Date:         Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:49:59 -0600
Reply-To:     Richard A Jones <Jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard A Jones <Jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Subject:      Re: vanagon Digest - 11 Oct 2011 - Special issue (#2011-795)
In-Reply-To:  <201110120132.ANB51274@Colorado.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Mr Elliott wrote:
> As my original post mentioned, my battery is a flooded cell lead-acid
> deep cycle battery, and Trojan specifies 15.5V for proper equalizing for
> this type battery, so it appears that the Progressive Dynamics Charge
> Wizzer is not a good match. For this type of battery. Which is a flooded
> cell lead-acid deep cycle battery.

[I have four Trojan (6V) deep cycle batteries that run a PV light
system at a high mtn cabin.]

Trojan does have their own recommendationsfor voltages that
appear to differ from other flooded cell lead-acid
deep cycle batteries.  This includes their charge set point
recommendation.  Many specify 13.6, but Trojan wants 14.4-14.8.
See:
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/pdf.folder/Download%20folder/battery_maint.pdf
  They don't distinguish between bulk and
apsorption states.

To your point, Trojan also specifies that at 15.5 volts to equalize
you should be testing the specific gravity every hour and shutting
down when it no longer rises.  The above cited reference has that.

Your choice:  "automatic" devices or do-it-yourself-and-monitor.
Don't want one but confuse it with the other.

Also remember that temperature enters into everything about
batteries.  All specs are for 75-80 degrees F.  Every spec has
a compensation for temperature changes.  Lots of sites have battery
information related to solar--they all are in Arizona where it
IS 80 degrees.  My batteries drop to 18 degrees (F) in December/
January.  That changes everything....  At 18 degrees my charge
set point is 15.8.

[BTW:  my local battery supplier has moved away from Trojan.  Price
too high, because California won't allow any "lead recycling"
(smelting) so Trojan's costs are high, having to use new materials.
I like the Trojans, but at replacement time, it will be Dekas.]

I do wish I had the 250 amp-hours (12V) of my PV system in my
Westy++.  I don't wish to have the 200+ lbs!

Richard

++RVC