How to / DIY > Everything else
NiFe battery experience
mike90045:
Starting a new thread for this.
My NiFe thinking:
Long rainy winters - tough to keep FLA batteries up and non-sulfated
Cold temps, all batteries loose capacity, so over-size the bank
NiFe are high internal resistance compared to FLA and so another oversize to allow for that.
Wide voltage swing full to low, select charge controllers and inverter that can allow for that voltage
Original install 2011
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.209715335768594&type=1&l=9747e4dde6
DIY battery lugs
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.209740049099456&type=1&l=22ca4be983
(still in great shape)
This last summer, while feeling fit and strong, I hired Fred (red shirt) to help with the labor of refreshing the cells electrolyte
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2113125788760863&type=1&l=1988b7f97a
and the prime mover (after the fusion plant 93 million miles away)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.224863967587064&type=1&l=cd69ef4dba
BruceM:
Here's some more good NIFE info Mike provided in an earlier post:
The lousy charge/discharge efficiency wasn't a surprise to me but the incredible 10-12 gallons a month water filling/consumption was.
> Maintenance
lots, every 2 weeks, I add 5 or 6 gallons distilled, 20 gall was too much to do at a time, so I'd shifted the cycles around so I'm only doing a quarter of the bank at any 1 time.
> Charge/Use cycles
?? I charge and use them
> Efficiency
about 60%, that's why they use so much water.
> DOD - how far down do you run them?
the bank is 40,800 watt hours, (51v [42 cells] * 800Ah). My running voltage at sunrise is about 52v in summer, and 49v winter (longer nights) I figure my nightime consumption runs about 5Kwh. I sized to properly allow for their high internal resistance, and to supply starting surge for deep well pump, so I generally have low voltage droop. I charge below recommended voltage, because that would fry my inverter.
ajaffa1:
Wow Mike, that`s a lot of batteries. just did a quick search and that set up would now cost around US$30,000 equivalent to 40,000 Australian dollars just for the cells. You use a Listeroid with an ST head as primary mover, what do you use to charge the cells? I`m assuming you charge with solar during the day and only use the generator for high usage or dull days. When this happens do you run direct off the generator or feed the battery bank from the generator and then draw everything through an inverter?
Your batteries were commissioned in 2011 and required the electrolyte replacing in 2017, I believe. Twice the life expectancy of standard lead acid batteries. Did the battery bank come back to full/original capacity after changing the electrolyte?
I am guessing you either live a long way from the grid or you really hate power companies, wish I had he money to follow suit.
Bob
ajaffa1:
Hey Glort, now you are a mind reader. I`ve been looking into doing exactly what you say. A neighbor of mine is now off grid using solar and fork lift batteries. The only thing he has problems with is pumping large volumes of water so he`s looking for a cheap diesel pump.
Bob
BruceM:
Pumping large volumes of water is just the sort of sunny day only activity that begs for lots of PV panels. Franklin now makes PV direct centrifugal submersible well pump controllers for single and 3 phase of all sizes. The pump speed is varied based on PV power available.
I was tempted to revise my inverter controller to allow for variable speed well pump operation of my 1400 watt pump, but after Modafinil blew up and I went back to my old foggy MS brain function I decided I really didn't need it. It could be a big plus on very large pumps.
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