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pstarr
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Location: Behind the Redwood Curtain
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 Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:58 am Post subject: Does a battery bank enclosure-vent need power? |
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A solar contracter has bid AGM batteries for my new house. These sound great, but are expensive--4 for $1,600. Their advantage is apparently they are very efficient, can't spill, and don't release H2.
My question: The batteries are going into a mechanical room inside the house. If I vent, do I need an separate enclosure in the mechanical room and a fan on the vent?
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gnm
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Joined: Jul 08, 2004
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Location: plundering eco-villages
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:09 am Post subject: Re: Does a battery bank enclosure-vent need power? |
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| pstarr wrote: | A solar contracter has bid AGM batteries for my new house. These sound great, but are expensive--4 for $1,600. Their advantage is apparently they are very efficient, can't spill, and don't release H2.
My question: The batteries are going into a mechanical room inside the house. If I vent, do I need an separate enclosure in the mechanical room and a fan on the vent? |
For AGM batteries you won't need to vent them. That sounds kind of expensive depending on what size they are- do you know what the total rated amp/hour is for the array at the voltage of your solar system (12/24/48 whatever)?
For an example I bought concorde sunsaver 2120L batteries at $375ea about 3 years ago. Unfortunately I think they have gone up a lot...
-G
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pstarr
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Joined: Sep 27, 2004
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Location: Behind the Redwood Curtain
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:18 am Post subject: Re: Does a battery bank enclosure-vent need power? |
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| gnm wrote: | | pstarr wrote: | A solar contracter has bid AGM batteries for my new house. These sound great, but are expensive--4 for $1,600. Their advantage is apparently they are very efficient, can't spill, and don't release H2.
My question: The batteries are going into a mechanical room inside the house. If I vent, do I need an separate enclosure in the mechanical room and a fan on the vent? |
For AGM batteries you won't need to vent them. That sounds kind of expensive depending on what size they are- do you know what the total rated amp/hour is for the array at the voltage of your solar system (12/24/48 whatever)?
For an example I bought concorde sunsaver 2120L batteries at $375ea about 3 years ago. Unfortunately I think they have gone up a lot...
-G |
I asked the questions wrong.
If I go with a cheaper battery that does need to vent, will that vent need an exhaust fan? The batteries will be in a mechanical room n the house.
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WisJim
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Joined: Jan 03, 2005
Posts: 1205
Location: western Wisconsin
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:37 am Post subject: Re: Does a battery bank enclosure-vent need power? |
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| You wouldn't have to have a fan for the vent if the actual vent is arranged so that the H2 could easily flow out (upward), and there was some provision for airflow. My battery box does use a small computer fan that is switched on when battery voltage reaches a certain setpoint, and I also have small screened vents in the loser edges of the battery box. If my vent didn't have to exit the box horizontally, I may have omitted the fan--but the fan was free, and the related wires, fuse, etc., only cost a couple of dollars (under $5) so I added a fan as extra security. |
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gnm
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Location: plundering eco-villages
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:43 am Post subject: Re: Does a battery bank enclosure-vent need power? |
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What he said...
Often the fan is set to trigger when the batteries are charging as that is when they release a lot of gas.
I still recommend the AGM's STRONGLY
-G
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pstarr
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Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 7138
Location: Behind the Redwood Curtain
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:56 am Post subject: Re: Does a battery bank enclosure-vent need power? |
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Thanks guys. Now I'm going to do some research on the Outback inverter. I'll be back with questions 
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