers which are usually round and are on power
poles.
Lagn...@juno.com wrote:
> The Situation ========>>
> I've got a 12 v solar cell & plan to get a 12v Marine battery ... plan
> is to charge the battery as much as possible w/ the solar cell and
> ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, charge the battery w/ a generator. (I
> plan to use the marine battery w/ an inverter ... thus reducing
> generator time for inconsequential evening lighting, radio, etc.) And
> may additionally use the solar to run catfish pond aerator, etc.
>
> (Am getting Marine because was told they are deep cycle ... i.e. can
> be discharged farther & recharged ... they have thicker lead plates
> and store the charge inside the lead as opposed to on the surface of
> thin plates in starting batteries (i.e. for cars).
>
> THE PROBLEM AND THE QUESTION ========>>
> Am told by a local farm supply that the solar will fully charge the
> battery in about 3 days and then keep it charged adequately for
> intermittent fence charger usage.
>
> Have also been told that if the battery isn't fully charged promptly,
> that it'll deteriorate and have a much shorter life ... fewer
> recharges or incomplete recharges??? I know that NiCads have a memory
> ... is there some kind of charge memory in lead-acid as well?
>
> Which advice is right? I've been to 3 battery stores & no one knows
> squat about batteries (NTB, Interstate Batteries, Sears, 2 farm supply
> stores that sell batteries & 1 fishing boat store).
>
> Can I trickle charge w/ the solar a bunch of times and then slam in a
> full charge w/ the generator every few days or a week to keep the
> battery healthy? Or is everyone wrong & it's fine to trickle charge
> forever using solar?
>
> Thanks for your feedback
>
> Please reply to the newsgroup ... my email seems to be getting lost a
> lot recently .... LONG connect delays to my ISP ..... hmmmm!?
"Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared,
then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own
bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia.
Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the
soldier, are the birth-right of an American... The unlimited
power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal
or state governments, but where I trust in God it will ever
remain, in the hands of the people."
--- Tench Coxe
high...@springsips.com
akia wrote:
> Hi,
>
> don't know about marine batteries, but golf cart batteries are deep cycle
> for sure.
>
> the best batteries imho are the big telco batteries they put up on the
> poles...as you drive around look up and every once in a while you'll see a
> row of grey boxes up on the phone poles...those are 2v batteries...do not
> confuse these with transformers which are usually round and are on power
> poles.
>
> Lagn...@juno.com wrote:
>
> > The Situation ========>>
> > I've got a 12 v solar cell & plan to get a 12v Marine battery ... plan
> > is to charge the battery as much as possible w/ the solar cell and
> > ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, charge the battery w/ a generator. (I
> > plan to use the marine battery w/ an inverter ... thus reducing
> > generator time for inconsequential evening lighting, radio, etc.) And
> > may additionally use the solar to run catfish pond aerator, etc.
> >
> > (Am getting Marine because was told they are deep cycle ... i.e. can
> > be discharged farther & recharged ... they have thicker lead plates
> > and store the charge inside the lead as opposed to on the surface of
> > thin plates in starting batteries (i.e. for cars).
> >
Marine batteries have thicker plates than automotive batteries, but not as
thick as golf cart(like Trojan 105's) or the L16's that are 6 volts and you
would need two of them wired in series to make the equivalent of a 12 volt
battery. I have used Sears marine batteries for years in an off-grid home
with minor electrical needs, and get about 3 years out of them. If you drain
them down all the way, you will have shorter life on them than if you keep
them topped off. The plates will have an increased buildup of sulfation (from
the electrolyte acid) if you run them down too often.
>
> > THE PROBLEM AND THE QUESTION ========>>
> > Am told by a local farm supply that the solar will fully charge the
> > battery in about 3 days and then keep it charged adequately for
> > intermittent fence charger usage.
> >
> > Have also been told that if the battery isn't fully charged promptly,
> > that it'll deteriorate and have a much shorter life ... fewer
> > recharges or incomplete recharges??? I know that NiCads have a memory
> > ... is there some kind of charge memory in lead-acid as well?
> >
> > Which advice is right? I've been to 3 battery stores & no one knows
> > squat about batteries (NTB, Interstate Batteries, Sears, 2 farm supply
> > stores that sell batteries & 1 fishing boat store).
> >
> > Can I trickle charge w/ the solar a bunch of times and then slam in a
> > full charge w/ the generator every few days or a week to keep the
> > battery healthy? Or is everyone wrong & it's fine to trickle charge
> > forever using solar?
> >
It is a good idea to do just that. This is called "equalization" and helps to
blow off the sulfation buildup on the plates. You need to know how many volts
your 12 volt panel puts out(it could be as much as 19 or so) and keep an eye
out on overcharging the battery on a regular basis. If the panel charges at a
lower voltage, say 13.8-14 volts, you may be ok just hooking it up as long as
you are using it actively. I would recommend getting a small charge
controller to regulate the flow of power to the battery if you are not keeping
an eye on it. Also a digital voltmeter is a good idea. These systems have a
way of taking on a life of their own and growing, something to consider as you
are setting up.