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volcano
Nomad
Posts: 348
Registered: 3-5-2007
Location: Cave Junction, Oregon and Boca Del Salado area, Ea
Member Is Offline
Mood: always pining to be there
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trickle charge/sealed batteries
anyone have any experience in leaving their batteries long term with a small solar trickle charge set up...rv or otherwise?
Questions thereof: are sealed batteries the best bet to be left alone without anyone checking into the situation? Do sealed batteries only run
into frying problems when in use in extreme heat?
Is it more than likely that wiring or other will screw up and something would go wrong with this set up anyway in a 10 month absence?
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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sealed batteries are conventional acid batteries
the caps are just harder to get off
dont confuse these with AGM batteries that you cannot service
the more acid in a battery the better it is
so
the smaller batteries dont last or work as well as LARGE batteries
solar use is not the same as car use
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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BATTERIES
BATTERIES & BOATS ARE IN THE THE SAME GROUP OF LIFE ON THIS PLANET..AS A WOMEN !! WE ALL LOVE THEM......BUT DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM !! FIRST OFF ITS
NOT REALLY A 12 VOLT SYSTEM !! MORE OF A 13 VOLT..IF YOUR BATT IS READING 12.1 VOLTS IT'S DEAD !! AND TO ANSWER YOUR ? A SMART CHARGER SET TO ONE OF
THE THREE TYPES OF BATTERIES THAT ARE WIDELY USED IS YOUR BEST CHOICE..I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU CHECK OUT A MARINE STORE FOR SUCH A UNIT..VERY WELL
MADE UNITS THAT WORK !! WHEN YOU HAVE VESSEL WITH 6 BATTERIE BANK'S..(LOTS$) YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM..A HOUSE SOLAR SYSTEM IS CHEAP AND SMALL
VS A YACHT!! YOU MIGHT PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR A MARINE UNIT BUT IN THE LONG RUN ITS CHEAPER AND MOST FOLKS DONT THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT A HOUSE
ON THE BEACH IS A MARINE ENVIROMENT. A GOOD SMART CHARGER USALLY FLOAT CHARGE A BATT AT 13.2 --13.0 FOR A LONG BATT LIFE AND REMEMBER THE FASTEST WAY
TO KILL A BATT IS KEEPING IT UNDER CHARGED AS THE PLATES WILL SULFATE AND NEVER COME BACK!! K&t
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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You want a battery tender/maintainer, not a float charger
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Plus-Charger/d...
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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BATTS
A BATTERY TENDER/MAINTAINER IS FLOAT CHARGING THE BATTERY !! AS A MARINE ELECTRICIAN & ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST.. I SEE MORE BATTERIES KILLED FROM
BEING UNDER CHARGED THAN I SEE BEING OVER CHARGED.. NOT THAT IT DOSN'T HAPPEN!! K&T 
[Edited on 6-23-2012 by captkw]
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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Do you already have a solar charge controller? Or are you considering getting a small solar panel and allowing it to charge your batteries while you
are gone? Or, do you have access to 120v and you are asking what type of charger to buy to maintain your batteries? What kind of sealed batteries are
they; just "no maintenance" batteries or gel or AGM?
You need to give us more information.
[Edited on 6-23-2012 by Hook]
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volcano
Nomad
Posts: 348
Registered: 3-5-2007
Location: Cave Junction, Oregon and Boca Del Salado area, Ea
Member Is Offline
Mood: always pining to be there
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it is a near ocean cabin, that I am only at for a month a year. I have not bought anything yet, am just trying to be practical with my choices, and
don't want to pay a fortune for a caretaker to check often on things. I was advised to trickle charge a battery in my absence...but I'm just not sure
on the practicality of leaving something going like that hoping it all stayed connected as it should. the cabin is wired for 110, but I'm looking at a
small 12 v set up till I'll be spending more time there.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
BATTERIES & BOATS ARE IN THE THE SAME GROUP OF LIFE ON THIS PLANET..AS A WOMEN !! WE ALL LOVE THEM......BUT DON'T UNDERSTAND THEM !! FIRST OFF ITS
NOT REALLY A 12 VOLT SYSTEM !! MORE OF A 13 VOLT..IF YOUR BATT IS READING 12.1 VOLTS IT'S DEAD !! AND TO ANSWER YOUR ? A SMART CHARGER SET TO ONE OF
THE THREE TYPES OF BATTERIES THAT ARE WIDELY USED IS YOUR BEST CHOICE..I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU CHECK OUT A MARINE STORE FOR SUCH A UNIT..VERY WELL
MADE UNITS THAT WORK !! WHEN YOU HAVE VESSEL WITH 6 BATTERIE BANK'S..(LOTS$) YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM..A HOUSE SOLAR SYSTEM IS CHEAP AND SMALL
VS A YACHT!! YOU MIGHT PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR A MARINE UNIT BUT IN THE LONG RUN ITS CHEAPER AND MOST FOLKS DONT THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT A HOUSE
ON THE BEACH IS A MARINE ENVIROMENT. A GOOD SMART CHARGER USALLY FLOAT CHARGE A BATT AT 13.2 --13.0 FOR A LONG BATT LIFE AND REMEMBER THE FASTEST WAY
TO KILL A BATT IS KEEPING IT UNDER CHARGED AS THE PLATES WILL SULFATE AND NEVER COME BACK!! K&t |
by reading this...you probably dont live on solar or use batteries for energy
voltage as very little to do with the actual charge and condition of the batteries
voltage is ONLY an indicator that you CAN charge the batteries
you need a hydrometer to check the condition of batteries
you cannot tell if a string of batteries is charged or not by just voltage
..as for the cost of solar batteries...you havent been to the solar store lately...my surettes are $1500usa each right now
sometimes a "smart charger" is not the best solution...some batteries NEED a BLAST of power to get them back online...smart chargers with their smart
circut boards cannot do this
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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if i was there only a month a year i'd take my batteries home with me...there you can service them...no need to let them rot in an empty cabin
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volcano
Nomad
Posts: 348
Registered: 3-5-2007
Location: Cave Junction, Oregon and Boca Del Salado area, Ea
Member Is Offline
Mood: always pining to be there
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not usually able to drive there...usually fly in...so taking them with me would not usually be an option. I think the word rot is really a clue to
your answer...thanks as always.
I'm still needed feedback on how well a sealed battery might fare on a trickle charger without someone looking in on it for 11 months.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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the bigger the battery (water compartments)
the longer it lasts
sealed batteries are just water batteries that you cant water
they fail in hot climates...so do agm batteries
having a care-taker look after batteries has several advantages
he ONLY needs to water the batteries once a month
watering more often isn't good anyway
while he's there he can flush the toilet and keep the septic operating
when you dont use those things they tend to smell
he's also a security guy...people KNOW when someone is servicing a home...they treat it differently than when someone leaves it completely
empty..."those rich bastards dont need the stuff inside...they just leave"
i'd just buy some good batteries...set up your system using a good charge controller...run some lights at night on timers...and let it go
the batteries will last as long as they last
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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So, it's wired for 110v? Does that mean that you HAVE 110v there? Or not? 
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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to bob and susan
bob,as a marine electricain and electrical specialist and was hooking up and repairing solar systems on the east cape since the mid 80,s..yep..your
correct..I dont know anything about batteries....so with that said I will crawl back in my cave and start the fire!!
[Edited on 6-25-2012 by captkw]
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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AGM's, small panel40W, controller.(Morningstar)
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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volcano
Nomad
Posts: 348
Registered: 3-5-2007
Location: Cave Junction, Oregon and Boca Del Salado area, Ea
Member Is Offline
Mood: always pining to be there
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soulpatch...are your agm's sealed?
I have a caretaker do a walk around the shuttered cabin twice a month now @ $20 per month....jobs added on kick her price up to $80 per month X 12 is
something I'm hoping to avoid. (no toilet to flush...exterior composting toilet)
thanks for all the answers..it all helps, really.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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AGM's would be a good choice when sailing or boating...sealed is best when turned turtle. 
All off-grid homeowners posting here are good sources of info. In addition, for your cabin, check with the experts at Arizona Sun and Wind for some
of the best home solar advice on the planet. Technology is advancing very fast on this topic, so product improvements change frequently. What was in
use last year is extinct already.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1496
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
Member Is Offline
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Volcano
AGM batteries are sealed batteries, commonly referred to as VRLA batteries, which means valve regulated lead acid. They are usually very robust and
are the battery of choice for large industial companys that have to have a reliable battery back up power source. There are small AGM 12v batteries on
the market, but for the most part they are 3 to 4 times the price of a deep cycle flooded lead acid battery.
The big advantage to AGM batteries is that they are virtually mainainence free, ie no corrosion to clean, no water to add to the cells, and if charged
properly they have a long life. The disadvantages are that they are very voltage sensitive to being over charged. If they are over charged they try to
off gas and once that happens the cell will start drying out and go bad prematurely. To prevent over charging you need to use a good charge controller
and in conjunction with that charge controller you should also use an RTS, or remote temperature sensor, which allows the controller to drop the
voltage to the batteries in hot weather and raise the voltage to the batteries in cold weather. Unfortunately in your proposed usage of once a year
this is probably more than you want to spend.
If I was in your situation I would try just getting a costco automotive battery, a 50 watt solar panel and a cheap charge contoller off of ebay. That
battery will supply lights for your once a year visit. If the batery only lasts a couple of years no big deal they aren't too expensive to replace. A
second option might be to just get a little Honda 1000 generator and use it for your power needs.
Good luck,
Larry
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choyero
Nomad
Posts: 152
Registered: 4-21-2011
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
If I was in your situation I would try just getting a costco automotive battery, a 50 watt solar panel and a cheap charge contoller off of ebay. That
battery will supply lights for your once a year visit. If the batery only lasts a couple of years no big deal they aren't too expensive to replace. A
second option might be to just get a little Honda 1000 generator and use it for your power needs.
Good luck,
Larry |
x2...lived this way for 4 yrs fulltime. get 2 6v costco golf car batteries wire them up to 12v, install a cheap invertor and use the generator and a
standard 12v battery charger to charge the batteries. run the generator a few hrs a day, while charging the batts. We ran a honda eu2000, we'd throw
in a liter of fuel and let it run out, it was generally enough time to charge the batteries for the evening movies.
outside the cost of a generator...the system costs well under $500, and takes up very little space. No solar panels needed, but easily added with a
charge controller and small panel.
I dont have anger management issues, I have idiot management issues.
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
Member Is Offline
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I know this is not germane to the topic, but don't discount the value of tinkering around - if you like to do this sort of stuff, then a solar system
will provide you hours of enjoyment.
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edm1
Senior Nomad
Posts: 568
Registered: 8-23-2006
Location: Oak Hills, Ca
Member Is Offline
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Volcano, you did not state the purpose of keeping the battery charged all year. You stated the cabin is wired for 110V but that is insignificant to
trickle charging.
If you intend to use the batteries for a whole month, that a lot of use and requires a solar charging system and an inverter or a generator. If you
just want to trickle charge them so that thay stay fresh, i.e. they don't die or get sulfated then so be it. Just make sure your trickle charger has a
sealed / agm option and, as suggested earlier, a temperature probe. If you go with gel, make sure also it has an a gel type option. Flooded batteries
require different set points for the different stages of charging. Since you stated you will be investing in a more elaborate ppwer system, this may
be the time now to at least get a good charge controller.
[Edited on 7-14-2012 by edm1]
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