Assembling a Rolls Surrette 6cS-21P

[maple flats]

I bought 4 Rolls 6CS-21P batteries for my off grid system. In the process of transferring them, a fork truck broke one of the cells and the outer case (Jar) on one of the batteries. Has anyone ever re-assembled one? Which is easier, put the pos. and neg cells in and push each as far apart as they will go, then slide the center cell in, or is it easier to put them in in sequence (I.E., pos. cell, then center cell then the neg. cell)?
I have received the needed parts thru a rolls dealer.

[inetdog]

That is a heck of a question.
I know that if I were in that situation I would not be satisfied with anything except a complete replacement.
How are you going to make up the cell interconnects and seal the top?

[maple flats]

Problem solved. After I contacted Tech support, I got a call directly from the Owner (or 1 of the owners) of Rolls battery. They are sending me a new complete battery at no cost, and they are footing the freight. What they want me to do, is pack up for shipment both the damaged cell, broken jar (outer red case) and the complete battery with the bad terminal. They are sending all necessary packing materials with the new 6CS-21P battery. I then pack it on the pallet the new one came on and contact them. They will have their frt. company come pick it up.
Since he contacted me by phone, I have had 3 updates by the quality control manager about what they are doing.
Now, that is the type of battery company I'm glad I dealt with, however, I still don't care for the original distributor where I had to go to for the cell replacement.
To answer inletdog, If I had been required to make the cell interconnects and seal the top, while not ideal, it would have been rather easy. Each cell is bolted to the next cell with 2 SS bolts, and I'd have applied some No-OX-ID Special which I use on all battery connections, then I'd have torqued the SS bolts to spec. Then just snap the red jar cover on and seal the openings where the flag posts and cell filler/ vents come thru the cover with 100% black silicone. However, not having to is far better.

[inetdog]

Congratulations! And thanks for the good word on Rolls.

[Sunking]

Rolls and Trojan are the two best trying to out do each other.

[J.P.M.]

Rolls and Trojan are the two best trying to out do each other.

FWIW, when I was a peddler, I learned that stiff competition from real professionals made me more knowledgeable and also more attentive about doing a better job. Everybody wins. I was also taught to always try to be the competition the others were chasing and not the other way around. Sounds like these two outfits have some of that.

[Sunking]

FWIW, when I was a peddler, I learned that stiff competition from real professionals made me more knowledgeable and also more attentive about doing a better job. Everybody wins. I was also taught to always try to be the competition the others were chasing and not the other way around. Sounds like these two outfits have some of that.

Yes and fortunately both are made in the USA. US Battery is another decent budget battery and both Trojan and Rolls take jabs at US Battery as they make almost identical product lines.

Rolls started and caters to the Rail Road and Marine markets, Trojan started and caters to the Traction Battery Market, US Battery has been chasing Trojan Traction Battery markets. Then about 15-20 years ago Off Grid Solar freaks showed up. At the time there were no batteries made specifically for the RE market so these early freaks used what was available, and at that time was mostly Trojan T-105's golf cart batteries and a few Rolls Marine batteries. Golfers are use to batteries lasting two years and replace them. That was just fine for Trojan, no warranty issues. Now you got all these long haired freaks living like hermits and took Trojan to the outhouse on their 3 year warranty.

Anyway the market changed. Now there is quite a bit of demand for Deep Cycle batteries. Consumers demand a 3 to 5 year battery. So Trojan responded by making two changes that both Rolls and US Battery were forced to follow. All three did the same two things.

1. They changed charging voltages and algorithms I keep hammering people about. They raised the voltages. Life was good with AC chargers, and time was no object, you can have full power round the clock, tus much longer charge times at lower voltages. You do not have that luxury of time with solar, and power is extremely limited. Up the voltage from 14.2 to 15.6 to 16 volts. Now the manufactures are having folks run batteries on the Corrosion Side

2. Changed Plate Design. Traction batteries are a hybrid cross between SLI and Deep Cycle. SLI batteries are thin spongy lead calcium plates to increase surface are which lowers Resistance. Deep Cycle have thick heavy plates. So Trojan took their Traction Battery line and made them RE by making the plates heavier and thicker. Example the T-106 is a 62 pound battery. The T-105RE is the exact same size case and AH rating, but weighs 67 pounds or 5 pounds more lead in them.

[maple flats]

Actually Rolls is headquartered in the US, (Massachusetts)., but the factory is in Nova Scotia