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How much time does off-grid solar consume for maintenance?

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  • How much time does off-grid solar consume for maintenance?

    I am curious. For those who have been (or are) in this situation, how much time does it take to keep your batteries healthy on an ongoing basis? Are you tied to your batteries or can you leave them for a period of time?

  • #2
    All depends on how properly you've set the system up. A well designed and vetted system could be as little as 1/2 a day once a month. A really poor system could require daily maintenance.

    WWW

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Wy_White_Wolf View Post
      All depends on how properly you've set the system up. A well designed and vetted system could be as little as 1/2 a day once a month. A really poor system could require daily maintenance.

      WWW
      That is surprisingly high to me! Is there more to it than measuring the specific gravity? Are you also manually equalizing with a generator or something like that as well?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by lkruper View Post
        That is surprisingly high to me! Is there more to it than measuring the specific gravity? Are you also manually equalizing with a generator or something like that as well?
        EQ is monthly and can take up to a full day. At a minimum you measure, record, every cell voltage, temp, and specific gravity once a week. Water about once a month before you EQ or as needed.

        In addition daily monitoring is needed and frequent visual inspection. Last thing you want to do on a working system is ignore it for a couple of days and notice lights out because of a malfunction or loose connection. Even better smoke from a loose connection with melted battery terminals is going to be a bad hair day and expensive mistake you caused from neglect.


        When you go off-grid voluntary not only do you pay much higher electric rates, also requires a new part time job, no days off, and huge lifestyle downgrade. It is like an infant baby that never grows up and leaves home. You had better know what you are asking for before you poke fun at the wifey/mistress/girlfriends because she will likely take you seriously. Heck just feeding the baby, I mean watering the batteries can take an hour. That is why you hire a Nanny, I mean a watering system to cut your time you spend watering. It is a like owning a BOAT Break Out Another Thousand, Only difference is a boat can be fun. Off-Grid is just a PIA sacrifice.
        MSEE, PE

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Sunking View Post
          EQ is monthly and can take up to a full day. At a minimum you measure, record, every cell voltage, temp, and specific gravity once a week. Water about once a month before you EQ or as needed.

          In addition daily monitoring is needed and frequent visual inspection. Last thing you want to do on a working system is ignore it for a couple of days and notice lights out because of a malfunction or loose connection. Even better smoke from a loose connection with melted battery terminals is going to be a bad hair day and expensive mistake you caused from neglect.


          When you go off-grid voluntary not only do you pay much higher electric rates, also requires a new part time job, no days off, and huge lifestyle downgrade. It is like an infant baby that never grows up and leaves home. You had better know what you are asking for before you poke fun at the wifey/mistress/girlfriends because she will likely take you seriously. Heck just feeding the baby, I mean watering the batteries can take an hour. That is why you hire a Nanny, I mean a watering system to cut your time you spend watering. It is a like owning a BOAT Break Out Another Thousand, Only difference is a boat can be fun. Off-Grid is just a PIA sacrifice.
          I have my manual transfer switch and inverter/generator at my cabin now. I also have APC UPS to give me about 4 hours for internet/communications/entertainment. My next step would be to increase quiet power for nighttime. What I am wondering is how much less work would it be to use something like a Concorde Lifeline 8D maintained on grid-float with the ability to charge with generator during a power outage.

          There would be no need to water, measure SG. With one battery and pre-made cables there would be less to inspect. Would this be less of a baby, perhaps more like a unpredictable teenager?

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Sunking View Post
            It is like an infant baby that never grows up and leaves home. You had better know what you are asking for before you poke fun at the wifey/mistress/girlfriends because she will likely take you seriously. Heck just feeding the baby, I mean watering the batteries can take an hour. That is why you hire a Nanny, I mean a watering system to cut your time you spend watering. It is a like owning a BOAT Break Out Another Thousand, Only difference is a boat can be fun. Off-Grid is just a PIA sacrifice.
            Thank you thank you thank you. It was comments like this that incentivized me to figure out how to get the POCO on my property and stop thinking that I could be independent, fat and happy with a PV system.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Living Large View Post
              Thank you thank you thank you. It was comments like this that incentivized me to figure out how to get the POCO on my property and stop thinking that I could be independent, fat and happy with a PV system.
              You are welcome welcome welcome. I had fun doing it, and if you look back I think you will see the ironic humor I use. Fortunately you had the engineering and technical background to understand what I am saying is true. You may not like my methods initially, but warm up nicely once you geet through th erhetoric and understood what I was trying to do to help you make an informed decision. I gave you the facts and math, you checked it and came to an informed decision rather one based on hope and passion. Good job there friend.

              I am a Red Neck Military brat like Roy Damn Mercer and enjoy opening a can of Whoop Ass on folks who need help. I get your attention first with an attitude adjustment upside the head with a 2 x 4
              MSEE, PE

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              • #8
                I spend about 15 min a day fussing over the daily production / consumption logs.
                And about 2 hours every other week, watering the batteries, cleaning tops, checking things.
                At some point, likely next summer, I will replace electrolyte, about a week long chore, not a easy task for
                a large NiFe bank. I have to drain and dispose of 100 gallons of old electrolyte from 42, 80lb batteries.
                Then mix and replace the 100 gallons.
                I'm going to run on a sacrificial mini bank of 9, 6v 200ah GC2 batteries for that period when I'm taking the main bank apart and
                replacing the magic juice.
                Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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                • #9
                  I have to water every week, so connections etc get a visual every week, play with float settings sometimes in the summer.

                  I check sg every 3 months or so, equalize once or twice a year as needed.

                  I dont worry about ah in out etc, my battery soc for the day is based on the volt meter that is in the living area, and what the days weather has been like.

                  After years we have learned to live with the system and pretty much know what it likes and does not.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Bala View Post
                    After years we have learned to live with the system and pretty much know what it likes and does not.
                    This sounds like my body, but the infrastructure is crumbling over time so what it doesn't like is threatening to become a larger set than what it does like. However, watering me remains the most important maintenance, and waste recycling is a necessity. Over the years, I have had associates who required daily watering at the neighborhood bar, where the electrolyte is of a different chemistry.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Living Large View Post
                      This sounds like my body, but the infrastructure is crumbling over time so what it doesn't like is threatening to become a larger set than what it does like. However, watering me remains the most important maintenance, and waste recycling is a necessity. Over the years, I have had associates who required daily watering at the neighborhood bar, where the electrolyte is of a different chemistry.
                      Its not just the age, its also the mileage Come to think about it, that works for batteries too!

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