Off Grid battery backup system charging question.

[Zerk]

I guess they just talk different in CA. But where I work, we got guys that service batteries banks. Past tense would be they serviced. As in the batteries were serviced yesterday, clean fluid levels checked, specific gravity checked. If the fluid is low, they need service, or need to be serviced. English language is funny.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I need to replace a couple of batteries in my Electric Gator 48V. I am always getting almost new ( but different every time) batteries from a friend in the business, but I dare not use them. Quite a shame! So I am faced with buying eight new batteries I guess.

I am curious, if you have shorted cells in parallel connected batteries, what happens? When jumping a fully charged battery to a dead one, I never get the spark I would expect. Someday, I will use a DC clamp meter to see what is happening.

 

[ForestGrump]

I guess they just talk different in CA. But where I work, we got guys that service batteries banks. Past tense would be they serviced. As in the batteries were serviced yesterday, clean fluid levels checked, specific gravity checked. If the fluid is low, they need service, or need to be serviced. English language is funny.

Huh??

 

[ForestGrump]

I guess they just talk different in CA. But where I work, we got guys that service batteries banks. Past tense would be they serviced. As in the batteries were serviced yesterday, clean fluid levels checked, specific gravity checked. If the fluid is low, they need service, or need to be serviced. English language is funny.

We speak and write English a whole lot better too!

 

[Zerk]

I would be embarrassed to tell someone I lived in CA.

English? I thought you guys spoke spanish. Maybe the translation is the issue

 

[ForestGrump]

I would be embarrassed to tell someone I lived in CA.

English? I thought you guys spoke spanish. Maybe the translation is the issue

We would too!

 

[westcliffe01]

Depending on options available to power the charging, if individual banks have different size, age and condition batteries, I would try to charge each matched bank set separately. If you can afford multiple chargers, that would be the best. Just use isolation switches to keep each bank separated from the others when charging and in use if you only have a single charger.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Too bad the OP hasn't provided a diagram of what he has, configuration, and what he is trying to accomplish. We are all stabbing in the dark which may not be too helpful.

Ron

 

[90cummins]

I've been away, thanks for the reply's.
All my batteries are Trojan deep cycle lead/acid batteries that require maintaince.
When I say (servicing) I'm implying maintaince, water level, specific gravity & individual at rest battery voltage checks.
My batteries (banks/groups) are the same type, ah rating and age.
Each bank is in series for 24 volts.
My inverter charger is a Xanterx XW4024 grid-tie, off-grid inverter/charger with temperature compensation and generator assist feature.
The charging capacity is 150 amps @ 24 volts and has 3 stages, Bulk, Absorb & Float.
The charge rate is programmable and I set it according to the battery type and ah rating that I'm charging.
Battery connections are made using 4/0 cable or buss bars & Anderson 2 pole connectors.
Too allow (servicing) I use a (Marine) Blue Sea 4 position 300 amp isolation switch.
Off = no connection to charger and battery banks are isolated from each other.
Position 1 = bank of T105's rated at 225ah's powers inverter.
Position 1&2 = connects L16RE-B bank (parallel) with T105 bank to power inverter combined ah rating is 595ah's.
Position 2 = bank of L16RE-B's rated at 370ah's powers inverter.
The 12 volt J185H-AC batteries that I'm trying to revive are being charged while isolated from the other groups.
I did Google this and didn't find an answer that's why I put it out for input.
My feeling was that the two groups would be seen as one when parallel at 596ah's but I wanted to check, no room for error here.
Hopefully this info helps I'm not good at diagrams.
Thanks 90cummins

 

[Larry Caldwell]

As long as you are doing a fairly slow charge, just hook the batteries in parallel and charge away. The smaller battery will reach full charge first, but will not overcharge because the larger battery is absorbing the charging current. There are other factors, like the internal resistance of the batteries, but you are not going to damage anything. For safety, monitor the electrolyte level. If one is overcharging, it will drink electrolyte. Do not charge or discharge them in series.