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where to put the FLA batteries, ventilation questions

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  • where to put the FLA batteries, ventilation questions

    Going to install 4-8 FLA or AGM batteries for backup on our hybrid solar system. I wanted to put them next to the inverter in our utility room but there's not any ventilation in there. I could also locate them through the wall in the garage and run cables but they would be about 10' long. If we did 8 batteries they would probably be 12 volt 250ah so around 10-20kwh of battery power.

    What are people doing for ventilation in similar situations? I could easily run a vent from the utility room but that would suck out heat from the house. Is in the garage a better idea, it does get chilly out there although never below freezing. its insulated pretty well but not heated or AC out there. Another option might be to put them in a box and run a circulation loop into the attic or something like that.

  • #2
    Unless you are using a small inverter for only a couple critical loads, battery cable length needs to be as short as possible. 10' is pretty excessive in my eye.

    Either FLA or AGM will need venting, at end of life AGM starts to vent, you don't want that in your inverter room

    Can you consider a large rubber tote and putting some 2" plumbing connections on it for venting
    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

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post
      Unless you are using a small inverter for only a couple critical loads, battery cable length needs to be as short as possible. 10' is pretty excessive in my eye.

      Either FLA or AGM will need venting, at end of life AGM starts to vent, you don't want that in your inverter room

      Can you consider a large rubber tote and putting some 2" plumbing connections on it for venting
      That's kind of what I was thinking. I could run a loop so it cycles air from outside instead of pulling cold air into the house.. I just figured folks had run into this before. I could also put my inverter and batteries in the garage and run the AC out cables to the panel. That might be somewhat easier. It just seemed cleaner to set the inverter right next to my panel.

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      • #4
        Be sure the exit vent has a continuous up slope, and the intake vent is screened to keep critters out.
        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

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post
          Be sure the exit vent has a continuous up slope, and the intake vent is screened to keep critters out.
          yeah was planning to run straight up into the attic. might have to put a small fan to move the air out of the battery box.

          Comment


          • #6
            Hydrogen will rise on it's own, so a fan might be overkill, but there are some solar vent fans for batteries that only power up at the higher stages of charging when the batteries gas.

            search for Zephyr Power Battery Box Vent Fan
            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

            Comment

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