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#Post#: 1251--------------------------------------------------
Batteries
By: sut Date: January 18, 2014, 8:16 am
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I have not seen any talk about batteries, so I thought I would
throw out this topic and may be some here might have some good
information to share. (that is fact) not myth
I have seen people on you tube taking dead batteries and
hooking them up to welding equipment (momentary ) and re
vitalizing them ! does this work or is it just a myth . Also I
have seen where people are selling the magic elixir to fix
batteries does any of this work or is a dead battery just that .
#Post#: 1252--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: lynx wind Date: January 18, 2014, 8:50 am
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I agree, there is a lot of myth out there concerning batteries.
I am no expert, but I have read a lot and had a lot of
experience with batteries.
The main thing is that all batteries boil down to chemistry,
chemical reaction. Then there is construction inside that
sealed box. Some batteries are designed for releasing high
amperage, some are designed more for voltage and slower
discharge rates.
I have tried restoring batteries from the dead. Once a lead
acid battery develops a shorted plate or two it is beyond repair
unless opened and cleaned. Even then the plates will lack their
original material. How does a battery become shorted? Solids
form in the acid and drop to the bottom and form on the plates,
If the battery isn't charged the solids build up like a sludge
and touch across two plates. Once a cell is shorted, charging
can actually damage the remaining plates.
I have seen this with 12 volt batteries resting at 7.4 volts.
Charge them and they will come up to 11.5 volts, but this
surface charge falls quickly.
Pulse charging with spikey voltage can help de-sulphate an older
battery. I think this is better than high amperage charging.
It is slower and gentler and helps break up the solids. Pulses
of 100-200 volts can be used to really clean an older battery.
The amperage is quite low with these chargers. A blocking
oscillator is perfect for pulse charging. I have used the LJL
to charge from one 12 volt to another. Some people get really
excited about the Bedini motor (which is a blocking oscillator
charger). The same setup can be solid state.
Bottom line with lead acid batteries, is keep the float charged
to 12.6 volts. Don't let them sit for weeks without a charger.
Deep cycle batteries have thicker plates and deeper wells and
will take more abuse. Understand the chemistry and the
limitations of the battery.
#Post#: 1254--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: crazyguy Date: January 18, 2014, 12:15 pm
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I found these useful charts
#Post#: 1255--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: sut Date: January 19, 2014, 8:21 am
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thx for the information that helps ! ( so much to learn, I know
just enough to cause trouble )
#Post#: 1256--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: crazyguy Date: January 19, 2014, 8:47 am
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I finally got some wind today so am charging my drill (14.4v).
But have been entertaining the idea of a lower voltage charging
system (Michigan wind is dissapointing) .
Looking at making a system of battery banks that charge at 6
volts, then switch to series mode to be used as a12 volt
system.
#Post#: 1257--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: lynx wind Date: January 19, 2014, 9:34 am
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@CrazyGuy
If your location/site is disappointing there isn't much you can
do. Even if you lower the voltage threshold you can't get more
watts. It all boils down to power in the wind for your swept
area. If winds are 11 mph and the most there is for your swept
area is say 12 watts, then the best you'll see is about 4 watts.
That's just the reality.
Winds here at my house today are 12-15 mph, blowing drifting
snow and really cold out. If you lived in an open area, or
along a ridge wind might make more sense. Interior Michigan is
about a zone 2 for wind and is about as bad as it gets for
having a wind turbine make power.
A wind turbine is like a flywheel. Speed is a function of the
design. Power is related to the input. You can change speed
but can't change Mother Nature's input.
Two options:
1. Charge 6 volts like you suggested
2. Go much bigger swept area which the neighbors might not
like.
#Post#: 1258--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: crazyguy Date: January 19, 2014, 10:02 am
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Hi,
I'm getting what your getting today , blowing snow etc.
And my Seagull is 18 feet up.
I'm also getting the message through reading and
experimentation that charging batteries with a pure filtered ,
flat line DC is not good for the batteries (which is what these
voltage-doublers with capacitors put out). I opened some cheap
chargers and they put out an RMS of 12 vdc but when using a
scope to measure the peak voltage it's about 14 volts pulsating
DC. And the battery actually likes that kind of "pulse charging"
bites, rather than "eat you dinner all at once" kind. So unless
I have a micro controlling the charging , spikes are good. Sorry
I use analogies more than I should but it makes up for a poor
vocabulary. :-)
Or It makes a "picture in your mind" which is worth a thousand
of those nasty English language words. :-)
By the way the seagull is going around pretty good and weed
wacker line is okay so far.
#Post#: 1259--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: lynx wind Date: January 19, 2014, 10:28 am
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What is your average wind speed today? Do you have an
anemometer? It would be interesting to look up the power in the
wind for your swept area for that windspeed and compare to your
watts into the battery. The Seagull should be able to hit
between 30-40% of the power in the wind at the lower windspeeds
(12-15mph). Amps x volts = watts You should see 10-30 watts,
or .750 - 2 amps into your 14.4 volt battery.
I know this thread is about batteries, but we are kind of on the
subject. If you can take readings then we'll move this
discussion to another thread.
#Post#: 1260--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: crazyguy Date: January 19, 2014, 10:38 am
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no anemometer yet. The one I have is wireless and isn't real
time readout. It sends "reports" when it feels like it.
working on that.
Here is the rough idea I had for the battery bank series
parallel system (6 volt-12 volt).
#Post#: 1261--------------------------------------------------
Re: Batteries
By: crazyguy Date: January 19, 2014, 11:16 am
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Good news!
18 volt drill battery is fully charged.
For the bad news go to diy seagull discussion.
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