UPS Batteries (again)

Mon Dec 22 08:33:41 PST 2003

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-baylisa at baylisa.org
[mailto:owner-baylisa at baylisa.org]On
> Behalf Of Chuck Yerkes

<stuff deleted>

> I can route the leads to the batteries out the back through
> a couple holes.  I was pondering a big-ass marine deepcycle
> battery.  No more power at once, but for LONGER.*

Gel cells and traditional lead-acid batteries have different
charging profiles. This includes voltage during bulk charge,
as well as during maintenance charge.  They will work, just
won't necessarily charge fully.  Lead acid should also be
equalized, i.e. once every 60 days or so you "overcharge"
them so that any sulfation on the plates gets stirred up,
and so forth.  Try looking at the web pages for solar systems
at www.realgoods.com .

There are several kinds of lead-acid batteries, and
all would *mostly* work here.

Car starting:  high amperage (cold cranking watts = CCW),
               but significant discharges can damage them.
Marine: high amperage, somewhat more resistant to damage from
        discharge
Deep-Cycle: lower amperage (CCW), but much more resistant to
            damage from discharge.

> It's in a regular room, so I'm not sure if that can work.
> Should I have ventilation to charge a marine battery?

Yes, for any lead-acid.

<more stuff deleted>

> * there are delusions of solar panels and figuring out if the
UPS
> can be subverted to just be an inverter - drawing it's power
most
> of the time from a gang of batteries which would be charged
from
> the sky.

Probably would work. Gotta make sure it doesn't try to charge.

BTW: I've put together my house's 24v solar system, with both
lead-acid and gel-cells. Picked a profile for the
charger/inverter
and the solar charge controller that works ok for both of types.
I disconnect the gel-cells when I equalize the lead-acid
(deep-cycle)
ones every 60 days.

cheers
-Joe