Let's Put Your Starter Solar System Together

The most common first step in learning to create your own solar energy is buying one of the widely distributed "solar panels kits". And that's great, nothing has done more for helping the newcomer get started then to walk into a Harbor Freight store or Costco and buy a ready to set up kit.

But like any sport or hobby a large percentage of these kits get put into the closet to gather dust. And the remaining percentage that do get put to good use get replaced or updated almost immediately.

Our goal here is to walk you through picking out individual parts that will help you avoid not only having to update your system right away but to generate 3 times the power right from the start avoiding the realization that you bought what amounts to a "trickle charger".

Most of the more common kits, the Harbor Freight 45 Watt Kit and the Sunforce 60 Watt Kit are what is known as "amourphous panels". While amorphous panels are less expensive to produce one of the biggest draw backs to using them is that they require much more real estate per watt. A standard 50 watt crystalline panel requires only as much space as is needed for 1 of the 3 or 4 panels from these kits. And while crystalline panels use to be out of the dollar range of most DIY energy makers that has changed dramatically.

Let's start with the solar panel

The panel we would suggest for our "starter system" is not exactly a crystalline panel but a Polycrystalline panel. The Epcom 50 watt panel is approxomately 32" X 22", has a tough metal frame and sells for only $99.00. The 125 watt version of this same panel sells for $199.00 and a little quick math tells you that spending a little bit more money when making your first purchase is going to pay off quickly. The 50 watt panel puts out 2.78 amps and the 125 version puts out a respectable 7.3 amps. So ask yourself "how many panels am I REALLY going to add to this little system of mine". Knowing this and being honest with yourself about what that answer is will help you make a sound decision on your charge controller.

The Charge Controller

The charge controller of these common kits come in either 4 amps for the Harbor Freight Kit 45 watt kit or 7 amps for the Sunforce 60 watt kit. You can make the jump to 10 amps for the reasonable price of $35.00 with the Sunforce 60031 Charge Controller. But you need to be honest with yourself, will you save money in the long run by stepping up and making your first purchase the Sunforce 60032 with 30 amp capabilities and LED digital voltage and battery condition read out.

Next is the Power Inverter

Last but not least is the power inverter that will convert your DC volt power to usable 110 volt to be used with common household appliances etc. The inverter is the most misunderstood and replaced item in any system. Beginners will most often buy the least expensive inverter to get started only to find out that it won't power what they intended to use it for. Be honest with yourself, do the math. How much power does it take to run that computer or shop light hat you want to run on your new solar system. Better then doing the math, purchase a "Kill A Watt Meter". It's a simple device that you plug into the wall and plug your appliance into to read the power useage of your item on it's LED screen.

The least expensive inverters are what is called "modified Sine Wave" and are almost non usable for electric motors, TV's, microwaves or computers. I have always had some inexpensive high wattage modified sine wave inverters in our arsenal, they have their place. But most likely you will want to use your new system for a computer or TV so it's best to step up and get a reliable, quality "Pure Sine Wave" inverter right from the start. In the 300 watt and under category we suggest the Samlex PST 30S that sells for around $128.00.

In the 1000 watt category you can get into the Xantrex ProWatt SW1000 for approximately $279.00 and you won't regret it. This Xantrex has features usually associated with much more expensive units. Remote capabilities, dual GFCI outlets, USB charging ports and more.

Let's put it all together.....

One of the few remaining items you will need is an assortment of wiring. Stranded copper wiring is a valuable commodity to the home energy producer. Start scrounging around and buying up all you can when you can get deals. Stranded only since solid wire has almost no place in the DC world in our opinion. And focus on 10 gauge and thicker. The most expensive wire you'll need will be for connecting your batteries to the inverter. You want to design your system to keep the inverter as close as possible to the batteries. Welding leads from dis guarded, out dated Lincoln welders have always been prime targets for this application. Or committing a set of heavy jumper cables to the cause can work as well. Don't make a move on your wiring though without referring to this chart. The number 1 mistake made by the first timer is under sized wiring.

So let's get it put together. If you need any help at all visit our forum that is 800+ members strong and they will answer any questions you have and have posted pictures and diagrams of their own systems there as well. Ask any question you want, our members love helping someone get started.


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Are MPPT Charge Controllers Really Worth the Cost?

From guest blogger Dale Marshall......

I would say that MPPT charge controllers are really worth the cost. The overall gain of harvesting more power with MPPT will make up for extra panels you would have to buy to make up for the losses. So far my gain has been around an average of 40%. I would have have had to spend twice the money to make up for those losses in extra harvesting power.

Once you get past the 250 watt mark MPPT is your best friend when it comes to power harvesting. I will give you an example. I have been doing some testing.

I used just 1 of my 125 watt panels. I used a regular PWM controller full sun, I was lucky to pull 4.3 amps. Voltage of course stayed at battery level. Max power at top charge charge was 14.4 volt at 4.27 amps. Rounded off math say 61.5 Watts, half of the panels rated output.

Now with MPPT I have a Solid 18 volts even coming in at 6.1 amps. MPPT Boost amps because it tracks voltage at VMP. But because of the way MPPT works I am getting a 14.4 volt charge at 7.5 amps at 109 watts. That's a gain of 3+ amps going into your battery bank. And it would take another 125 watt panel to make up for those losses. This is where MPPT shines like a star.

I hope this helps, take the time and weigh the cost. I do use a MPPT charge controller it is a Rouge MPT-3024. But there is other models out there. You just have to be careful on which ones to buy.

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Making a Cheap 12 Volt Timer

From guest Blogger Denise McCracken........

I have two 50 watt solar panels up, in the DC part of my system. I was thinking about putting in a timer to control the outdoor lights, but I did something much simpler. I built a box with a diode and a relay. The diode is between the solar panel power feed and the battery.

Power on the solar side will close the relay. The battery is connected to the lights through a 10 amp circuit breaker, and through the NC contacts of the relay. So, whenever the sun goes down, the lights come on. When it comes back up, relay closes, lights go out, and the batteries charge.

So far, I've gotten by without a charge controller, just the panels and this little switch box that I made.

The schematic is almost trivial, but here it is...



The circuit breaker for the lighting goes into the "to lights" wire, to protect the box and its wiring. You can find one here:



I like aircraft breakers because you can pull them to disable a circuit, if necessary. Here is the one I used.



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Basic 12 Volt Battery Maintenance For Your Solar Set Up

Basic maintenance for your 12 volt battery. Using a deep cycle marine battery with your harbor freight solar panel set. Please post some comments and let him know what you think.



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Setting up Reliant Generator Switch to Set up Off Grid System Room by Room

Al shows us how he installed the Reliant Generator Switch and power transfer panel for the 12 volt battery bank and Harbor Freight solar panels is now installed and just waiting for a connection to the inverter before going into production. The shed is also getting wired properly and after that is done we're running conduit and power to the new barn in the back.

Al decided to hire a journeyman electrician to help me so he could finish all the projects before summer. His brother does carpentry so he'll come to help finish panel up the barn and wall up and insulate the shed room plus build a door for it. Then the remaining Harbor Freight solar panels are going up to supplement the existing ones and finally the two wind turbines will go up.




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Calculating the Voltage Drop on 12 Volt Systems

The greater wire resistance that you encounter, the greater voltage drop will incur. Besides that, the metal in the wire also plays its part in contributing to the voltage degradation. In order to allow lower voltages than the one supplied to the circuit for specific purposes within the device, voltage drop series circuits need to be used in direct and alternating current (DC and AC) devices. For instance, you would be having a device that comes with a 24 volt DC battery, an 18 volt motor, 3.4 volt lights and a 5 volt control logic chip, which all need a steady supply of voltages. All this calculation follows the principle of Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law, which mentioned that the summation of all voltages contains in a series of circuit, should be equal to zero.

What you need to do this project:
Calculator

Voltage Drop

Method:
Firstly, you need to gather all the necessary data in order for you to know certain information such as the amount of amps in the system, the length of wire in meters, the specific resistance for the wire’s metal in ohms*mm*mm/m, and the cross-section area in square mm.
You can use both specific resistance and the cross-section area as reference. However, the cross section can be calculated from the AWG rating by using a formula as described below:
Cross Section Area (in mm^2) = (((0.127 * 92 ^ ((36 – AWG) / 39)) / 2) ^ 2) * pi

You can also input your data by using the following formula:
Voltage Drop = Amps * (2 * Length of Wire * Specific Resistance / Cross Section Area)

In the formula given above, the number “2″ is representing the accounting for the electricity’s return trip meaning that it doubles the length of the wire. For instance, you are having a 16 AWG copper wire that runs up to 20 meters along with one amp. You need to reference a specific resistance for this kind of copper at 0.01785 ohm*mm*mm/m with a cross-section diameter of at least 1.3 mm*mm. The sample calculation is as follow:

Voltage Drop = 1 * (2 * 20 * 0.01785 / 1.3)

Voltage Drop = 1 * (0.714 / 1.3)

Voltage Drop = 0.549

Once you have done the calculation, you would be able to compare the above figure against the original voltage of 12 volt in order for you to see the percentage drop. The comparison calculation for the percentage drop is as follows:
Percentage of Voltage Drop = Voltage Drop / Original Voltage * 100

Percentage of Voltage Drop = 0.549 / 12 * 100

Percentage of Voltage Drop = 4.58%

Whenever you are using high impedance resistor voltage drop circuits you would be able to conserve power. However, if you install resistors, which are too low of its overall circuit ohm value, will result to more flowing of your current usage thus creating the possibility of smoking or burning of your electronic components.

Posted courtesy of Do It Yourself Guides


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Xantrex C35 Charge Controller

The price on these keeps getting better and better. The Xantrex C35 Charge Controller is made to meet all of your DIY needs. Features a 35 Amp field configurable for 12 and 24 VDC operation, can be used as a charge diversion [for an electric water heater] or a load controller. Comes with a standard multi color charge status LED. Silent, pulse width modulated microprocessor control maximizing battery life.

Visit our online store today and Buy the Xantrex C35 for as low as $93.95.

Solar John: Mounting Solar Panels on Your Roof

From guest blogger Solar John.....

To operate at peak efficiency, solar panels should be aligned perpendicular to the sun. But since the sun’s position in the sky is constantly changing, frequent manual alignment is not practical. While solar trackers, which automatically align the panels for the sun’s daily east to west transition, are available, they are expensive and prone to failure. A less-expensive option is to mount the panels facing south, and to include an easy way to adjust the tilt in order to compensate for the position of the sun in the sky as the seasons change.

While the summer sun appears almost directly overhead at mid-day, winter sun appears to the south. The drawing below shows the sun’s position, and the approximate best angle for roof-mounted panels for the summer and winter seasons.



To determine the optimum angle for your solar panel for each season, you’ll first need to know the latitude for your location. You can find that information here:

http://www.weatherunderground.com/

The website listed below allows you to enter the latitude for your location, and then calculates the optimum angle for each of the twelve months of the year:

http://www.wattsun.com/resources/calculators/photovoltaic_tilt.html

While you probably don’t want to change the angle every month, changing it two to four times per year will improve the performance of your array. Using data for my location, I’ve decided to use a 25 degree angle for spring and summer, and 50 degrees for fall and winter. Since my roof is already at a 17 degree angle, my panel mounts need to make up the difference, or an additional 8 degrees for the spring and summer position, and an additional 33 degrees for fall and winter. To measure the angles, I’ve purchased the tool shown below from my local hardware store:



I made my panel mounts using 1” X 1” X 1/8” angle aluminum. I start by cutting two long pieces, one for each side of each panel. I securely mount those to the frame of each solar panel. I then cut the top and bottom legs, and the feet. I’ve decided to make the bottom legs three inches in length. Elevating the panels three inches above the roof allows plenty of air to circulate under the panels, keeping them from overheating. This is an important design consideration because solar panels loose efficiency at high temperatures. The upper legs, as shown in the photo below, are 8” in length. The difference between the length of the lower and upper legs results in the additional 8 degrees of tilt that I need for my summer configuration. Longer upper legs will be used in the fall and winter months. While only two panels are shown here, additional panels can easily be added along side the others. To do that, the legs between the panels need to be modified slightly.



Legs are attached to 3” feet, made from the same aluminum angle stock. I used 2 ½” stainless steel lag screws to securely mount the assembly to the roof. To prevent leaks, I’ve used a generous amount of clear silicon sealer under the feet as I attached them to the roof. To eliminate the possibility of rust, I used stainless steel bolts, nuts, and washers to hold everything together.



I’m fortunate to have a south-facing roof on which to install my solar panels. Array mounting would be more complicated, and expensive, if my roof were east-west oriented. Shading from the array in the spring and summer helps to reduce heat in the attic. Notice in the photo that the panel's junction box is at the top, and therefore easily accessible.

An advantage to the steep winter configuration is that snow quickly falls off of the panels.

I'm confidant that this mounting structure will withstand high winds, and I've trimmed nearby trees to prevent damage from blowing and falling limbs. I should not experience shading from nearby trees execpt in the very early morning and again very late in the day. I look forward to the day when six more panels are added to this array.

Solar John


Visit the Harbor Freight 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit Community Forum, a great way to get started!


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How to Provide Care and Maintenance for Your Battery

If you have done any research on how batteries work or what you should look for when selecting a battery, you are probably buried in information, some of which is conflicting. At BatteryStuff, we aim to clear that up a bit.You have most likely heard the term K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). I am going to attempt to explain how lead acid batteries work and what they need without burying you with a bunch of needless technical data. I have found that battery data will vary somewhat from manufacturer to manufacturer, so I will do my best to boil that data down. This means I may generalize a bit, while staying true to purpose.

The commercial use of the lead acid battery is over 100 years old. The same chemical principal that is being used to store energy is basicly the same as our Great Grandparents may have used.

If you can grasp the basics you will have fewer battery problems and will gain greater battery performance, reliability, and longevity. I suggest you read the entire tutorial, however I have indexed all the information for a quick read and easy reference.

A battery is like a piggy bank. If you keep taking out and putting nothing back you soon will have nothing. Present day chassis battery power requirements are huge. Consider today’s vehicle and all the electrical devices that must be supplied. All these electronics require a source of reliable power, and poor battery condition can cause expensive electronic component failure. Did you know that the average auto has 11 pounds of wire in the electrical system? Look at RVs and boats with all the electrical gadgets that require power. It was not long ago when trailers or motor homes had only a single 12 volt house battery. Today it is standard to have two or more house batteries powering inverters up to 4000 watts.

Average battery life has become shorter as energy requirements have increased. Life span depends on usage; 6 months to 48 months, yet only 30% of all batteries actually reach the 48 month mark.

A Few Basics


The Lead Acid battery is made up of plates, lead, and lead oxide (various other elements are used to change density, hardness, porosity, etc.) with a 35% sulfuric acid and 65% water solution. This solution is called electrolyte, which causes a chemical reaction that produce electrons. When you test a battery with a hydrometer, you are measuring the amount of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte. If your reading is low, that means the chemistry that makes electrons is lacking. So where did the sulfur go? It is resting on the battery plates and when you recharge the battery, the sulfur returns to the electrolyte.

1. We must think safety when we are working around and with batteries. Remove all jewelry. After all you don't want to melt your watchband while you are wearing the watch. The hydrogen gas that batteries make when charging is very explosive. We have seen several instances of batteries blowing up and drenching everything in sulfuric acid. That is no fun, and would have been a good time to use those safety goggles that are hanging on the wall. Heck, just break out your disco outfit. Polyester is not affected by Sulfuric Acid, but anything with cotton will be eaten up. If you do not feel the need to make a fashion statement just wear junk clothes, after all Polyester is still out of style. When doing electrical work on vehicles it is best to disconnect the ground cable. Just remember you are messing with corrosive acid, explosive gases and 100's amps of electrical current.

2. Basically there are two types of lead acid batteries (along with 3 sub categories); The two main types are Starting (cranking), and Deep Cycle (marine/golf cart). The starting battery (SLI starting lights ignition) is designed to deliver quick bursts of energy (such as starting engines) and therefore has a greater plate count. The plates are thinner and have somewhat different material composition. The deep cycle battery has less instant energy, but greater long-term energy delivery. Deep cycle batteries have thicker plates and can survive a number of discharge cycles. Starting batteries should not be used for deep cycle applications because the thinner plates are more prone to warping and pitting when discharged. The so-called Dual Purpose Battery is a compromise between the two types of batteries, though it is better to be more specific if possible.

3. Wet Cell (flooded), Gel Cell, and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) are various versions of the lead acid battery. The Wet cell comes in two styles; Serviceable and Maintenance free. Both are filled with electrolyte and are basicly the same. I prefer one that I can add water to and check the specific gravity of the electrolyte with a hydrometer. The Gel Cell and the AGM batteries are specialty batteries that typically cost twice as much as a premium wet cell. However they store very well and do not tend to sulfate or degrade as easily as wet cell. There is little chance of a hydrogen gas explosion or corrosion when using these batteries; these are the safest lead acid batteries you can use. Gel Cell and some AGM batteries may require a special charging rate. If you want the best,most versatile type, consideration should be given to the AGM battery for applications such as Marine, RV, Solar, Audio, Power Sports and Stand-By Power just to name a few. If you don't use or operate your equipment daily, AGM batteries will hold their charge better that other types. If you must depend on top-notch battery performance, spend the extra money. Gel Cell batteries still are being sold but AGM batteries are replacing them in most applications. There is a some common confusion regarding AGM batteries because different manufactures call them by different names; some of the more common names are "sealed regulated valve", "dry cell", "non spillable", and "Valve Regulated Lead Acid" batteries. In most cases AGM batteries will give greater life span and greater cycle life than a wet cell battery.
SPECIAL NOTE about Gel Batteries: It is very common for individuals to use the term GEL CELL when referring to sealed, maintenance free batteries, much like one would use Kleenex when referring to facial tissue or "Xerox machine" when referring to a copy machine. Be very careful when specifying a battery charger, many times we are told by customer they are requiring a charger for a Gel Cell battery and in fact the battery is not a Gel Cell.


AGM: The Absorbed Glass Matt construction allows the electrolyte to be suspended in close proximity with the plates active material. In theory, this enhances both the discharge and recharge efficiency. Common manufacturer applications include high performance engine starting, power sports, deep cycle, solar and storage battery. The larger AGM batteries we sell are typically good deep cycle batteries and they deliver their best life performance if recharged before allowed to drop below the 50% discharge rate. The Scorpion powersports batteries we carry are a nice upgrade from your stock flooded battery, and the Odyssey branded batteries are fantastic for holding their static charge over long periods of non use. When Deep Cycle AGM batteries are discharged to a rate of no less than 60% the cycle life will be 300 plus cycles.

GEL: The Gel Cell is similar to the AGM style because the electrolyte is suspended, but different because technically the AGM battery is still considered to be a wet cell. The electrolyte in a Gel Cell has a silica additive that causes it to set up or stiffen. The recharge voltage on this type of cell is lower than the other styles of lead acid battery. This is probably the most sensitive cell in terms of adverse reactions to over-voltage charging. Gel Batteries are best used in VERY DEEP cycle application and may last a bit longer in hot weather applications. If the incorrect battery charger is used on a Gel Cell battery poor performance and premature failure is certain.

4. CCA, CA, AH and RC. What are these all about? These are the standards that most battery companies use to rate the output and capacity of a battery.

Cold cranking amps (CCA) is a measurement of the number of amps a battery can deliver at 0 ° F for 30 seconds and not drop below 7.2 volts. So a high CCA battery rating is especially important in starting battery applications, and in cold weather.This measurement is not particularly important in Deep cycle batteries, though it is the most commonly 'known' battery measurement.

CA is cranking amps measured at 32 degrees F. This rating is also called marine cranking amps (MCA). Hot cranking amps (HCA) is seldom used any longer but is measured at 80 ° F.

Reserve Capacity (RC) is a very important rating. This is the number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80 ° F will discharge 25 amps until the battery drops below 10.5 volts.

An amp hour (AH) is a rating usually found on deep cycle batteries. If a battery is rated at 100 amp hours it should deliver 5 amps for 20 hours, 20 amps for 5 hours, etc.

5. Battery Maintenance is an important issue. The battery should be cleaned using a baking soda and water solution; a couple of table spoons to a pint of water. Cable connections need to be cleaned and tightened as battery problems are often caused by dirty and loose connections. A serviceable battery needs to have the fluid level checked. Use only mineral free water, Distilled is best as all impurities have been removed, and there is nothing left that could contaminate your cells. Don't overfill battery cells especially in warmer weather because the natural fluid expansion in hot weather can push excess electrolytes from the battery. To prevent corrosion of cables on top post batteries use a small bead of silicon sealer at the base of the post and place a felt battery washer over it. Coat the washer with high temperature grease or petroleum jelly (Vaseline), then place cable on the post and tighten. Coat the exposed cable end with the grease. Most folks don't know that just the gases from the battery condensing on metal parts cause most corrosion.

6. Battery Testing can be done in more than one way. The most accurate method is measurement of specific gravity and battery voltage. To measure specific gravity buy a temperature compensating hydrometer, to measure voltage use a digital D.C. Voltmeter. A quality load tester may be a good purchase if you need to test sealed batteries.

For any of these methods, you must first fully charge the battery and then remove the surface charge. If the battery has been sitting at least several hours (I prefer at least 12 hours) you may begin testing. To remove surface charge the battery must be discharged for several minutes. Using a headlight (high beam) will do the trick. After turning off the light you are ready to test the battery.

*Sulfation of Batteries starts when specific gravity falls below 1.225 or voltage measures less than 12.4 for a 12v battery, or 6.2 for a 6 volt battery. Sulfation hardens on the battery plates reducing and eventually destroying the ability of the battery to generate Volts and Amps.

Load testing is yet another way of testing a battery. Load test removes amps from a battery much like starting an engine would. A load tester can be purchased at most auto parts stores. Some battery companies label their battery with the amp load for testing. This number is usually 1/2 of the CCA rating. For instance, a 500CCA battery would load test at 250 amps for 15 seconds. A load test can only be performed if the battery is near or at full charge.

The results of your testing should be as follows:

Hydrometer readings should not vary more than .05 differences between cells.

Digital Voltmeters should read as the voltage is shown in this document. The sealed AGM and Gel Cell battery voltage (full charged) will be slightly higher in the 12.8 to 12.9 ranges. If you have voltage readings in the 10.5 volts range on a charged battery, that typically indicates a shorted cell.

If you have a maintenance free wet cell, the only ways to test are voltmeter and load test. Any of the maintenance free type batteries that have a built in hydrometer(black/green window) will tell you the condition of 1 cell of 6. You may get a good reading from 1 cell but have a problem with other cells in the battery.

When in doubt about battery testing, call the battery manufacturer. Many batteries sold today have a toll free number to call for help.

7. Selecting a Battery - When buying a new battery I suggest you purchase a battery with the greatest reserve capacity or amp hour rating possible. Of course the physical size, cable hook up, and terminal type must be a consideration. You may want to consider a Gel Cell or an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) rather than a Wet Cell if the application is in a harsher environment or the battery is not going to receive regular maintenance and charging.

Be sure to purchase the correct type of battery for the job it must do. Remember that engine starting batteries and deep cycle batteries are different. Freshness of a new battery is very important. The longer a battery sits and is not re-charged the more damaging sulfation build up there may be on the plates. Most batteries have a date of manufacture code on them. The month is indicated by a letter 'A' being January and a number '4' being 2004. C4 would tell us the battery was manufactured in March 2004. Remember the fresher the better. The letter "i" is not used because it can be confused with #1.

Battery warranties are figured in the favor of battery manufactures. Let's say you buy a 60-month warranty battery and it lives 41 months. The warranty is pro-rated so when taking the months used against the full retail price of the battery you end up paying about the same money as if you purchased the battery at the sale price. This makes the manufacturer happy. What makes me happy is to exceed the warranty. Let me assure you it can be done.

8. Battery life and performance - Average battery life has become shorter as energy requirements have increased. Two phrases I hear most often are "my battery won't take a charge, and my battery won't hold a charge". Only 30% of batteries sold today reach the 4 -month mark. In fact 80% of all battery failure is related to sulfation build-up. This build up occurs when the sulfur molecules in the electrolyte (battery acid) become so deeply discharged that they begin to coat the battery's lead plates. Before long the plates become so coated that the battery dies. The causes of sulfation are numerous. Let me list some for you.


Batteries sit too long between charges. As little as 24 hours in hot weather and several days in cooler weather.
Battery is stored without some type of energy input.
"Deep cycling" an engine starting battery. Remember these batteries can't stand deep discharge.
Undercharging of a battery to only 90% of capacity will allow sulfation of the battery using the 10% of battery chemistry not reactivated by the incompleted charging cycle.
Heat of 100 plus F., increases internal discharge. As temperatures increase so does internal discharge. A new fully charged battery left sitting 24 hours a day at 110 degrees F for 30 days would most likely not start an engine.
Low electrolyte level - battery plates exposed to air will immediately sulfate.
Incorrect charging levels and settings. Most cheap battery chargers can do more harm than good. See the section on battery charging.
Cold weather is also hard on the battery. The chemistry does not make the same amount of energy as a warm battery. A deeply discharged battery can freeze solid in sub zero weather.
Parasitic drain is a load put on a battery with the key off. More info on parasitic drain will follow in this document.

There are ways to greatly increase battery life and performance. All the products we sell are targeted to improve performance and battery life.

An example: Let's say you have "toys"; an ATV, classic car, antique car, boat, Harley, etc. You most likely don't use these toys 365 days a year as you do your car. Many of these toys are seasonal so they are stored. What happens to the batteries? Most batteries that supply energy to power our toys only last 2 seasons. You must keep these batteries from sulfating or buy new ones. We sell products to prevent and reverse sulfation. The PulseTech products are patented electronic devices that reverse and prevent sulfation. Also Battery Equaliser, a chemical battery additive, has proven itself very effective in improving battery life and performance. Other devices such as Solar Trickle Chargers are a great option for battery maintenance.

Parasitic drain is a load put on a battery with the key off. Most vehicles have clocks, engine management computers, alarm systems, etc. In the case of a boat you may have an automatic bilge pump, radio, GPS, etc. These devices may all be operating without the engine running. You may have parasitic loads caused by a short in the electrical system. If you are always having dead battery problems most likely the parasitic drain is excessive. The constant low or dead battery caused by excessive parasitic energy drain will dramatically shorten battery life. If this is a problem you are having, check out the Priority Start and Marine Priority Start to prevent dead batteries before they happen. This special computer switch will turn off your engine start battery before all the starting energy is drained. This technology will prevent you from deep cycling your starting battery.

9. Battery Charging - Remember you must put back the energy you use immediately. If you don't the battery sulfates and that affects performance and longevity. The alternator is a battery charger. It works well if the battery is not deeply discharged. The alternator tends to overcharge batteries that are very low and the overcharge can damage batteries. In fact an engine starting battery on average has only about 10 deep cycles available when recharged by an alternator. Batteries like to be charged in a certain way, especially when they have been deeply discharged. This type of charging is called 3 step regulated charging. Please note that only special SMART CHARGERS using computer technology can perform 3 step charging techniques. You don't find these types of chargers in parts stores and Wal-Marts. The first step is bulk charging where up to 80% of the battery energy capacity is replaced by the charger at the maximum voltage and current amp rating of the charger. When the battery voltage reaches 14.4 volts this begins the absorption charge step. This is where the voltage is held at a constant 14.4 volts and the current (amps) declines until the battery is 98% charged. Next comes the Float Step. This is a regulated voltage of not more than 13.4 volts and usually less than 1 amp of current. This in time will bring the battery to 100% charged or close to it. The float charge will not boil or heat batteries but will maintain the batteries at 100% readiness and prevent cycling during long term inactivity. Some Gel Cell and AGM batteries may require special settings or chargers.

10. Battery Do's
Think Safety First.
Do read entire tutorial
Do regular inspection and maintenance especially in hot weather.
Do recharge batteries immediately after discharge.
Do buy the highest RC reserve capacity or AH amp hour battery that will fit your configuration.

11. Battery Don'ts
Don't forget safety first.
Don't add new electrolyte (acid).
Don't use unregulated high output battery chargers to charge batteries.
Don't place your equipment and toys into storage without some type of device to keep the battery charged.
Don't disconnect battery cables while the engine is running (your battery acts as a filter).
Don't put off recharging batteries.
Don't add tap water as it may contain minerals that will contaminate the electrolyte.
Don't discharge a battery any deeper than you possibly have to.
Don't let a battery get hot to the touch and boil violently when charging.
Don't mix size and types of batteries.

There are many points and details we have not written about because we wanted to keep this as short and simple as possible. Further information can be found at the links below. If you are aware of sites with good battery maintenance information please let me know.

For click here additional battery Tutorial's


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Solar Power Battery Wiring Diagrams

The following diagrams illustrate how to get increased current (more power) by using parallel wiring and how to increase voltage levels by using series wiring. You can do both using series and parallel wiring in combinations.

Use parallel wiring to increase current (power)

This diagram shows a simple parallel circuit to increase current or power. Assume that we are using 12 volt batteries. The power of all 3 batteries add to give us the effect of a battery 3 times as powerful but the voltage stays the same at 12 volts. Parallel wiring increases current but the voltage does not change. This is the wiring used when jump starting a car for example.


Use Series Wiring to Increase Voltage

This diagram shows a simple series circuit to increase the battery voltage level. Assume that we are using really big 4 volt industrial batteries. The voltage of all 3 batteries add to give us the effect of a battery 3 times the voltage or in this case a very large 12 volt battery. In this circuit the current is the same as the current in just 1 of the batteries. But since the 4 volt industrial batteries are very large, we have in effect created a huge 12 volt battery.

Use Series & Parallel Wiring in Combination

This diagram shows a combination series and parallel circuit to increase both the battery current and voltage level at the same time. Assume this time we are using 12 volt batteries. The left to right series connection add the two 12 volt batteries to make 24 volts. And, since we did this 3 times and then connected each group of 2 (now 24 volts) in parallel we end up with one very large 24 volt battery. It has twice the voltage of a single 12 volt battery and 3 times the current or power because all 3 groups are wired in parallel.

The Sky's The Limit

So, using series wiring, you can build up the voltage to the level you need and using parallel wiring you can increase the current or power. For example, you could setup a 24 volt battery bank by connecting two 12 batteries together in series or create a 48 volt battery bank by connecting four 12 volt batteries in series. Then just repeat this until you get the power you want and put all those now 24 or 48 volt groups in parallel. Batteries for solar power systems are available in 2, 4, 6, and 12 volts, so any combination of voltage and power is possible. Try this yourself using the Battery Bank Designer with 4 easy point & click choices.

Design Tools : Battery Bank Designer


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Do You Know Your Battery Terminal Types?

Here is a great chart to refer to when you are trying to decide what battery terminals will work best for you. Me, I am a wing nut man!




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Can You Measure Your Battery Voltage to Determine How Charged They Are?

So, you can measure your battery Voltage to determine how charged they are. And you can measure the Current the see the rate of charge or discharge (how fast the batteries are gaining or losing power). Use the chart below to interpret your battery voltage readings.

This chart will allow you to get a pretty good idea of how charged the batteries are. They must not be charging or discharging for these voltages to be correct. Also, it should be at least 1 or 2 hours since they were. A good time to check is early in the morning before charging starts or any appliances are turned on. This will tell you the SOC (state of charge) or simply put, how full they are.

Battery Voltage Chart

% of Full Charge__________ Voltage
100 % charged_____________12.7 volts
90 % charged______________12.6 volts
80 % charged______________12.5 volts
70 % charged______________12.3 volts
60 % charged______________12.2 volts
50 % charged______________12.1 volts
40 % charged______________12.0 volts
30 % charged______________11.9 volts
20 % charged______________11.8 volts
10 % charged______________11.7 volts
completely discharged_____11.6 volts or less

Remember, this measurement is most accurate after the batteries have been at rest at least 1 hour, and neither charging nor discharging.



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