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  • #31
    Originally posted by Crazy Diamond View Post
    First, what is OP? Second, I was told I would get like 50 hours from those batteries using my tv and a few lights. Like I said, they are all led lights. The tv is a 32 inch tube. Not sure of the wattage. I bought a 1500/3000 watt inverter thinking in case I needed that much. If I turned all my lights and tv on (estimating my tv in 200 watts) I would only be around 500 watts total. That is what I was told that I would be getting 50 hrs of battery life from. So I figured I'm not going to have the inverter on all weekend. Just from dark to light with some occasional daytime tv. Thats why I bought the panels thinking they would have all week to charge. What if I bought a 1000/2000 watt inverter of maybe a 750/1500 watt inverter and returned the panels and bought the 100 Watt panels instead? I didn't know the inverter used that much power just being on.
    Heres what I thought I could do. I wanted to run the tv for an hour or 3 at night, maybe watch a dvd, and have a 14 watt spotlight outside and one or two led lamps inside. Basically powering my whole cabin like I did with my Honda 2000 watt generator without using the gas. I would turn my gen on at dark and run it until the morning just so we had the tv and light. 2-3 gallons of Medium Grade gas a weekend. The cost of what I bought I was told would pay for itself in 6-8 months.
    I am planning on buying 12 volt strip lights. You know the ones that come on the roll with the self adhesive. I bought a roll to install some inside lights in my side by side. Super bright. I hooked a 25 ft roll up to a dead quad battery and they ran for 2 weeks straight until the battery finally crapped out. I can run 100 ft inside and 100 ft outside my cabin and light up the whole place. That shouldn't even run them down if all I'm looking for is light right?
    Well, you already have the batteries, so first thing you need to do is read the user guide here -> http://www.exide.com/Media/files/Dow...aintenance.pdf

    I am assuming these are new batteries from what you wrote. However you have no history with them. What was the manufacturing date on them? Make sure they were not old when you bought them. You say you charged them. How did you charge them? With what charger? You should use a three-stage charger. The only way to know if the batteries were really charged is to measure the specific gravity. Did you do that? Get a kit and make sure all the cells charge within the spec in the guide from the link.

    I see others have done the calcs for you. There is no way to get 50 hours from that battery or charge from those panels.

    But first, take care of your batteries. If they are discharged to the point that the inverter shut off, then they went too low already. Charge them properly and test the SG and see if they are still ok.

    Comment


    • #32
      Originally posted by thastinger View Post
      Don't read this as rude because I'm not trying to be...but none of this helps or matters. What you were told is obviously wrong or you wouldn't be here asking for help.

      You need to sit down and actually calculate your loads, not guess. There is a spreadsheet in the off-grid section where you plug it all in and it spits out a number for you. We need that number in order to help you.

      I.E.
      TV - 50W x 3hrs = 150W
      resting inverter - 5w x 24 hrs = 120w
      lights - 50w x 4hrs = 200w

      So if the total comes out to .5Kwh per day you then need to find you sun insolation hours for the worst month of the year that the system will be in use. Probably Jan if you're going to use the cabin in Winter, and design the system for that month.
      Didn't take it as rude. At least you are talking to me and I'm seeing help. Don't know what the above are talking about. lol I will find out exactly what my tv wattage is this weekend. But I know I have no more than 300 watts of led lights IF they are all on which they are not ever all on. Not even with the generator. I used to have all incandesent bulbs. My 9 tenths of a gallon of gas would last 8-9 hrs. So then I changed to CFL's and I got 10-11 hrs out of it. Now I have all led and get 12-14 depending on how many lights I have on and whats charging and radio/stereo etc. I just figured instead of always running the generator that I could have some (quiet) time with the solar/battery setup. I was told the wrong stuff apparently and figured that being there 2 days a week with daylight time while there that they would be charging everyday during those 2 days then have all week to get full charge when I wasn't there. I bought better batteries knowing that they would last me longer and now I have what I have. I did find out that H-F I can return anything for 90 days if not satisfies so I can take them back. Only have them maybe 12 days. Should I get a smaller inverter and will the 100 watt Renogy kit work for me? In a reall world with a small budget what is the best I can do with these batteries?

      Comment


      • #33
        Originally posted by cmclane28 View Post
        Maybe I am misunderstanding, but it doesn't make sense to me that running your tube TV and a few lights would last on those batteries for 50 hours. Assuming your tv and lights use about 240 watts together you might get that load to last about 12 hrs max, which would take your batteries down to nothing and sentence them to a short lifespan . Even if the batteries were only run down to 50%, the panels that you have would take over 30 sunlight hours to recharge.

        The only way I could see those batteries lasting 50 hours would be if you only ran 55 watts on them continuously. If you can, I'd definitely return the HF panels and get the Renogy kit instead. At least you'd cut your recharge time by half and give you double the power during the day while you are there.
        If I can get 50 hrs out of them I will take the panels back and get the Renogy 100 watt kit. I will just use the batteries for lighting purposes and use the generator if I'm going to watch tv. I like to be outside and still have light without hearing the generator. But while watching the tube can't hear the generator anyway. I'm thinking I got 6 hrs off the batteries before it shut down and the tv was only on for maybe 3 hours and maybe 25-30 watts of led lights for 5 hrs.

        Comment


        • #34
          Also, I can't discharge them that much the inverter shuts it down at 10.5 volts.

          Comment


          • #35
            Originally posted by Crazy Diamond View Post
            Also, I can't discharge them that much the inverter shuts it down at 10.5 volts.
            The Low Voltage Detect for inverters is meant to protect the inverter, not the batteries. Look for some charts online and you will find that 10.5 volts is considered to be 100% discharged, perhaps even a shorted cell. See the chart here.

            http://www.batterystuff.com/kb/artic...ry-basics.html

            Do not rely on an inverter to protect your battery unless you can find one that is programmable so that you can set it to a reasonable level .... that would be 12.0 (75%) to 12.2 (50%), with 12.2 being recommended as the lowest you should go.

            Comment


            • #36
              Originally posted by Crazy Diamond View Post
              No, you'd still be breaking your batteries. Assuming that your battery bank is sized correctly, you'll need around 24 amps to charge that 245ah bank. 5amps won't cut it.

              Comment


              • #37
                OK. Lets make this simple. Tell me what I can do to use the batteries I have on hand.

                12 volt lights, radio, etc.?

                If I can use them for just some lighting with a small inverter.?

                Get a battery charger to charge them when the generator is on. Type of charger?

                I can return the HF inverter and panels but can I get some other panels to keep as a trickle type charger when I am not there? Which one/s?

                I have to go to school to figure out everything you guys have pointed out to me and that i read. (I now have a headache!) I was steered in the wrong direction but would like to have battery power for maybe just lighting weather it be 12 volt or 110 with a smaller inverter to run just the leds I do have in and around my cabin. I came here for help and found some but just want to know what to do from here.

                Thanks.

                Comment


                • #38
                  BTW-someone asked the date of manufacture of the batteries. One was May and the other June of this year.

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Originally posted by Crazy Diamond View Post
                    OK. Lets make this simple. Tell me what I can do to use the batteries I have on hand.

                    12 volt lights, radio, etc.?

                    If I can use them for just some lighting with a small inverter.?

                    Get a battery charger to charge them when the generator is on. Type of charger?

                    I can return the HF inverter and panels but can I get some other panels to keep as a trickle type charger when I am not there? Which one/s?

                    I have to go to school to figure out everything you guys have pointed out to me and that i read. (I now have a headache!) I was steered in the wrong direction but would like to have battery power for maybe just lighting weather it be 12 volt or 110 with a smaller inverter to run just the leds I do have in and around my cabin. I came here for help and found some but just want to know what to do from here.

                    Thanks.
                    ###
                    Made a mistake in my calcs. In the C/8 to calculate how much a FLA battery can take, C is the 20 hour AH rating and I used the
                    amount that was to be charged. Thus my numbers were 1/2 of what they should have been.
                    ###


                    You said that you hooked up your TV, some inside lights and an outside light and that the total was 220 Watts. Watts = volts X amps. So 220 watts / 12 volts = 18 amps at 12 volts.

                    Your battery bank is 225 Amp Hours (AH). Don't discharge below 50% if you want them to last. So you have 112.5 AH. If you take your 112.5 and divide by your load (18 amps) you can run for 6.25 hours. You asked about the size of the inverter. Get one that will power your 220 watts and you will not waste power. I have been considering the Morningstar 300 w pure sine wave inverter for a system about your size for backup power.

                    Here is a strategy.

                    1) First, do what you can to reduce your power. Get a lower power TV. Some 32" TVs can run on 28 watts. I think that is probably 1/2 or less than your current TV. That means you can watch TV 2X as long on the same battery power. Batteries are expensive, way more expensive than TVs and they wear out.

                    2) Use your battery power at night when you don't want to hear the generator.

                    3) Run your generator in the morning to bulk charge your battery with a ~28 amp [Fixed from 14] three-stage charger. Run all your appliances when the generator is running.

                    4) BTW bulk charge is up to 80% or so. That takes the most power. Finish your charging with solar to conserve fuel. You can charge Flooded Lead Acid batteries at C/8 or 28 amps. [fixed from 14] Run your generator for 5 hours at 28 amps [fixed] and you will be charged about 80%. The next stage of charging takes less amps. You can use your solar to finish the charging. If you can get 10 amps out of your panels for 2 hours that should get you close to 100% and then absorb for another 2 to 4 hours.

                    5) Turn off the generator when you think your batteries will get you through the night.

                    6) Stock up on oil lanterns in case your batteries run out. Learn how to measure the specific gravity of your batteries and keep records.
                    Last edited by lkruper; 07-31-2015, 01:07 PM. Reason: Fixing mistake

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      You're going about it wrong but its your money. To keep the batteries you have and charge them you can

                      - buy a 300W pure sinewave inverter
                      - buy a 12V battery charger capable of delivering a 25A charge, will be powered from your gen
                      - buy 250-300W of solar panels, coupled with a decent MPPT CC and not use the gen for anything but EQ charges of the battery bank
                      1150W, Midnite Classic 200, Cotek PSW, 8 T-605s

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Originally posted by lkruper View Post
                        You said that you hooked up your TV, some inside lights and an outside light and that the total was 220 Watts. Watts = volts X amps. So 220 watts / 12 volts = 18 amps at 12 volts.

                        Your battery bank is 225 Amp Hours (AH). Don't discharge below 50% if you want them to last. Here is a strategy.

                        4) BTW bulk charge is up to 80% or so. That takes the most power. Finish your charging with solar to conserve fuel. You can charge Flooded Lead Acid batteries at C/8 or 14 amps. Run your generator for 9 hours at 14 amps and you will be charged about 80%. The next stage of charging takes less amps. You can use your solar to finish the charging. If you can get 10 amps out of your panels for 2 hours that should get you close to 100% and then absorb for another 2 to 4 hours.

                        .
                        225 amps hours battery can take 30 amps charge current, it is golf cart battery it can take even a little more.

                        To OP, you can use the HF panel as a tickle charger and get a automobile charger rated 30 amps continue power and charge the battery in the early morning. if you want to use solar to charge the battery, you need 300 to 400watts panels to charge them properly.

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
                          225 amps hours battery can take 30 amps charge current, it is golf cart battery it can take even a little more.

                          To OP, you can use the HF panel as a tickle charger and get a automobile charger rated 30 amps continue power and charge the battery in the early morning. if you want to use solar to charge the battery, you need 300 to 400watts panels to charge them properly.
                          Of course you are right. I should not post when I am tired! I took the C/8 of the 50% DOD instead of the total battery.

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Damnit. My 2000 watt Honda generator can't put out that many amp charge. I just bought a Battery Tender Plus that someone put a link up about batteries and it mentioned this charger. Thats a 4 stage charger that I just packed up and am heading out there now. So I'll check in later or tomorrow when I get service and see what you have to say about that charger.
                            And around 6 hrs is about what I had on them when the inverter alarmed. Is a 500 watt inverter ok? Just in case I'd go over the 300 watts. If I got a different tv I know I would be ok but that really not in the budget right now.
                            Thanks Guys. Thsi is helping alot. Should I also pack up the hf panels and get the 100 watt panel instead? Let me know on this Battery Tender Plus ASAP I just bought too so I know whether to hook it up or not. I'll check my phone when I get there.

                            Into the woods I go. Later and thanks again!!

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Originally posted by Crazy Diamond View Post
                              Damnit. My 2000 watt Honda generator can't put out that many amp charge. I just bought a Battery Tender Plus that someone put a link up about batteries and it mentioned this charger. Thats a 4 stage charger that I just packed up and am heading out there now. So I'll check in later or tomorrow when I get service and see what you have to say about that charger.
                              And around 6 hrs is about what I had on them when the inverter alarmed. Is a 500 watt inverter ok? Just in case I'd go over the 300 watts. If I got a different tv I know I would be ok but that really not in the budget right now.
                              Thanks Guys. Thsi is helping alot. Should I also pack up the hf panels and get the 100 watt panel instead? Let me know on this Battery Tender Plus ASAP I just bought too so I know whether to hook it up or not. I'll check my phone when I get there.

                              Into the woods I go. Later and thanks again!!
                              If your Honda puts out 2000w at 110v that is 166 amps at 12v. There are losses and perhaps your 2000 is really 1600 continuous like my Smarter Tools Inverter Generator, but you will have plenty of power to charge at 30 amps @ 12v and also power other things at the same time.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Originally posted by Crazy Diamond View Post
                                Damnit. My 2000 watt Honda generator can't put out that many amp charge. I just bought a Battery Tender Plus that someone put a link up about batteries and it mentioned this charger. Thats a 4 stage charger that I just packed up and am heading out there now. So I'll check in later or tomorrow when I get service and see what you have to say about that charger.
                                And around 6 hrs is about what I had on them when the inverter alarmed. Is a 500 watt inverter ok? Just in case I'd go over the 300 watts. If I got a different tv I know I would be ok but that really not in the budget right now.
                                Thanks Guys. Thsi is helping alot. Should I also pack up the hf panels and get the 100 watt panel instead? Let me know on this Battery Tender Plus ASAP I just bought too so I know whether to hook it up or not. I'll check my phone when I get there.

                                Into the woods I go. Later and thanks again!!
                                That charger only put out 1.25 amps, it can't charge the battery, it only maintain the fully charged battery remain full. it don't have any use for your case.

                                Comment

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