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Author Topic: Lithium batteries, the care and feeding of  (Read 8316 times)

BruceM

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Re: Lithium batteries, the care and feeding of
« Reply #30 on: October 10, 2019, 09:39:06 PM »
There's no battery that does well at sub zero F temps.  Here it's not so tough- moderate insulation will suffice to keep them above 32F, 0C, even with a little bit of ventilation in the battery box.   The large thermal mass of the batteries helps.  Much easier to insulate the batteries with lithium, they are smaller, lighter, no venting, no regular access needed for watering. 

My neighbor is on his 5th year with his $1000 bank of 10 Walmart marine batteries.  He say's they are still looking good on the hygrometer, very little variation in cells between monthly equalization.  He waters twice a year (I only do once/yr.) . I designed his wall of batteries to make it very easy to service. The batteries are all raised to accessible height, longwise to the wall, so easy to see into each cell without pulling them out a bit as I must do.  A large access panel seals it off, his 10 battery regulators with LED indicators are just above it, as is the charge controller board and PV regulator.   He blew his battery funds on fencing for his milk goats, so I hope he gets to six years.  My current set, on the same hardware, is only 3 years old.